By NELSON MORAIS

Staff Writer

The Middle Nolichucky Watershed Alliance, a clean-water preservation group, was informed on Thursday that Greene County will receive a $105,000 grant from the federal U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to help continue cleanup efforts of College Creek.

Paul Hayden, owner of an environmental services consulting company and former, long-time soil conservationist for Greene County, announced at Thursday's Watershed Alliance meeting that the Greene County Soil Conservation District has been informed it would receive a one-year $105,000 grant from the EPA.

He said the funds will be "passed through" the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. The funds will be for work beginning next month through September 2009, Hayden said.

He said the funds will be used to help clean up College Creek, which runs through the campus of Tusculum College. The funds are an extension of last year's contract with the federal government for the cleanup.

Hayden said the amount was 60 percent of the funds budgeted for the project. Another 25 percent will come from landowners along College Creek. The final 15 percent will be in the form of "in-kind" volunteer labor and financial contributions, Hayden said.

'Adopt-A-Stream' Program

Cathy Landy, a watershed specialist who is contracting with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), announced a training date of Nov. 1 in Greeneville at a place to be announced for individuals and organizations that wish to "adopt a stream."

Participants in the "Adopt-A-Stream" program will be loaned testing equipment and given chemicals to monitor a section of a stream.

For more information on adopting a stream, contact Cathy Landy at 585-2137 or MNWA Chairman Wilhemina Williams at 257-4235.

Hayden also gave a report on the group's use of Best Management Practices (BMP) funds which come from the TVA.

Little Chucky Creek

For the past five years, BMP funds have been primarily used on land along Little Chucky Creek, which houses one of the world's only population of chucky madtom catfish.

Discussion also touched on a coming Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation-led public meeting to be held with participation by the MNWA and the Upper Nolichucky Watershed Association on Oct. 20 at Limestone Ruritan Club from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.

TDEC holds meetings to gather public input on the Nolichucky River once every five years. Participants at the October meeting will discuss the quality of water in the Nolichucky River, which flows through parts of Greene, Unicoi and Washington counties.

Kaufman Again Treasurer

Fred Kaufman, the current treasurer of the local area Watershed Alliance, was reelected to a three-year term at Thursday's meeting.

Williams, who took over as chairman on Jan. 1, 2008, will serve through June 2010. Dana Vaughn will serve as secretary through June 2009.

Mention was also made of "Nettie Day"' on Sept. 11 when student volunteers from Tusculum College will help clean up an as-yet-unannounced creek.

The Greene County Farm and Garden Expo is Oct. 3 and 4.

The Keep Greene Beautiful Conservation Camp is Oct. 7-9. It will be held at Davy Crockett Birthplace State Park. Different agencies, such as the U.S. Forest Service and wildlife preservation groups, will have stations or booths at the camp.

The local Watershed Alliance will have a station that describes waterways in the area and how to care for them, according to Williams.