Version 1.0 Final Revision 5-9-17 Approved May 10, 2017 Nine-Element Nonpoint Source Implementation Strategic Plan (NPS-IS Plan) Chagrin River: East Branch Chagrin River HUC-12 (04110003-04-01) Authored by: Chagrin River Watershed Partners, Inc. 4145 Erie Street Willoughby, Ohio 44094 Table of Contents Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................................... 4 Chapter 1: Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 5 1.1 Report Background ...................................................................................................................................... 5 1.2 Watershed Profile & History ........................................................................................................................ 5 1.3 Public Participation and Involvement .......................................................................................................... 9 Chapter 2: HUC-12 Watershed Characterization and Assessment Summary ................................................. 11 2.1 Summary of HUC-12 Watershed Characterization .................................................................................... 11 2.1.1 Physical and Natural Features ................................................................................................................ 11 2.1.2 Land Use and Protection ......................................................................................................................... 22 2.2 Summary of HUC-12 Biological Trends ...................................................................................................... 27 Fishes (Modified Index of Well-Being [MIwb], Index of Biotic Integrity [IBI] and presence/absence of coldwater fish species) ............................................................................................................................................................ 33 Macroinvertebrates (Invertebrate Community Index [ICI] and presence/absence of coldwater macroinvertebrate taxa) ................................................................................................................................................................. 35 Habitat (via Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index [QHEI]) ............................................................................... 35 2.3 Summary of HUC-12 Pollution Causes and Associated Sources ................................................................ 37 2.4 Additional Information for Determining Critical Areas and Developing Implementation Strategies ....... 40 Chapter 3: Critical Area Conditions & Restoration Strategies ......................................................................... 41 3.1 Overview of Critical Areas .......................................................................................................................... 41 3.2 Critical Area 1: Conditions, Goals & Objectives for Riparian Zone Improvements in the East Branch-Chagrin River HUC-12 .................................................................................................................................................... 41 3.2.1 Detailed Characterization ....................................................................................................................... 41 3.2.2 Detailed Biological Conditions ................................................................................................................ 49 3.2.3 Detailed Causes and Associated Sources ................................................................................................ 50 3.2.4 Outline of Goals and Objectives for the Critical Area ............................................................................. 51 3.3 Critical Area 2: Conditions, Goals & Objectives for Addressing Direct Habitat Alterations in the East Branch- Chagrin River HUC-12 ...................................................................................................................................... 53 3.3.1 Detailed Characterization ....................................................................................................................... 53 3.3.2 Detailed Biological Conditions ................................................................................................................ 58 3.3.3 Detailed Causes and Associated Sources ................................................................................................ 59 3.3.4 Outline of Goals and Objectives for the Critical Area ............................................................................. 59 Chapter 4: Projects and Implementation Strategy .......................................................................................... 61 4.1 Projects and Implementation Strategy Overview Table ............................................................................ 61 4.2 Project Summary Sheet(s) ......................................................................................................................... 64 Works Cited ..................................................................................................................................................... 68 Appendix .......................................................................................................................................................... 69 Appendix A: Acronyms and Abbreviations ...................................................................................................... 69 Table 1: Subwatersheds in the Chagrin River Watershed (Ohio EPA Integrated Report 2016) ..................................................... 9 Table 2: Wetland types, acreage, and percent of total in the East Branch-Chagrin River HUC-12 (Source: NWI). ..................... 13 Table 3: Hydrologic Soil Groups in the East Branch-Chagrin River HUC-12 (Source: USDA) ........................................................ 15 Table 4: Geologic units in East Branch-Chagrin River HUC-12 (Source: USGS) ............................................................................ 17 Table 5: Groundwater resource map sustainable pumping yields (Source: ODNR, Division of Soil and Water) ......................... 19 Table 6: Invasive plants found at Sunnybrook Preserve (Pira, 2007, p. 74) ................................................................................. 22 Table 7: Land use in East Branch-Chagrin River HUC-12 (Source: CCAP) ..................................................................................... 24 1 | P a g e Table 8: Biological Indices Scores for East Branch-Chagrin River (Ohio EPA Integrated Report 2016) ........................................ 30 Table 9: Additional EPA assessment points (Chagrin River TSD, 2006) ........................................................................................ 31 Table 10: General narrative ranges for QHEI (QHEI Manual June 2006)...................................................................................... 33 Table 11: Drainage area, percent forest cover, and percent impervious cover of main tributaries in East Branch-Chagrin River HUC-12 (USGS Streamstats) ................................................................................................................................................. 33 Table 12: Reintroduction sites for brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) in East Branch-Chagrin River HUC-12 (Burt, 2007) ......... 34 Table 13: Causes and sources of impairment in the East Branch-Chagrin River HUC-12 (Ohio EPA Integrated Report, 2016) ... 37 Table 14: Causes and sources at selected sites in East Branch-Chagrin River HUC-12 (Chagrin TSD, 2006) ............................... 37 Table 15: Total suspended solids (TSS) load reductions needed for East Branch based on load duration curve analysis (Chagrin TMDL) ................................................................................................................................................................................... 42 Table 16: Chagrin River watershed targets for total suspended solids (TSS) concentration (mg/L) for high and base flow conditions (Chagrin TMDL) ................................................................................................................................................... 42 Table 17: Bank Erosion Hazard Index (BEHI) narrative and numeric ratings ............................................................................... 47 Table 18: Biological conditions of Ohio EPA sampling sites within Critical Area 1 that are impaired by sedimentation or removal of riparian vegetation. Departures from EWH numerical criteria are highlighted in orange. ............................... 49 Table 19: Dams which cause an unknown impairment to fish migration in the East Branch HUC-12 ......................................... 58 Table 20: Biological conditions of Ohio EPA sampling sites within Critical Area 2 that are impaired by fish barriers. Departures from EWH numerical criteria are highlighted in orange. ..................................................................................................... 59 Figure 1: Scenic River designations in the Chagrin River watershed (highlighted in yellow) ......................................................... 6 Figure 2: Chagrin River HUC-12 Subwatersheds ...........................................................................................................................