Public Input Needed for Euclid Creek Watershed Plan
Public input is needed to help update a watershed plan for the Euclid Creek watershed. A watershed plan is a comprehensive plan for achieving water resource goals for a geographically defined watershed. The Euclid Creek Watershed encompasses 23.3 square miles in northeastern Cuyahoga County and a part of Lake County. It covers portions of 12 communities including Beachwood, Cleveland, Euclid, Highland Heights, Lyndhurst, Mayfield, Mayfield Heights, Pepper Pike, Richmond Heights, Shaker Heights, South Euclid, and Willoughby Hills. Euclid Creek watershed includes 40+ miles of stream, 30 miles of which is open channel and 10 miles of which is culverted or buried, as far as 8 miles away from the Creek’s confluence with Lake Erie, our source of drinking water, at Wildwood Park in Cleveland. The watershed is nearly 85 percent developed. Non-point source pollution challenges include stream sedimentation / siltation, habitat alterations, stream ditching or channelizing, and other flow regime alterations stemming from high levels of impervious cover such as roads, driveways, and rooftops. Updates to this plan are led by Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District with funding from Euclid Creek Watershed Council and Friends of Euclid Creek through a Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District grant.
We are seeking input on the following:
- Eroding sections of streams
- Areas for improved management of stormwater and flooding
- Areas to protect for public greenspace and wildlife habitat
Anyone can provide feedback by attending an open house or emailing input to ehiser@cuyahogaswcd.org.
Open houses are from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. with a short presentation at 7:00 pm.
Thursday, December 6, 2018 Mayfield Library
500 SOM Center Rd Mayfield, Oh 44143
Monday, December 10, 2018 Beachwood Community Center
25325 Fairmount Blvd Beachwood, Ohio 44122
Please RSVP by calling Elizabeth Hiser at 216-524-6580 x1002 or emailing ehiser@cuyahogaswcd.org
As part of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s nonpoint source pollution control program, plans are being developed at the subwatershed level. These plans are called nine-element nonpoint source implementation strategy plans (NPS-IS Plans). Projects addressing erosion and water quality concerns need to be included in these plans to be eligible for some sources of federal funding such as grants awarded under the Clean Water Act S and the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Major benefits of creating NPS-IS plans include 1) improved planning for watershed restoration and protection, 2) building consensus by collecting and analyzing data and information together, 3) identifying the most needed projects, and 4) developing grant-eligible projects with the components necessary for the greatest long-term benefits.
More info about the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Program is available here: https://epa.ohio.gov/dsw/nps/index. This page includes a list of all subwatersheds that currently have plans.
For more information, contact:
Elizabeth Hiser
Euclid Creek Watershed Program Manager
Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District
216-524-6580 x1002
cuyahogaswcd.org
Elizabeth Hiser
Euclid Creek Watershed Program Manager working out of Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District office.