Walkable Watershed Survey

The James River Association (JRA), Center for Watershed Protection and Skeo Solutions are launching Walkable Watershed projects in Charlottesville, Lynchburg and Petersburg, VA. Funded by National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Innovative Nutrient and Sediment Reduction Grant, the project will focus on community-based planning to identify green infrastructure strategies as well as Stormwater Management/Municipal Facilities and Illicit Discharge training that has been provided for City staff. 

The City of Petersburg is a partner in this effort and the results will include a Walkable Watershed Concept Plan with recommendations for improving stormwater and walkability, the installation of 100 free rain barrels, and resident education about stormwater through a variety of outreach events. The Pin Oak and Whitehill neighborhoods around Robert E. Lee Elementary School have been selected because of their proximity to the Appomattox River and the relative lack of access to their local creek and river and potential for them to be walkable communities. 

Door to door surveys are planned to start on November 14th and continuing on weekends through November and possibly December. They will be led by JRA staff and local volunteers. This will provide the project team with an opportunity to gather input from residents on what they see as opportunities and challenges related to walking and biking within the neighborhood, environmental concerns related to stormwater, improved connections to outdoor spaces and their interest in installing a rain barrel and participating in future clean-up events. Information from the surveys will be used internally by the project team to develop a series of recommendations that can be shared at a public meeting in spring 2016.

If you would like additional information about other successful walkable watersheds projects in other localities please visit: www.walkablewatershed.com. More information about the James River Association can be found here: http://jamesriverassociation.org/.