The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $57,000 to Bath Township Trustees for wetland and stream improvement of Bath Creek in the Yellow Creek watershed.

According to a news release from the EPA, the grant and a local match of over $14,000 will restore a 12-acre degraded wetland and 1,700 feet of stream flowing into Bath Creek. The goal is to improve water quality in the Yellow Creek watershed, which has suffered erosion and heavy sedimentation due to increased stormwater runoff.

Yellow Creek Watershed is located along the western edge of the Cuyahoga River watershed. It drains water from seven communities including Fairlawn, Bath Township, Cuyahoga Falls, Richfield Village and Richfield and Copley townships. The area is designated a Warm Water Habitat and supports a large fish, aquatic and insect population that has been endangered by pollution.

The grant -- part of $2.8 million awarded statewide -- will be used to replace invasive plants with native wetland species, which is expected to control erosion and reduce the amount of harmful chemicals and sediment entering Bath Creek.