Grant targets Turkey Creek watershed
“The Tennessee Department of Agriculture has given the Town a grant, along with Knox County and the City of Knoxville, to improve water quality in the Turkey Creek watershed,” Town administrator David Smoak announced during the Thursday, Aug. 13, Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting.
The project in Founders Park is “retrofitting a detention pond by replacing approximately 50 feet of corrugated metal pipe and the inlet structures that are part of that,” Smoak said. “This work will result in lower downstream velocities, improved total suspended solids removal and E. coli reduction in the North Fork of Turkey Creek.”
Smoak said the work should take about two weeks to complete.
“So you’ll have a few parking spaces in the library that we won’t be able to use for just a little bit,” he added.
"The Tennessee Department of Agriculture awarded a $205,500 Section 319(h) grant to Knox County, the Town of Farragut and the City of Knoxville to support water quality improvements within the Turkey Creek watershed, Town director of administrative services," Michelle Pence said. The grant began July 1, 2024, and is being managed by Knox County.
Pence said the $205,500 is not divided into specific allocations for each jurisdiction.
“The grant is a collaborative effort between Knox County, the Town of Farragut and the City of Knoxville because the Turkey Creek watershed extends through all three jurisdictions,” Pence said. “Funding is used for eligible projects within the watershed rather than distributed directly to each participating government.
“The current project near the Farragut Library is estimated to cost approximately $34,500,” she added.
“The Town’s project under the grant is a detention
pond retrofit near Founders Park,” Pence said. “The retrofit is intended to improve
stormwater treatment by reducing downstream water velocities and improving removal of total suspended solids and E. coli before stormwater reaches North Fork Turkey Creek.”
The project also will replace about 50 feet of deteriorated corrugated metal pipe.
“The Town’s project is being funded 100% through the grant, with no additional cost to the Town beyond the routine maintenance already performed at the site, such as mowing and landscaping,” Pence said. “Work began the week of Aug. 17 and is expected to take approximately two weeks, weather permitting.”
Pence said the project is part of the same Section 319(h) grant previously used by Knox County for streambank stabilization work along Turkey Creek.
