CITY AND COUNTY AWARDED MORE THAN $170,000 FOR STORMWATER PROJECTS

Cape Girardeau city and county have been awarded more than $170,000 from a new Department of Natural Resources grant fund for stormwater improvements.

More than $9.6 million in grants were awarded to communities throughout the state for improvements to stormwater, wastewater treatment and public drinking water systems this month. Funding from the projects was provided by a constitutional amendment approved by Missouri voters in 1998.

The amendment authorized the a bond issue to raise funding for stormwater control projects in 1st class counties and water and sewer grants or loans to counties, municipalities, sewer and water districts for design, construction or improvements to public sewage collection and treatment facilities, drinking water systems and stormwater control projects.

Recipients must provide a dollar-to-dollar local match for the grant awards.

"Missourians are always supportive of these issues because the improvements make our communities better and more desirable places to live," said Gov. Mel Carnahan in a release announcing this year's grant recipients.

Cape Girardeau County received $79,647 for projects involving Hubble Creek. Workers will install three grade stabilization rock structures and place 40 upland grade stabilizers to develop runoff control and stormwater detention to help stabilize the stream system, which has become heavily eroded.

Cape Girardeau was awarded $101,104 to develop a master drainage plan for the city and complete projects along Big Bend Road near the Cape Meadows apartment complex.

Public works director Doug Leslie said the city will request bid proposals from engineers with the next 45 days to begin the drainage planning process. Over the next six months, they will analyze stormwater needs, identify funding sources, develop cost estimates and prioritize projects the city should plan to complete over the next few years.

The project will cost an estimated $150,000.

"They'll be covering all the various watersheds in the community, so it will be a pretty extensive study," said Leslie. "The study needs to come up with what needs to be done, then we can start looking at funding sources."

Steep terrain and a large volume of stormwater drainage have long caused the city problems along Big Bend Road near Country Club and Bertling streets . Property owners in the area have experienced "significant erosion" that Leslie said he hopes additional drainage facilities in the area will eliminate.

The project will cost about $96,000.

"This will help us address stormwater issues in the community outside the areas of Walker Creek and Cape LaCroix Creek that need to be addressed," Leslie said. "We would anticipate the city pursuing additional funds under this program in the next year."