Town Selected to Receive DWR Grant

For Immediate Release

Nov. 16, 2022

BEAUFORT, NC – The Town of Beaufort is proud to announce the State of North Carolina and the Division of Water Resources (DWR) has selected the Town to be the recipient of $195,500 grant.

The grant funding is for financial assistance with the Cedar Street Pervious Parking Project. This project involves the construction of 16,600 square feet of pervious pavement in the parking lanes of Cedar Street between Orange and Marsh Streets. The pavement will capture approximately 6.4 acres of adjacent properties and streets stormwater runoff reducing the runoff reaching the impaired Town Creek watershed.

“Your ongoing efforts to improve the condition of water resources in your jurisdiction are to be commended,” said Richard Rogers, Jr., Director, Division of Water Resources in a letter to the Town.

The North Carolina Coastal Federation has also pledged $75,000 towards the estimated $391,000 cost of the project. The Town’s expected share is $120,500.

The planned Cedar Street Pervious Parking Project will complement another project to be constructed along Cedar Street by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT). The NCDOT project will create 14 bioswales at the corners of four street intersections with the underdrains of these features connected to the recently replaced stormwater main along Cedar Street.

The pervious pavement will be constructed along the parking lanes of the street between the bioswales. “This positioning of the pavement should reduce the runoff directed to the bioswales, helping them to be more efficient at filtering pollutants particularly during smaller storm events,” said Town Engineer Greg Meshaw. “The two projects are viewed as a step towards the Town’s goal of watershed restoration.”

In the Town’s Watershed Restoration Plan, approved by the State in 2017, stormwater runoff is described as the primary pollutant source for Town Creek.

“Reducing stormwater runoff to Town Creek will be an important step in restoring water quality,” Meshaw said.