Wabash River Enhancement Corporatio Attn Stanton Lambert (WREC)

In 2023, wrec continued to advance its mission to enhance the Wabash River corridor as follows: -wrec completed implementation of a 541k follow up epa/idem 319 nps watershed implementation grant covering 2021-23. -wrec was awarded a 570,000 follow up epa/idem 319 nps watershed implementation grant covering 2023-2026. (342k/epa funds and 228k in local match funds) -wrec entered the final phase of developing a regional Wabash River greenway corridor master plan for the River corridor through fountain, warren, tippecanoe, carroll, and cass counties. The project is tentatively scheduled to be completed in 2023. -wrec continued to partner with the greater lafayette readi region in the state of Indiana's regional economic acceleration, and development initiative (readi), a regional economic development program and secured 6.5m in readi funding for the regional Wabash River greenway with funds to be allocated to each county for its wrg project. The overall wrg readi funds will be matched locally by apporoximately 12.1m. The tippecanoe county readi project will construct the north River road (nrr) trail head project which consists of the wl sagamore parkway connector trail (soldiers home rd-west landing of the sagamore parkway vehicular bridge protected bike lane), a nrr trail head parking lot and connector trail from the parking lot to the wl connector trail, and a connector trail on the lafayette side of the River connecting from the east landing of the sagamore parkway vehicular bridge protected bike lane down to the existing Wabash River heritage trail, and a canoe/kayak put-in/take out facility on nrr. The tc readi project is allocated 2.925m of the readi funds and was matched with 8.3m of the overall local match funding. -wrec partnered with the city of lafayette to receive a 2.7m in dept of natural resources next level trails grant to construct the lafayette sagamore parkway connector trail. The city of lafayette will serve as the local grantee for the project. The project will connect to the tippecanoe county readi project. -wrec continued its education and outreach efforts hosting the community's popular Wabash riverfest community festival, leading a green tour to highlight green infrastructure funded through wrec's watershed cost share program, leading bi-annual watershed water sampling blitz events, and partnering with community organizations to hold bi-annual de-trash the Wabash cleanup events and invasive plant management workdays.