Mr. Trogdon’s 6th Grade Coventry Middle School students are partnering with the Coventry Township Community in a Stream Restoration Project through an Ohio EPA Surface Water Improvement Grant.

The goal of this project is to “daylight” an existing underground pipe and restore the original natural stream. Daylighting is the redirection of water flow from a culvert, pipe, or drainage system into an above‐ground channel. Bringing this stream back to the surface will create a natural waterway that will once again become a healthy, diverse stream habitat.

The area surrounding the stream, where many of the students live, has been hit hard with flooding, erosion, and stormwater runoff pollution during the past 40 years. Restoring the stream and its native vegetation will eliminate these issues, making the aquatic community a healthier place to live.

Over the past school year, Mr. Trogdon’s class has spent a significant amount of time exploring and learning about their local ecosystem. The students are studying underground pipes and how they decrease water quality and create flooding issues. The students are also working to educate the community on the benefits of healthy streams and the impacts development can have on local habitats.

They are currently in the process of restoring approximately 1500 feet of the stream, which should be completed by Spring 2016!

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