Kathy Grant

Background

About Kathy Grant

Early days as a Lodi Lake Nature Area volunteer docent led to my current position in Public Works as the Watershed Program Coordinator to the general public serving municipal storm water MS4 permit education and outreach requirements. Since I have collaborated with Lodi city staff, teachers, students, local newspaper journalists, businesses and the general public, hoping to bring awareness of the potential pollution from our city streets to our local waterways, which also happen to provide Lodi's drinking water. Projects have included: Teacher training workshop coordination, using California's Education in the Environment curriculum,(EEI); Salmon in the Classroom (CA Department of Fish and Wildlife); community created watershed education murals; monthly, year-round Storm Drain Detective student river monitoring program; campus cleanup clubs; watershed education study trips; community cleanups at Lodi Lake and along the Mokelumne River; work with homeless engagement groups; publishing a yearly newspaper, the Mokelumne Current, a student written endeavor highlighting the year's watershed study, and more. Many years of grant writing has supported most of these projects which have received statewide award recognition from CASQA, the statewide storm water quality association, League of California Cities and more local peer groups. Key to success is the synergy of the community working together towards a common goal: taking personal responsibility for local environmental issues and concerns, while also helping raising the next generation of environmental stewards. Sometimes, though, the work is hard and dirty, as we count garbage collected at a cleanup, or struggle to find funds to support the many watershed study trips. All good! We are thankful for our community and watershed Partners who continue to support our efforts.