The City of Lexington, in partnership with Rockbridge County and Washington and Lee University, has taken the lead in promoting water quality improvement activities for the Woods Creek Watershed. Within the City of Lexington, six rain gardens have been incorporated into an entrance corridor beautification project along South Main Street. Other projects include the construction of an extended bioretention pond in a residential neighborhood and a number of streambank stabilization projects along Woods Creek; some located on the campus of Washington and Lee University.

Funds and support for these projects have come from numerous sources including the Virginia Department of Forestry, the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, the National Wildlife Federation, Lexington Tree Board, Natural Bridge Soil and Water Conservation District, Historic Lexington Foundation, and the National Fish and Wildlife Federation, along with Boxerwood Education Association, Washington and Lee University, Rockbridge Area Conservation Council and the City of Lexington and grants from the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Small Grants Program.   In an ongoing effort to continue improvements in water quality, the City is evaluating the feasibility of revising its development regulations to require bioretention and biofiltration for future construction projects.

The City and the Boxerwood Educational Association have coordinated Woods Creek Restoration Days in late April over the past five years. Education concerning problems and opportunities for improvement in the watershed is a primary focus of this day. The primary activities on Restoration Days have been training and planting a new riparian buffer along the banks of Woods Creek. These very successful community action days have resulted in volunteers planting over 4,000 native trees and shrubs.

Past Events of  2007   2006  2005  2004  2003  2002