YELLOW CREEK - CUYAHOGA RIVER COMMUNITY PLANNING ORGANIZATION

Yellow Creek is one of the Cuyahoga River watershed's healthiest tributaries, with excellent fish communities and diverse aquatic insect populations, especially in its North Fork tributary.

More than 88% of the watershed is covered in forest, grass/agriculture, or scrub/shrub, which contributes to its overall health. However, these valuable greenspaces are prime targets for development, and therefore the emphasis here is on protection and preservation.

The Yellow Creek Watershed Committee was created in January, 2006, as a community-based organization "to preserve, protect and enhance the aesthetic, physical, chemical and biological integrity of the Yellow Creek Watershed."

Environmental improvement and protection efforts follow the Yellow Creek Watershed Action Plan developed by NEFCO (Northeast Ohio Four County Regional Planning and Development Organization).

LOCATION:

Yellow Creek is located along the western edge of the Cuyahoga River watershed, draining waters from 7 communities in 2 counties.

Medina County	Granger Township Sharon Township
Summit County	Akron Bath Township Cuyahoga Falls Copely Township Fairlawn Richfield Township Richfield Village

CHARACTERISTICS

Drainage:	Drains approximately 30.80 square miles
Length:	Yellow Creek is over 10 miles long with its branching headwaters starting in several different communities
Gradient:	Drops from 1177ft to 720ft, gradually falling 44ft/mile in its descent to the Cuyahoga River
Land Cover:	Land Cover 2001: • Urbanized Generally Impervious- 14.21% • Barren & Misc.- 1.56% • Grass & Agriculture- 41.30% • Shrub & Scrub Cover- 6.19% • Wooded- 41.00% • Streams & Surface Water- 1.26%

WATERSHED-SPECIFIC CHALLENGES TO HEALTH AND FUNCTION

Changes in land use and increasing development pose challenges to the health of the watershed.

Only a few of the watershed communities have ordinances in place to protect riparian zones and control erosion and sediment.

GEOLOGY

The soil formations in Yellow Creek Watershed consist generally of glacial deposits including silt, clay and a mixture of sand and gravel.

Underlying the soil are layers of Berea Sandstone and Bedford Shale bedrock. Unconsolidated glacial deposits cover nearly all of Summit County to varying depths, and contribute to the area's abundant groundwater resources.

AQUATIC LIFE AND HABITAT

Yellow Creek is designated as a Warm Water Habitat (WWH), meaning that the creek should be able to support a well-balanced population of fish and aquatic insects. It does, in fact, support one of the healthiest populations in the Cuyahoga River watershed.

Yellow Creek supports a rich, diverse fish and aquatic insect population. Notably present are key sensitive species that are extremely susceptible to water quality and habitat impacts, therefore indicating good water quality.

Protecting and maintaining communities of key sensitive species is especially important. The creek is considered a "nursery" for aquatic life that can help to repopulate aquatic communities in the Cuyahoga River and Lake Erie.

WATERSHED HYDROLOGY

Recent satellite data reveals that the level of urbanization has increased greatly over the past 15 years. Data shows that the Yellow Creek Watershed contains approximately 14% of impervious coverage. As this trend continues, both the quantity and quality of water entering Yellow Creek will be affected.

Increasing levels of storm water runoff are causing areas of Yellow Creek’s channel to erode, causing heavy sedimentation downstream.

Properly maintaining riparian zones, wetlands and controlling storm water runoff is critical to the long-term health of Yellow Creek.

WATER QUALITY

Recent chemical sampling done by Ohio EPA suggests water quality in Yellow Creek is relatively good with no violations.

The Cuyahoga River Community Planning Organization (CRCPO)
is host to the Cuyahoga River Remedial Action Plan (RAP) and
the Cuyahoga American Heritage River Initiative.

We work with partners, stakeholders and communities
in five Northeast Ohio counties to restore and revitalize the
Cuyahoga River Watershed and Areas Of Concern, and
to improve water quality in the watershed and Lake Erie.

www.cuyahogariverrap.org