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Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District Leading Conservation in the Urban Landscape ON THE LAND SPRING 2015 STORM WATER UPDATE On December 22, 2014, nearly every to public involvement and public ed- of the revised SWMP includes how community in Cuyahoga County was ucation, construction site erosion and communities will address Best Manage- required to submit their Notice of In- sediment control and post construction ment Practices (BMPs) related to Total tent for their OHQ000003 NPDES storm water management. Cuyahoga Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs). Permit. This is the third iteration of the SWCD is also a member of the An overview of the new permit, require- permit that requires communities to Northeast Ohio Storm Water ments and deadlines, plus TMDL fact implement a storm water management Training Council. Training Coun- sheets and suggestions of BMPs that program that identifies best practices cil members provide workshops and address the TMDLs can be found at: that the community plans to address resources to community staff and www.neohiostormwater.com. during the permit cycle related to the storm water professionals that address following Minimum Control Measures: what communities need to do to stay For additional information about public education, public involvement, in compliance with the regulations. the assistance Cuyahoga SWCD illicit discharge detection and elimina- provides to communities, tion, construction site erosion and sed- By now, all regulated communities please contact: iment control, post construction storm should have filed their Notice of Intent water management, and municipal good under the new permit. By December BrentEysenbach housekeeping and pollution prevention. of 2016, regulated communities will [email protected] have to submit their revised Storm Cuyahoga SWCD currently provides Water Management Program (SWMP) Jan Rybka assistance to 25 communities related to the Ohio EPA. A key requirement [email protected] 2015 - THE YEAR OF CLEAN WATER You may have seen this logo around • Put nothing but rain down the storm drain!! Storm town. It’s part of Sustainable Cleveland drains go directly to our waterways untreated. 2019, encouraging all of us to celebrate • Learn what watershed you live in. 2015 as the Year of Clean Water. • Install a rain barrel or rain garden. Keep your storm Increasing awareness of our abundant water on your property. water resources and protecting them for future generations is the • Plant native plants. Their long root systems soak up goal. Sustainable Cleveland 2019 is water, prevent erosion and are habitat for animals. a 10-year initiative that encourages • Maintain your car – fix oil and gas leaks. Oil everyone to work together to design and gas are washed away into our storm drains and develop a thriving and resilient untreated. Cleveland that leverages its wealth • Pick up pet waste. Bacteria like E.coli is present in of assets to build economic, social dog waste and is washed into our waterways. and environmental well-being for all. • Plant trees along streams to prevent erosion. Sedimentation is a serious pollutant in our In the past, Sustainable Cleveland has focused on waterways. Energy Efficiency, Local Food, Renewable Resources and Advanced Energy, Zero Waste, and this year’s theme • Fertilize less or not at all. Learn what your yard and of Clean Water. There are many ways for YOU to get gardens need by doing a soil test. involved in the Year of Clean Water throughout the region. Learn more at the Sustainable Cleveland 2019 website – www.sustainablecleveland.org. We are all a part of clean water!!! On the Land | Spring 2015 1 www.cuyahogaswcd.org ANNUAL REPORT 2014 Cuyahoga SWCD Mission importance of taking action to keep the To promote conservation of land county’s local streams, all of which drain Programs held at schools and at events and aquatic resources in a developed to Lake Erie, clean. Community-tailored like EarthFest, NASA’s Sustainability Fair, environment through stewardship, programs aimed at reducing sediment Cleveland’s Public Works Day and at plac- education and technical assistance. runoff from construction sites and es, such as the Fairhill Center for Aging, providing easy at-home pollution prevention provided additional opportunities to Highlights 2014 best practices were delivered to a myriad of communicate the “Keep Your Yard Green • An updated logo and new branding target audiences. Programs and events and Our Waters Clean” message to diverse • A new user-friendly website and were also offered to engage the public in audiences. weekly informational blogs activities such as stream monitoring, habitat • 33% increase in construction activities restoration and stream clean up events to and inspections further illustrate the importance of taking • The Conservation Crusader’s action and compelling the public to adopt environmental messages were viewed changes in their behavior for the benefit of a by 20,980 households in Cuyahoga cleaner environment. County • Preservation of 12 acres on a Approximately 48,705 households were headwater stream directly reached by the Conservation Edu- • 500 tons sediment kept out of the cation program, with an additional 20,980 Rocky River households viewing the Conservation • 23 seasonal high tunnels installed Crusader segments on WKYC Channel 3. Green Cleaning for Inside and Out workshop • Erosion assessments on 21 miles of Cuyahoga SWCD’s fact sheets, brochures, streams newsletters and posters were distributed to • Program training assistance to other local libraries, nature centers and local city SWCDs hall lobbies, as well as at various events that • Rocky River student received a were held throughout the county. Forestry Camp scholarship Throughout the year, the staff promot- Conservation Education ed the “Keep Your Yard Green and Our Program Waters Clean” message that explained Cuyahoga SWCD has educated the how many homeowners strive for the public about soil and water resources since idealized lush, green lawn, however, this perfect lawn is often achieved at the expense WKYC Live on Lakeside its inception in 1949. Education is provid- Conservation Crusader ed through annual events and programs, of water quality. Small changes in lawn written materials, social media and direct care routines and landscaping practices technical assistance. can reduce pollution in local streams and Lake Erie while maintaining healthy lawns. Science Fair held at Public involvement programs, such as Cleveland stream cleanups, storm drain stenciling and State University the rain barrel and green cleaning “make- it-and-take-it” workshops continue to be popular draws, engage the public and help get conservation practices more widely A sample of the articles shared with the promoted and implemented. In addition public included: to workshops and environmental events, training was provided to encourage local • Reimaging Your Lawn: How you can “green teams” to get more actively involved have a healthy lawn that promotes clean In 2014, twenty-six communities worked in local conservation programs and events. water and enhances wildlife habitat with the Cuyahoga SWCD to implement The 4th annual Earth Partnership for • Green Isn’t Always Good: The 4 Rs of comprehensive conservation programs that Schools, a week-long session for teachers, Fertilization included assistance in achieving their man- held in collaboration with the Cuyahoga • Yard Waste Polluting Our Waterways: dated clean water goals. This year’s theme, Valley National Park and the Cuyahoga Did you know that grass and leaves can “Keep Your Yard Green and Our Waters Valley Conservancy, “trained the trainers” harm our creeks and streams? Clean” was chosen to expand knowledge about how to use the natural environment • Adopt a Low (Road) Salt Habit about the fragility of Lake Erie and the to meet grade level benchmarks. On the Land | Spring 2015 2 www.cuyahogaswcd.org Euclid Creek Rocky River Watershed Program Riparian Tree and Shrub Planting Program Watershed Program The Euclid Creek and Rocky River Streamside (riparian) habitat protection and Unlike the mostly urban Euclid Creek watershed programs are aimed at protecting, restoration is important in all watersheds. watershed, the Rocky River watershed restoring and perpetuating healthy water- This program, funded through a $13,370 encompasses rural, suburban and urban sheds through watershed planning, public Lake Erie Protection Fund grant, will communities, which provides opportuni- education and collaboration among the provide native trees and shrubs to ties to implement farm-related pollution watersheds’ many stakeholders. Charged property owners along Euclid Creek to plant prevention programs, as well as the usu- with implementing the state-endorsed and reforest the riparian areas, which will al programs that Cuyahoga SWCD watershed action plans, the staff seeks help stabilize stream banks, decrease high administers. funding and works with partners to address stormflows, filter nutrients and sediment impairments in their watersheds through from storm water and provide essential Activities in the Rocky River watershed special projects, ongoing environmental habitat for wildlife. The project will begin during 2014 included: education programs and events. in 2015. Stopping Sediment at its Source in the 931 volunteers contributed a total of Rocky River Watershed 2,185 hours of time to the Euclid Creek This multi-year project was funded through Watershed program installing trees and a grant from the Great Lakes