Euclid Creek Watershed Council 2014 Work Plan
Approved: March 13, 2014
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Euclid Creek Watershed Action Plan Implementation 1. Restoration and Conservation Projects: Continue implementing restoration and
conservation projects in the watershed and within the Council’s community boundaries.
Annual projects list: Lacustrine Refuge / Wildwood Wetland and Stream Restoration Project– Great
Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) funded project o Close-out $1,396,050 GLRI project – complete final reporting - due March 31. o Coordinate monitoring and maintenance of project site -plan developed). o Coordinate plantings, invasive plant treatment and other outreach and education
with the Cleveland Metroparks. o Work on more detailed project handout for more education at site.
Redstone Run Highland Reserve, Richmond Heights o Monitor restoration plantings at site with West Creek Conservancy. o Coordinate education and outreach on property with interested residents, scout
troops and with Richmond Heights schools as land lab opportunity - Richmond Hts.
Garden Club presentation about project on 3/20; Hike at site May 6 evening as part of
FOEC meeting. Mayfair Lake Dam Removal Project
o Apply for WRRSP in 2015 and research alternate funding scenarios with assistance from West Creek Preservation on easement and landowner outreach strategy.
Bishop Road Property, Highland Heights Conservation project o Protect 12 acres of sensitive wetland and stream habitat in Highland Heights. o Submit application for Round 8 Clean Ohio Green Space Conservation Program
due in January - proposal submitted January 10; according to draft rankings of projects our project currently ranked 4 of 10 and is within funding range – awards will be announced in April.
o If not funded through Clean Ohio, develop restoration plan for WRRSP 2015 proposal or alternative funding potential through USFWS.
Riparian Tree Buffer Education and Outreach Program o Develop and submit proposal in spring to Lake Erie Protection Fund to provide
riparian property owners in the Euclid Creek watershed with native trees to plant along the stream. Submitted proposal on 2/7 – project called Euclid Creek Riparian Tree and Shrub Planting Program – awards will be made 3/26.
Storm Water Retrofit project prioritization o For concept plans that were developed for top two sites in 2010, develop and
submit an Ohio EPA SWIF application in the spring for the Highland Heights Community Park project. City not ready to move forward with proposal due to ongoing park planning in the same area as proposed bioretention cells – so will work with City in 2014 to incorporate into park plan.
East 185th Street Fish Passage Project (ODOT spillway) o Army Corps feasibility study ceased unless local project sponsor found who can
contribute up to $105,000 for study. Continuing to try and find local sponsor or local funding.
East Branch Dam Removal Project – Repair and Grants Close-Out o Repairs ceased unless Stormwater Program court ruling changes. Participate if
project a go again.
Euclid Creek Watershed Council 2014 Work Plan
Approved: March 13, 2014
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2. Watershed Resources: Provide watershed resources and conference / training information to Euclid Creek
Watershed Council and Technical Committee. o Watershed-friendly Stream Maintenance Manual for Communities – CSWCD
OEEF Grant to develop manual - To establish a simple set of inspection and maintenance protocols that could be easily
implemented by communities willing to take a proactive approach to maintaining the community drainage network.
- For communities outside of NEORSD Stormwater Program Service Area and for streams under 300 acres in drainage area that will not be maintained by NEORSD.
- Under development by Rocky River Watershed Coordinator – will be resource for Euclid Creek communities.
- Draft will be available for review in May (will send to Technical Committee to review and provide feedback) – final report done in June.
o Countywide Urban Tree Canopy (UTC) Assessment – led by Cuyahoga County
Planning and Cleveland Metroparks and many municipalities and other organizations - End-product is a series of maps and statistical profiles for each of the 59 communities
in the County, including base measures of existing and potential tree canopy, various other land cover types, as well as detailed segmentation of the tree canopy by community, census tract, parcel, and right-of-way
- Completed: 2013 Rollout to communities: 2014 (see handout on training for how to use tools April 16, 2014)
- UTC helpful for US Forest Service tree planting funds in future, so great help to communities.
- Tree canopy map development and confirming accuracy with communities.
Training / Conference information emailed to Technical Committee: o Ohio Stormwater Conference – Conference to be held in Akron, June 4-6
- Euclid Creek Tour scheduled for June 4 – touring Wetland restoration project; East Branch Dam removal project and Nine Mile wetland project.
o Training opportunities emailed to Technical Committee (Trails and Greenways Conference, River Rally, etc.)
3. Provide communities grant opportunity resources to evaluate for their use:
OEPA-SWIF grant opportunity emailed to Technical Committee – proposals due April 11
OEPA 319 Program – should be announced soon
4. Assist local communities on the assembly of grant applications where requested: Provided City of Euclid with technical assistance with Clean Ohio application –
- Site visit 1/9 to Green Creek proposed trail section with City Staff (Green Creek Watershed adjacent / to west of Euclid Creek)
- Provided watershed information for grant proposal
OEPA-Surface Water Improvement Fund (4/11 due date) – review of applications as requested - Reviewing applications for: - Euclid (North Street School & Annex pervious paver and other BMPs on site) - South Euclid (City Hall rear parking lot greening) - Northeast Shores Development Corp., Cleveland submittal (Waterloo Green Parking Lot) - Other application being put together by Mayfield Village (– any other communities
submitting?
Mayfield Heights Green Streets – looking for supplemental funding for project as NEORSD funding fell through
Euclid Creek Watershed Council 2014 Work Plan
Approved: March 13, 2014
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5. Volunteer Monitoring Program (VMP): Continue and advance VMP program
Conduct Volunteer Monitoring Committee meetings as needed. Recruit new citizen volunteers. Outreach and facilitate with interested groups. Input data collected annually and develop annual report for volunteers and watershed
communities. Work with Ohio EPA on potential OEPA-OEEF grant application to expand program to
include macroinvertebrate sampling with schools in the watershed.
6. Model Ordinances: Implement local ordinances to meet community storm water management plan goals. Work with local communities and City Engineers in updating the ordinances to meet
the 5-year Storm Water Management Plan goals. Public Involvement and Public Education (PIPE) Program / Outreach
1. PIPE Program Continue implementing the PIPE program through the PIPE Committee and coming up
with new and innovative education and outreach opportunities. (3/7 meeting held)
o Instead of 3 meetings this year, holding 2, plus update email in summer o Community Specific Watershed Maps – large scale maps being produced from fact sheet
map (will need to be updated with new projects since fact sheet completed)
Continue assembly and distribution of annual PIPE Outreach Strategy to provide to community’s storm water manager. (provided to all communities by 2/28)
2. Euclid Creek e-Newsletter and Website
Continue the assembly and distribution of the Euclid Creek e-newsletter three times a year.
Implement new Euclid Creek Watershed Program website.
3. Euclid Creek Watershed Council (ECWC) Coordination Watershed Coordinator serves as Secretary to Euclid Creek Watershed Council (non-
voting member). Gives notice of meetings, keeps minutes, and records all votes. Continue coordinating the Euclid Creek Watershed Council meetings and committees,
including the PIPE Committee, Technical Committee and Volunteer Monitoring Program Committee.
Continue to promote best land use practices in communities. Assist with and coordinate the NPDES Phase II Permit among the Council
communities as requested by the Technical Committee. (Annual Phase 2 PIPE Report
submitted to 9 Storm Water Managers by 2/28 – full report due to OEPA 4/1)
4. Friends of Euclid Creek (FOEC) Liason
Assist FOEC with watershed resources and support. Serve as liason between Euclid Creek Watershed Council and FOEC. Provide watershed program updates at monthly FOEC general meetings and
participate in monthly FOEC board meetings as time allows. o Participated in meetings: 1/15, 2/4, 2/10, 2/19
Coordinate with FOEC members on volunteering at watershed events, tabling at community events.
Euclid Creek Watershed Council 2014 Work Plan
Approved: March 13, 2014
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5. PIPE Annual Update Report Continue assembly and distribution of annual report to Euclid Creek Watershed
Council community’s storm water manager and city officials and department heads. o Will go out to each ECWC community with Spring Newsletter mailing in April
Watershed Program Sustainability / Funding
1. Research alternate funding sources to bridge ODNR Watershed Coordinator grant funding gap of $20,000 o ODNR Watershed Coordinator Grant Management:
- 2014 Reporting: 4 Quarterly Fiscal Reports; 2 Semi-Annual Program Reports; 1 Implementation Report; 1 Funding Leveraged Report; start on Final Closeout grant Report
- Confirmed that Watershed Coordinator Grant discontinued; ODNR will honor our grant of $20,000 through 2014, but after that need to get creative in finding alternate funding.
- What we’ve leveraged through ODNR for Euclid Creek Watershed Coordinator position to date:
$192,000 for six years 2003-08 – planning grant to develop Euclid Creek Watershed Action Plan (WAP) and locally sustainable program
$54,000 for three years 2009-11 – WAP implementation grant $60,000 for three years 2012-14 – WAP implementation grant
$306,000 - Goal of grant funding was to have WC positions locally funded and sustainable after
planning grant; with your ECWC Cost share of position and NEORSD Operating Support Grant funding we are nearly breaking even on salary, benefits, overhead of WC position.
o Central Lake Erie Basin Watershed Organization Collaboration – Gund Foundation funded project: - Chagrin River Watershed Partners applied to Gund Foundation for $20,000, 9 month
project, on behalf of 12 Lake Erie Central Basin Watershed organizations, awarded funding on March 4.
- Institute of Conservation Leadership (ICL) will lead the project to establish mechanisms for watershed groups collaboration and/or sharing of services.
- First effort in addressing discontinued ODNR Watershed Coordinator funding and looking at model to collaborate better, explore shared services, streamline organizational operations and costs, and provide services to areas without existing organizational support.
o NEORSD-FOEC Watershed Operating Support Grant - Awarded $33,078 in December 2013 - of which $25,825 for Watershed Coordinator and
Intern and $7253 for monitoring equipment maintenance, fees (e.g. post office box), supplies (e.g. newsletter printing, rain garden plants).
- Reports due twice a year.
Euclid Creek Watershed Council 2014 Work Plan
Approved: March 13, 2014
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Additional Watershed Efforts led by Partner Agencies
Cleveland Metroparks Acacia Reservation Ecological Restoration Plan Process - Tue., February 25, Lyndhurst Community Center, 6:30-7:30pm - 50 attendees - Cleveland
Metroparks presented on the status of the ecological restoration plan process underway.
Cleveland Metroparks Cleveland Lakefront State Parks (CLSP) Public Input process - Public meetings to be held in March or April to get formal public input on potential Metroparks management of CLSP system - Held open house to review and provide feedback on initial improvements on 3/6, 50 attendees - Main improvement proposed at Wildwood – pedestrian bridge from parking lot to Villa Angela beach
(will not impact pocket wetland installed as part of our wetland restoration project)
Eastside Greenway Initiative: led by LAND studio in collaboration with Cleveland State University
- Conducted feasibility study to gauge interest in developing eastside greenway network in 2013. Held several meetings and determined enough support to move forward. Met with Project Manager Anna Swanberg December 3 and I explained Euclid Creek Greenway plan, and other potential connections
- LANDStudio received $250,000 to conduct Health Impact Assessment for 2 projects, including Eastside Greenway over two years.
- TLCI grant application submitted to NOACA (County Planning project sponsor; LANDStudio Project manager if funded) and awarded funding in early 2014. Local match was required and provided by ECWC communities of Euclid, Mayfield Heights and
Mayfield Village
Euclid Creek Reservation-Wildwood Park proposed bikeway, Cleveland & Euclid, from 2006 Lower Euclid Creek Greenway Plan effort - Participate in meetings to discuss new trail alignment and reconstruction of pedestrian bridge over
I-90 as meetings scheduled by City.
Old Highland Road Connector Project - City of Euclid-led discussions with Cleveland Metroparks
- Participate in meetings to discuss potential trail improvement along old Highland Road from Euclid Creek Reservation’s Upper Highland Reserved Picnic area trailhead up to Georgetown neighborhood off of Highland Road in Euclid. Connector identified in Metroparks 2020 Plan.
County Airport Environmental Assessment – Cuyahoga County received $761,665 federal grant from FAA for assessment and $84,629 from County – hired Mead & Hunt to conduct assessment - In 2012&3 – series of open houses held to get input on Environmental Assessment options - In 2014 – Alternative 23 selected; consultant will evaluate impacts of alternative for final report and
public hearing on report in early fall. For updates: www.cuyahoga-airporttea.com E. 185
th TLCI project
Watershed Groups Collaboration effort OWLS conference committee Stormwater Conference Tour Targeted mailing – harms road dumping issues on ravine hillside to E. Branch
South Euclid project – Mayfield / Green – Greenfield Community Garden City of South Euclid is working in cooperation with the nonprofit One South Euclid to install a community garden at the intersection of Mayfield and South Green roads. One section of the garden will include a message kiosk with rain barrels (please see the attached file). Water will be collected to feed our garden plots and hopefully spur water conservation.
Euclid Creek Watershed Council 2014 Work Plan
Approved: March 13, 2014
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Since you have hosted rain barrel workshops before in South Euclid, my hope is that we can coordinate a workshop at the community garden sometime this year. It would also be great to see SWCD signage on the kiosk itself.
Euclid – Swif proposal for Historical Society Received Green Creek Clean Ohio grant! Mayfield Hts. declined 319 grant…green streets – could have relieved basement flooding… 2015 – OEPA doing full monitoring of Euclid Creek – 15-20 sites – chemistry, bacteria, thermal loading off of malls (trying for 2014) Cleveland – waterloo GI project signage input and review – show photos of project!!
