Proctor Creek Partner Initiatives

Local Proctor Creek partnership members are approaching their goals from all sides. Examples of these initiatives on this page include:

• US Geological Survey Monitoring
• US Forest Service Studies
• Army Corps of Engineers Hydrology Study
• EPA Brownfields and Office of Research and Development Sampling
• EPA Region 4 Health Impact Assessment
• Boone Blvd. 310 Project Health Impact Assessment
• Georgia Environmental Protection Division Green Infrastructure
• Proctor Creek Stewardship Council Three-step Plan

US Geological Survey monitoring

EPA and USGS with the Proctor Creek Community and several local partners are developing a Monitoring Plan for Proctor Creek, which is on the 303(d) listing for impaired waters. USGS is installing new stream gauges to conduct flow monitoring and EPA and partners will conduct a series of sampling and monitoring over the next year.

US Forest Service studies

The US Forest Service is conducting three interconnected studies that will provide valuable information on the links between urban greenspace, ecosystem services, environmental justice, and human health.

Army Corp of Engineers hydrology study

The Army Corp of Engineers in collaboration with the City of Atlanta, EPA, community and local partners will begin a hydrology study in the Proctor Creek watershed basins which will assist in future planning and implementation of stormwater and flooding reduction measures which is a huge challenge in this watershed.

EPA Brownfields & Office of Research and Development sampling

EPA Brownfields is coordinating with Office of Research and Development (ORD) Scientists and green infrastructure specialists on an Urban Soils Assessment. The sampling will take place on parks and greenspace, brownfields sites, City owned properties, and any vacant parcels where site access can be facilitated and Right of Entry (ROE) can be secured. EPA Brownfields Staff will be the local liaison for the ORD Scientists and work to secure roughly 40 sampling sites throughout the watershed. The Urban Soil Assessment has a community outreach component where ORD Scientists interact directly with community members and local schools to educate and demonstrate the methods and utility of subsequent data. The interactive community component is branded; "Urban Soils Assessment: Rediscovering Your Community's Urban Soils." Apart from providing a resource to the community, the data and findings of the assessment will be utilized for the Proctor Creek Watershed Health Impact Assessment (HIA), providing yet another layer of data to inform public health decisions within the watershed and directing a more targeted approach to Green Infrastructure implementation.

EPA Region 4 health impact assessment

EPA Region 4, ORD and numerous partners, (CDC, City of Atlanta, Emory University, Proctor Creek Community, Park Pride) developed an HIA to assess the distribution of both environmental and health impacts of a proposed area-wide environmental district (Green Opportunity Zone) to determine how green infrastructure (GI) techniques and practices, low impact development, and land-use planning can help solve the complex flooding and stormwater issues of the Proctor Creek. This HIA’s scale will be a watershed-wide approach focusing on climate impacts to a green environmental incentive district.

Boone Boulevard Green Street 319 Project/Health Impact Assessment

Read the Health Impact Assessment here.

Georgia Environmental Protection Division green infrastructure

EPA funded a $400k Clean Water Act Section 319 grant to the City of Atlanta (CoA) through GAEPD to implement a green infrastructure project to address community concerns about flooding and stormwater. The design phase of the project is 30% complete and will be shared with the community. This project is part of a collaboration between EPA, CoA, and Park Pride and is part of community approved Proctor Creek North Avenue (PNA) study to integrate green infrastructure elements into the street design to manage stormwater and reduce nonpoint source runoff. This will help reduce flooding and provide capacity relief for the CSO, provide cleaner surface and groundwater, improve streets and sidewalks and provide economic revitalization.

Proctor Creek Stewardship Council 3 step plan

EPA/Proctor Creek Stewardship Council 3 Step Plan has been initiated to further engage the community using the Urban Waters Strategy Model to develop a project list based on priority challenges as defined by the community that will assist and encourage the UWFP and local partners and stakeholders to take ownership of those areas in which they can provide resources and assistance.