Resources
Cuyahoga
River Remedial Action Plan
Created in 1988 by Ohio EPA, the RAP is a 39-member
committee of businesses, government agencies, community
groups and individuals working together to promote
restoration of the Cuyahoga and its tributaries
through environmental condition improvements and
pollution prevention.
NOACA (Northeast
Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency)
This metropolitan planning body has responsibilities
in regional water quality and watershed planning
as well as air quality and transportation. Its
governing board includes mayors, county commissioners
and other officials; it serves the counties of
Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain and Medina.
Cuyahoga
County Planning Commission
The Commission serves as a planning and decision-making
resource for the County, municipalities, regional
agencies and not-for-profit corporations in such
areas as land use, zoning, transportation, conservation
and development. It is a good source for demographic
and economic data on the region. It also promotes
administrative and regulatory measures. Find information
on the Cuyahoga
Valley Initiative, the Greenspace
Plan and the Greenprint
vision, plus the Brownfields
Geographic Information System. Follow the CPC
Weblog for information on local planning and development
developments!
Cuyahoga
Soil and Water Conservation District
Assists municipalities with conservation of land
and water in developed environments through stewardship
initiatives, education programs, and technical
assistance with issues such as pollution, erosion,
sediment control. The CSWCD Web site features a
publications
section with maps and brochures and a section listing
resources on the subject of Stream
Resoration.
Northeast Ohio
Regional Sewer District
The NEORSD is responsible for wastewater treatment
facilities and interceptor sewers in the greater
Cleveland Metropolitan Area. Refer to the Environment
and Education section of the agency's site
for Water Quality, Water Cycles and Watershed information.
Learn about the current project, the Big
Creek Interceptor Rehabilitation (BCI-3D).
This interceptor conveys flows from areas of Brooklyn,
Brooklyn Heights and Cleveland to the District's
Southerly Wastewater Treatment Center.
EcoCity
Cleveland
Since 1992 this nonprofit environmental planning
organization promotes a "bioregional"
perspective transcending political boundaries.
Under the leadership of David Beach it works to
promote sustainable, environmentally-friendly urban
redevelopment, and environmentally-sensitive development
of outlying areas. The site contains a Watershed
Planning section. Has created the GreenCityBlueLake
site for nonprofits in a regional sustainability
network.
Ohio Canal
Corridor
Began in 1985 as the North Cuyahoga Valley Corridor,
Inc. This successful, ambitious group is involved
with the historic preservation and recreational
opportunities in the corridor of the historic Ohio
Canal from Cleveland through Zoar to Dover/New
Philadelphia. One organization goal is to extend
the Towpath Trail from Lower Harvard Avenue to
the lakefront. The Site includes a section on Big
Creek.
CanalWay
Ohio, Ohio & Erie Canal National Heritage Corridor
Works with local partners toward development, renovation,
and restoration of facilities and features to advance
understanding and appreciation of the natural and
cultural aspects of the corridor. The CanalWay
Ohio Scenic Byway crosses Big Creek at Pearl Road
Rte. 42 Brooklyn-Brighton Bridge. Find useful maps
on their site.
Countryside
Program
Established as a project of the Western Reserve
Resource Conservation and Development Council in
1996 to promote economically viable, environmentally
sound planning practices through balancing conservation
and development in the 9-county Northeast Ohio
region.
Great Lakes Regional Collaboration
Launched in December, 2004, the GLRC is a partnership of stakeholders
from federal, state, and local governments, tribes and other key players
to develop a strategic plan that builds upon regional efforts for the
restoration, protection and sustainable use of the Great Lakes. Public
comment on the plan is solicited.
West Creek Preservation Committee
Neighboring watershed and model organization for FOBC. West Creek is
another tributary of the Cuyahoga running through the Cleveland, Ohio
suburbs of Parma, Seven Hills, Brooklyn Heights, and Independence. Since
1997 WCPC has preserved over 350 acres. They successfully created the
West Creek Preserve and Greenway, a 500-acre natural park and regional
recreational trail network, now a Cleveland Metroparks reservation.
Rocky River Watershed Council
Citizen-based organization in another neighboring watershed which drains
to Lake Erie. The organization is dedicated to the improvement of the
water resource quality and function of the Rocky River.
Friends of Euclid
Creek
Tinkers Creek Watershed
Partners
Friends of the Crooked River
OHIO
EPA Northeast District Office
Ohio Watershed
Network
Ohio Environmental Council
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society
- Weeders
in the Wild
Lake Erie Commission
Waterkeeper
Alliance
American
Rivers
Non-profit conservation organization with 40,000
members dedicated to protecting and restoring rivers
nationwide.
Center for Watershed
Protection
Provides local governments, activists, and watershed
organizations around the country with technical
tools for protecting streams, lakes and rivers.
"The Center has developed and disseminated
a multi-disciplinary strategy to watershed protection
that encompasses watershed planning, watershed
restoration, stormwater management, watershed research,
better site design, education and outreach, and
watershed training." Lots of information on
this site. Think you know a lot about watersheds?
Take the quiz.
River
Network
Promotes understanding, protection and restoration
of rivers and their watersheds. This national organization
offers consulting, publications, trainings and
small grants to help raise money, build organizations,
and monitor and protect rivers and watersheds.
Includes a directory
of state, regional, and local groups working on
issues related to watershed protection and the
health of streams, rivers, and estuaries. Also
includes an extensive resource
library.
U.S. EPA Office
of Water
General information on water science and water
quality. Contains a section on Watersheds
with a Watershed Information Network, Watershed
Academy, a discussion forum, publications and loads
more information. Also home to the WATERS
database (Watershed Assessment, Tracking &
Environmental Results) - designed to help various
programs share information. Provides water-quality
data, searchable by geographic region.
US EPA Region
5
Know
Your Watershed
"Technologies
for urban stream restoration and watershed management,"
by J. Craig Fischenich, Ecosystem Management
and Restoration, May 2001 [pdf]
While recognizing the social, economic and ecological
value of restoring urbanized streams, the author
points out the problems posed and approaches required
for remediation, plus how they differ from rural
stream management. A good introduction to the topic.
