Johnson County awards more than $476,000 for water quality improvements

Johnson County is investing $476,600 in three projects that will enhance water quality improvement as part of the county's Green Infrastructure Grant program.

The projects include tree planting to expand the urban tree canopy, commercial site conversion from turf to native landscaping and residential neighborhood native landscaping and stream corridor restoration.

This week, the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners approved funding for the following groups. (See map for specific project locations).

• $150,000 award to Bridging the Gap, Inc. for watershed tree plantings in Overland Park
• $171,600 award to Habitat for Humanity for native plantings in Olathe
• $155,000 award to WaterOne for native plant conversion in Lenexa

These three projects are part of a second round of grant funding after the BOCC earlier approved nearly $1.2 million to fund seven projects during the first round of funding in August.

Funded through the county's Stormwater Management Program, projects selected to receive a Green Infrastructure Grant will help improve water quality, reduce flood risk and restore the landscape's ability to absorb and slowly release rainfall rather than sending it rapidly downstream.

For additional information on the Green Infrastructure Grant program and other stormwater programs, please visit the county's website.