GREEN BULKHEADS/CLEERTEC (CUYAHOGA/LAKE ERIE ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION TECHNOLOGY ENTERPRISE CENTER) -
Summer, 2008 sees the first prototypes of the Cuyahoga Habitat Underwater Basket (CHUB) installed for on site testing along the Cuyahoga's own shipping channel as well as the Maumee River in Toledo.
BIG CREEK WATERSHED ACTION PLAN
We are working with Friends of Big Creek and communities in the watershed on the plan for Big Creek.
MILL CREEK WATERSHED ACTION PLAN
We are working on a watershed plan for Mill Creek, which involves organizing and coordinating the watershed partnership and technical advisory groups, planning for resident involvement. Having completed an initial study of the challenges to the creek's health, we are now in the process of planning how to address the issues and solve the problems. This prioritization for restoration phase will also look at opportunities to address subwatersheds and their specific needs.
CHIPPEWA CREEK WATERSHED PLAN -
The communities of Brecksville, Broadview Heights and North Royalton have adopted the Balance Growth Plan developed last year, now begin to integrate PDAs and PCAs into planning.
BRANDYWINE CREEK WATERSHED PLANNING -
We are working with communities in "The Brandywine," as well as Summit County planners, engineers and soil and water conservation district, and the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, to build a partnership and engage communities in the watershed, with the goal of developing a watershed management plan.
COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING -
The Gund Foundation has awarded CRCPO a two-year grant (2007-2008) to support an initiative that includes creation of a communications collaborative to bring together groups with common environmental goals and develop a shared marketing plan to raise operational and funding support for our restoration and protection work.
With the fortieth anniversary of the June 22, 1969 burning on the river approaching, we are organizing 2009: THE YEAR OF THE RIVER, which we hope will be a year filled with programs, events and occasions to reflect on how far we have come (and how far we have to go.)
WETLAND ASSESSMENT SURVEY and WETLAND PRIORITIZATION -
Work continues on a USEPA-funded survey and prioritization of wetlands throughout the watershed. In the second phase of the project, wetlands are characterized and assessed in the context of their potential for use as
mitigation areas.
COMMUNITY STORM WATER AND LAND USE ORDINANCE INVENTORY -
CRCPO has completed the data-gathering portion of the project funded by the Ohio Lake Erie Commission, to create a database of land use and storm water management ordinances which will provide a comprehensive inventory of strategies in use throughout the watershed. Fine tuning continues and the data was used first in workshops in Brandywine Creek and Mud Brook, with Furnace Run gathering to discuss the data in the fall.
BULDING BETTER WATERSHEDS: WATERSHED STEWARDSHIP & MANAGEMENT TRAINING FOR CUYAHOGA RIVER TRIBUTARIES -
A grant from the Ohio Environmental Education Fund (OEEF) allowed us to present all-day workshops for community leaders in high-risk tributary watersheds along the main stem of the river surrounding the Cuyahoga Valley National Park - Brandywine Creek, Mud Brook and Furnace Run. Followup workshops were held on Ordinances, and the third part on wetlands will be presented later in 2008.
The Watershed Book - a comprehensive user's guide to watersheds - is being produced as part of the same grant, scheduled for publication in fall or winter.
EDUCATION AND OUTREACH -
Staff presented Watersheds 101 to an audience of naturalists and educators at the Cuyahoga Valley Environmental Education Center (CVEEC) and will continue to "train the trainers" with an LID workshop in the fall.
Staff has recently appeared as featured presenters at the Great Lakes Science Center's Great Lakes Adventure Week and continue to serve as exhibitors at communities' Green Days, EarthFest and other events.
DELISTING AND RESTORATION ACTION PLAN -
We are working to produce a comprehensive plan to identify, guide and evaluate consistent approaches in each tributary toward delisting goals.x
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