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Western Lake Erie Basin Study Upper Maumee Watershed Assessment Final August 3, 2009

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Western Lake Erie Basin Study Upper Maumee Watershed Assessment Final August 3, 2009 Western Lake Erie Basin Study Upper Maumee Watershed Assessment Final August 3, 2009 Buffalo District 1776 Niagara Street, Buffalo, NY 14207 Upper Maumee Watershed Watershed Assessment August 3, 2009 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Introduction: The Upper Maumee Watershed is delineated by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) as 8-digit hydrologic unit number 04100005. This 250,664 Upper Maumee Watershed Profile acre (392 square mile) watershed is located in northeastern Indiana in HUC : 04100005 Allen and DeKalb counties in Indiana, Watershed size : 250,664 acres and Defiance and Paulding counties in Land use : Breakdown of specific land use, slope, and urbanized area in the watershed northwestern Ohio. (Figure E-1). The was unavailable at the time of this watershed contains approximately 434 report. miles of tributary perennial streams. Congressional Rep s: Senator George Voinovich, Ohio The Maumee River originates at Fort Senator Sherrod Brown, Ohio th Wayne, Indiana flowing to Defiance, Rep. Robert Latta, 5 District Senator Evan Bayh, Indiana Ohio where it merges with the Tiffin, Senator Richard Lugar, Indiana Auglaize and Blanchard Rivers. It Rep. Mark Souder 3 rd Distrtict continues on in a northeasterly Potential Actions $: 129,282,263 direction forming the Lower Maumee River to Toledo, Ohio, where it empties into Lake Erie. Purpose and Authority: This project entails a multi-purpose/ multi-objective evaluation of the Western Lake Erie Basin (WLEB) and Watersheds by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to 1) integrate existing projects, plans and studies; 2) assess program progress; and 3) plan future lake and watershed revitalization programs and projects from various federal, state, local and non-governmental organizations. The final product, a comprehensive Western Lake Erie Basin and Watershed Framework, will provide public agencies, watershed groups and other stakeholders with a tool to facilitate the restoration, protection and sustainable use of the water and related natural resources within the study area. The WLEB study is authorized in Section 441 of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 1999. This authority directs the Assistant Figure E -1 – Location of the St. Marys River Watershed Secretary of the Army for Civil (Ohio DNR) Works to conduct a study to develop measures to improve flood control, navigation, water quality, recreation, and fish and wildlife habitat in a comprehensive manner in the WLEB. Figure E-1. Location of the Upper Maumee Watershed. (NRCS) 1 Upper Maumee Watershed Watershed Assessment August 3, 2009 Methodology: The preparation of the assessment consisted of 1) a comprehensive review of existing studies and technical reports to identify problems, opportunities, and project needs; 2) hosting a workshop at a central location in the watershed where elected officials, agencies, and citizens were invited to share their comments and identify local problems, needs and project opportunities; 3) distribution of a project needs request form to all county, community, state and local agencies and other nonprofit organizations by letter and also posting the request on the Figure E-2. Upper Maumee River. WLEB web site; 4) making direct contact with key agencies to request information on current projects and project needs; 5) distribution of draft materials to WLEB Partnership for review and comment; and 6) completion of both internal and external USACE Independent Technical Reviews (ITR). Watershed Characteristics: Physical System and Natural Resources : The Maumee River is formed by the confluence of the St. Joseph and St. Mary’s rivers at Fort Wayne, Indiana. The river flows in a northeasterly direction primarily through an agricultural region for about 130 miles where it empties into Lake Erie at Toledo, Ohio. Located in Allen and DeKalb Counties of northeast Indiana and Paulding and Defiance Counties of northwest Ohio, the Upper Maumee Watershed extends along the Maumee River from Fort Wayne, Indiana to Defiance, Ohio. The total estimated area of the Upper Maumee Watershed covers 125,964 acres in Indiana and 121,791 acres in Ohio. (Figure E-2). Socio-economic Characteristics : Most of the watershed is rural, with 494 Indiana farms in the watershed, covering approximately 88,129 acres; and 407 Ohio farms covering approximately 111,873 acres. The average size farm is 180 acres in Indiana and 275 acres in Ohio. Primary crops include corn, soybeans, wheat, confined livestock (hogs) and some beef cattle. Cultural Attributes : Native Americans arrived in the Maumee Valley about 12,000 years ago and, since that time the valley has been a corridor of commerce and transportation. By the 1700’s, several tribes had settled along the Maumee River; the Shawnee and Delaware at the confluence of the Auglaize and Maumee Rivers, and the Miami in what is now Lakeside Park in Fort Wayne. Institutional and Regulatory Setting: Most land use is managed by rural zoning via county and township governments. Given the dominance of agriculture in the watershed, in-stream water quality problems are generally related to agricultural land use practices and channel disturbance. Consequently, most of the area is subject to nonpoint pollution controls. 2 Upper Maumee Watershed Watershed Assessment August 3, 2009 Resource Analysis: Issues and Opportunities : Flood Risk Management : Significant flood risks exist due to the relative flatness and altered characteristics of the watershed, particularly in City of Fort Wayne. The confluence of the Upper Maumee and St. Mary’s in Fort Wayne, coupled with rapid runoff due to impervious surfaces common to urban land use, contributes to flooding problems. There is an opportunity to Figure E-3. Upper Maumee River. investigate additional flood reduction measures within the watershed, such as removing structures from the floodplain, creating flood water impoundments, and restoring or establishing wetlands to retain water for percolation and as a source of groundwater recharge. Water Quality : Impairments identified within the Upper Maumee Watershed include PCBs, E. coli, mercury, nutrients, flow alteration, un-ionized ammonia, impaired biotic communities, algae, total toxics and turbidity. These impairments impact negatively the overall health of the watershed and the health of the flora and fauna – including humans - that depend on the watershed. Opportunities exist to mitigate for some of these impairments (e.g., dredging to remove PCBs, developing riparian buffer strips to enhance streamside habitat while filtering runoff of sediments and nutrients.) Technical or cost factors make other impairments (e.g., airborne deposition of mercury, sediment deposited by wind erosion) more difficult to address. Natural Resource-based Recreation: Fishing opportunities are limited, as are other natural resource-based recreation opportunities, due to dominance of agricultural land use. Fish and Wildlife Habitat : Habitat for most wildlife is restricted to fence rows and occasional woodlots along streams and ditches in the area. Fish, species composition has changed significantly since the mid- 19 th century. Drainage of the Black Swamp resulted in declines of commercially important fish including muskellunge ( Esox masquinongy) , northern pike ( Esox lucius) , lake sturgeon ( Acipenser fulvescens), walleye ( Stizostedoin vitreum ), smallmouth bass ( Micropterus dolomieui ) and several species of sucker. These once abundant species have now disappeared or suffer greatly reduced numbers. Their decline has coincided with an increase in less desirable species such as quillback carpsucker ( Carpiodes cyprinus ), gizzard shad ( Dorosoma cepedianum ), freshwater drum ( Aplodinotus grunniens ), buffalo ( Ictiobus spp .) and the introduced carp ( Cyprinus carpio ) Commercial and Recreational Navigation: The Upper Maumee does not support commercial navigation. Recreational navigation, such as canoeing or shallow draft 3 Upper Maumee Watershed Watershed Assessment August 3, 2009 fishing, is associated with upland reservoirs, ponds or small lakes, and seasonally along 1st and 2 nd order streams. Findings and Potential Actions: Due to significant changes associated with the permanent alteration of the watershed, the WLEB has lost most of its natural ecosystem features. Also, urbanization and encroachment into natural floodplains has made flooding problems commonplace. This is particularly true within the City of Fort Wayne, which has experienced extensive and frequent flood damage since the area was settled. Overall, water quality ranges from good in the lower portions of the WLEB to poor in the upper areas where extensive siltation and urban runoff is occurring. Selected potential actions are summarized below, a complete list is found in Appendix E. UPPER MAUMEE RIVER WATERSHED PRIORITY POTENTIAL ACTIONS SUMMARY Flood Risk Management, Water Supply, Sediment and Erosion Reduction Acquire all residential structures in floodplain. Support implementation of additional conservation practices in watershed to reduce sediment loads and erosion by increasing payments to offset gains in price of commodity crops. Relocate all mobile homes outside of SFHA. Water Quality Implement CSO-LTCP. Increase the percentage of agricultural acreage in the watershed under conservation tillage practices – sponsors. Establish and preserve riparian habitat. Expand demonstration projects and research for alternative CSO controls such as rain gardens, bioretention, etc. Conduct public outreach on private land management,
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