EXPLORE
EUCLID CREEK
[Photo by John Cozzarin]
Your site for information on storm water and water quality issues in the Euclid Creek Watershed.
Your participation is essential to the future stewardship of this great watershed!
The Euclid Creek Watershed website is part of an ongoing effort to educate residents in the Euclid Creek watershed about ways to improve this important community resource and is supported through the efforts of the Euclid Creek Watershed Council. This Council includes the municipal leaders within the communities of Beachwood, Cleveland, Euclid, Highland Heights, Lyndhurst, Mayfield Heights, Richmond Heights and South Euclid, Ohio.
Euclid Creek Weblinks
Euclid Creek Environmental Awareness Survey
Please take the survey to help guide our public education program!
Euclid Creek e-Newsletter
Euclid Creek Involvement and Resources
-Find out about ways to get involved through Volunteer Stream Monitoring or by joining Friends of Euclid Creek
-Learn about the
benefits of Rain Gardens and Rain Barrels, or get information about
Oil & Gas
Wells
Euclid Creek Watershed Council
Euclid Creek Water Quality Monitoring Program
-Website currently being relocated
Euclid Creek Brochure, Fact Sheet, and Map
What is a watershed?
A watershed is simply the land that water flows across or under on its way to a stream, river, or lake. Our landscape is made up of many interconnected basins or watersheds. Within each watershed, all water runs to the lowest point - a stream, river, or lake. On its way, water travels over the surface and across farm fields, forest land, suburban lawns, and city streets, or it seeps into the soil and travels as ground water.
Upcoming Events
Euclid Creek Public Involvement Committee Meeting
Friday, February 5 9:00am-10:30am
Lyndhurst Community Center
1341 Parkview Drive, Lyndhurst 44124
Rescheduled from January 8 due to weather
E. 185th St. Block Watch - Community Services Info. Fair
Tuesday, February 9 6:00pm
Lithuanian Hall - 877 E. 185th Street, Cleveland
(corner of Kewanee)
25 organizations participating!
Euclid Creek Watershed Council Meeting
Thursday, February 11 7:30am-9:00am
Richmond Heights City Hall
26789 Highland Road, Richmond Heights 44143
Rain Barrel Workshop—Highland Heights
Tuesday, February 23 6:30pm-8:00pm
Highland Heights Community Center
Registration required: Opens January 25 for Highland Heights residents, and February 1 to the public
Contact Claire Posius to register and for details - 216-524-6580x16
Rain Barrel Workshop—Euclid
Saturday, April 10 10:00am-11:30am
Euclid Historical Society
Registration required: Opens March 8 for Euclid residents, and March 15 to the public
Contact Claire Posius to register and for details - 216-524-6580x16
Rain Barrel Workshop—Richmond Heights
Wednesday, May 12 6:30pm-8:00pm
Greenwood Farm, Richmond Heights
Registration required: Opens April 12 for Richmond Heights residents, and April 19 to the public
Contact Claire Posius to register and for details - 216-524-6580x16
Ohio Lake Erie Commission meeting - Euclid Shore Cultural Centre
Wednesday, June 23 10:00am-12:30pm
Shore Cultural Centre (291 E. 222nd Street, 44123)
Euclid Creek Invasive Plant Pull Event
Saturday, May 15 10:00am-noon
Wildwood State Park, Cleveland
Join us at 9:00am to learn about and help maintain (weeding/trash removal) the new Bioswale / landscaped median.
Contact Claire Posius for more details - 216-524-6580x16
Ongoing Meetings
Friends of Euclid Creek (FOEC) Monthly Meetings
FOEC meets the first Tuesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. at the South Euclid Community Center*
1370 Victory Drive, South Euclid 44121
See the FOEC website for more information and to join!
(http://friendsofeuclidcreek.nhlink.net/)
*May 4 FOEC meeting location changed to South Euclid City Hall, Community Room
(entrance: back door of City Hall)
South Euclid Citizens for Land Conservation
Meets the 4th Wednesday of every month at 7:00pm at South Euclid City Hall (Upstairs)
For more information, contact Barb Holtz at 216-382-3595 or dbholtz@sbcglobal.net
Past Events
2009 Euclid Creek Watershed Events
2008 Euclid Creek Watershed Events
Demonstration Wind Turbine Project to be Built at the Euclid, Ohio World Headquarters Campus: "The City of Euclid's Going Green initiative took another major step forward with the State Energy Program grant award announcement today by Governor Ted Strickland at the Lincoln Electric Company. Lincoln was awarded a $1M grant funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s State Energy Program... According to Mayor Bill Cervenik, "Lincoln officials indicated that the turbine would also generate about 10% of their annual electric demand and help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions." Click here to see full press release. [updated 12/1/09]
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Request for Proposals released! "U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson today announced the release of a request for proposals (RFP) under President Obama’s historic Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. The RFP released today invites partner Agencies, stakeholders, non-governmental organizations, and other eligible organizations working on Great Lakes restoration to present EPA with ideas and projects to protect and restore this national treasure. EPA, through the Great Lakes National Program Office is seeking applications from a diverse group of participants and partnerships to support the goals of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative..." The RFP is available here. [updated 11/24/09]
Two Richmond Heights sewer projects in Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District pipeline: "Two projects are on the list right now: expanding the existing detention basin near Geraldine Avenue downstream from Richmond Town Square to deal with surface and basement flooding in the area and potential stream restoration of the East Branch of Euclid Creek near City Park to deal with flooding and erosion." Click here to see full article.. [updated 11/20/09]
Ohio Watershed Coordinator Grant Program - 2008 Annual Report: Click here to see what Watershed Coordinator's did last year in northeast Ohio and state-wide. [updated 9/1/09]
Filling of Wetlands Continues as Developers Protest Proposed Rules: "More than 477 acres have been covered since plan stalled in 2006..." Click here for full article. [updated 8/31/09]
Chicago Bans 14 Invasive Plants: Click here for full article. [updated 6/23/09]
Annual Vacation Beach Water Quality Report Documents Ohio's Beach Health Advisories: For Press Release click here, local article click here, and for full report click here. [updated 7/29/09].
U.S. EPA commends Cuyahoga cleanup -- but won't take river off list of polluted waters: Click here for full article. [updated 6/23/09]
It's a far healthier Cuyahoga River than the one that burned in 1969: "Oil, chemicals, and floating debris on the surface of the Cuyahoga River caught fire in 1969. It wasn't the first time the river burned. But it set in motion a change in the public's attitude about the environment and affected legislation that followed." Click here for full article. [updated 6/23/09]
For more articles on the Cuyahoga River and the 2009 Year of the River celebration: Click here.
$475 Million Great Lakes Restoration initiative in President's FY2010 Budget: "The President's 2010 Budget Outline provides $475 million in the Environmental Protection Agency's budget for a new EPA-led, interagency Great Lakes restoration initiative, which will target the most significant problems in the region, including invasive aquatic species, non-point source pollution, and contaminated sediment." Click here for full article. [updated 5/18/09]
271 Million Pounds of Pharmaceuticals In Our Water: "Last year, the AP reported that trace amounts of a wide range of pharmaceuticals — including antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones — have been found in American drinking water supplies. Including recent findings in Dallas, Cleveland and Maryland's Prince George's and Montgomery counties, pharmaceuticals have been detected in the drinking water of at least 51 million Americans... Most cities and water providers still do not test. Some scientists say that wherever researchers look, they will find pharma-tainted water... Consumers are considered the biggest contributors to the contamination. We consume drugs, then excrete what our bodies don't absorb. Other times, we flush unused drugs down toilets. The AP also found that an estimated 250 million pounds of pharmaceuticals and contaminated packaging are thrown away each year by hospitals and long-term care facilities." For full article click here. [updated 5/5/09]
Friends of Euclid Creek have created a new BLOG website: To view this website and to find out what the Friends of Euclid Creek group is up to click here. [updated 4/8/09]
U.S. Sen. George Voinovich calls for nationwide ban on phosphates in dishwasher detergent: "Ohio's Republican U.S. senator, George Voinovich, joined a Michigan Democrat, Sen. Carl Levin, in calling for a nationwide ban on phosphates in dishwasher detergent. They said their bill, introduced Tuesday, would protect aquatic life in the Great Lakes." Click here for full Plain Dealer article. [updated 4/7/09]
Goose droppings might be raising bacteria levels in Northeast Ohio waterways: "Scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey and Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District have been trying for years to determine whether goose droppings might be to blame for exceedingly high bacteria counts at the twin beaches of Euclid Creek/Villa Angela near the border of Cleveland and Euclid." Click here for full Plain Dealer article. [updated 3/23/09]
Euclid Councilwoman rallies for residents' to use rain barrels: "Ward 4 Councilwoman Mary Jo Minarik is leading a charge to encourage Euclid residents to place rain barrels in their yards this year." Click here for full Euclid Sun Journal article. [updated 3/11/09]
Water: Bottlers use 2,000 times the energy than tap, study says: A think tank based in Oakland, Calif., thinks you should go with tap. A study published in the scientific journal Environmental Research Letters this month says the bottled-water supply chain in the United States consumes as much as 2,000 times more energy than traditional tap-water production. Click here for full article. [updated 2/26/09]
Economic
damages from nutrient pollution create a “toxic debt”:
a
U.S. analysis of nutrient pollution in freshwater reveals annual losses of at
least $4 billion, mostly from dips in lakefront property values and loss of
recreational use. Read full article
here. [updated 1/7/09]
Climate Change Threatens Ohio's Environment and Economy: a report prepared by Environment Ohio warns that ignoring climate change could cost Ohio billions in revenue and almost 2 million in jobs. Read full article here. here[updated 12/18/08]
Trace amounts of pharmaceuticals found locally at Tinkers Creek: Trace amounts of many medicines, such as antibiotics, prescription and non prescription pharmaceuticals were found in trace amounts in Tinkers Creek. (Click here for full Plain Dealer article, Click here for USGS press release.) [updated 12/12/08]
Three Euclid Creek Communities given awards at the Cuyahoga Solid Waste District's annual Trash Oscars event:
Beachwood awarded 'Best Supporting Community in a Recycling Role': The City of Beachwood had the 2nd highest recycling rate in Cuyahoga County in 2007 - recycling 67.13% of its waste. Click here for more of Beachwood's recycling accomplishments.
South Euclid awarded 'Most Improved Recycling Producers': The City of South Euclid had the most improved recycling rate for two years in a row, increasing recycling by over 20% since 2005.
Cleveland awarded 'Best Director in a Leading Role: Cleveland's Commissioner of Waste Collection, Ron Owens, was recognized for his leadership in organizing Cleveland's first automated waste collection program, and for reinstating curbside recycling.
[updated 12/09/08]
Unbelievably sad news about tireless environmental activist Ed Hauser: Ed Hauser, 47, environmental activist who fought to preserve Whiskey Island. [updated 11/19/08]
Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) Awarded ODNR Grant to Help Restore and Protect Euclid Creek Watershed: click here for ODNR Press release. [updated 11/5/08]
Call for Artists: The City of Cleveland, through its Public Art Program, is requesting qualifications from artists in producing public art within the City of Cleveland. One of the projects is in the Euclid Creek Watershed in the Nottingham neighborhood (November 7, submission deadline). Please click here to find out more... [updated 10/20/08]
South Euclid Detention Basin in Nine Mile Creek Watershed converted into wetland system - click here for full story - click here for video [updated 10/20/08]
Beachwood High School: Ultimate Green Classroom opens with Mayfield students' aid - click here for full article [updated 10/7/08]
The Great Lakes Compact Passed - On Friday, October 3rd, President Bush signed The Great Lakes Compact which provides for a comprehensive management framework for achieving sustainable water use and resource protection in the Great Lakes region. For more information on The Compact, please visit the Council of Great Lakes Governors Website at http://www.cglg.org [updated 10/6/08]
South Euclid and Euclid modify Ordinances to allow for Rain Barrels!
See City of South Euclid's rain barrel installation detail here [updated 10/6/08]
For City of Euclid's informational page on rain barrels click here [updated 11/24/08]
10 ways you can help your neighborhood creek today:
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Recycle used motor oil.
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Check your vehicles regularly for leaks. Clean up spilled fluids with kitty litter or sand and dispose of properly.
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Use pesticides & fertilizers sparingly. Use natural fertilizers such as compost for gardens.
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Select native plants which generally require less water, fertilizer & pesticides.
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Vegetate bare spots in your yard to prevent soil erosion.
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Use a commercial car wash or wash your car on your lawn.
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Dispose of pet waste, a source of bacteria & nutrients in our streams, properly by throwing in garbage or burying.
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Drain your swimming pool only when a test kit does not detect chlorine levels, ideally in a sanitary sewer.
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Maintain your septic system by having it inspected at least every 3 years and pumped as necessary.
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Protect your storm drains, which are directly linked to local streams and rivers.
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Get involved! Participate in stream cleanups, invasive plants pulls, and join your local watershed group like Friends of Euclid Creek.
Recycling Tip: Where to recycle old TV's during transition to digital TV
(Click here for article)Ohio EPA Recommends Leaf Management to Protect Water Quality: When raking fall leaves this season, Ohioans should be aware that leaves can cause water pollution if not managed properly. Ohio EPA recommends property owners consider the best way to manage them based on the types of leaf collection programs in the community. (Click here for full article)
EPA Water Conservation Tip: If every home in the United States installed WaterSense labeled faucets or faucet aerators in the bathrooms, it would save 60 billion gallons of water annually, saving households more than $350 million in water bills and about $600 million in energy costs to heat their water. Additionally, water and waste water utilities would save 200 million kilowatt-hours of electricity normally used for supplying and treating that water. The WaterSense website has a complete list of WaterSense labeled products.
Leaky Pipes - Factoid: Did you know each day approximately six billion gallons of treated drinking water are "lost" primarily due to system leaks throughout the United States? This is approximately 14% of the nation's total daily water production. (Reported by American Society of Civil Engineers)
Plans Guiding Implementation for the
Euclid Creek Watershed Program
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Euclid Beach Fishing Pier Feasibility Study, Northeast Shores Development Corporation Study, 2008: Northeast Shores Development Corporation received a grant to determine the feasibility of rebuilding the historic Euclid Beach Fishing Pier into Lake Erie at Euclid Beach State Park. URS was hired to study the geotechnical and site issues and to determine costs. The study concluded that constructing a new pier at the site is feasible. This will be an unbelievably exciting project - views of the downtown from this site are fantastic and would only enhance residents' lakefront experience.
Euclid Beach Fishing Pier Feasibility Study
Other Links: Northeast Shores Development Corporation web page on the Fishing Pier Study and other neighborhood initiatives - click here
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The Lower Euclid Creek Greenway Plan, 2007: The Lower Euclid Creek Plan looks at opportunities to enhance Euclid Creek in Cleveland and Euclid, the most densely populated cities of the watershed. The Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District worked with a Community Advisory Committee and URS Consulting Team to look at opportunities to enhance Euclid Creek in this area, and were impressed with the hidden assets and potential we found for the creek. Restoration of coastal wetlands, fish passage, land conservation, storm water management, and potential greenspace linkages from the Metroparks Euclid Creek Reservation to Lake Erie are some of the recommendations of the Lower Euclid Creek Greenway Plan. The Plan identifies specific projects that will enhance Euclid Creek and bring the Creek back into the community as an amenity. The project was funded in part by ODNR’s Coastal Management Grant Program.
Quick Snapshot: Lower Euclid Creek Watershed Restoration Master Plan (1.7 mb .pdf) Lower Euclid Creek Trail Master Plan (1.7 mb .pdf)
Full Document: Lower Euclid Creek Greenway Plan (16mb .pdf)
Other Links: Cleveland City Planning Commission's page on the Lower Euclid Creek Greenway Plan - click here
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The Euclid Creek Watershed Action Plan, 2006: endorsed by the State of Ohio Department of Natural Resources and Ohio EPA in July 2006. The Euclid Creek Watershed Action Plan sets goals and guidance to establish stewardship activities to protect, restore, and manage the watershed. This comprehensive plan for the watershed includes a watershed resource inventory, identifies problems, and provides watershed-wide and sub-watershed recommendations and solutions to benefit its communities for the future. For comments, or to inquire about ongoing updates / revisions to the plan, please contact the Euclid Creek Watershed Coordinator at 216-524-6580x16. Euclid Creek Watershed Action Plan Click Here to see all State of Ohio endorsed Watershed Action Plans
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The Euclid Creek Watershed TMDL, 2005: approved by the U.S. EPA on September 27, 2005. The Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) program, established under Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1313), is federally mandated for all impaired water. The main branch of Euclid Creek currently does not meet water quality standards and is considered in non-attainment of the Clean Water Act, while the East Branch of Euclid Creek is in partial attainment of meeting water quality standards. The TMDL program focuses on identifying and restoring polluted rivers, streams, lakes and other surface waterbodies. A TMDL is a written, quantitative assessment of water quality problems in a waterbody and contributing sources of pollution. It specifies the amount a pollutant needs to be reduced to meet water quality standards (WQS), allocates pollutant load reductions, and provides the basis for taking actions needed to restore a waterbody. TMDL Report without appendices (1.7 mb .pdf) TMDL Appendices (881k .pdf) TMDL Fact sheet (74k .pdf)
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Cuyahoga County Planning Commission's Euclid Creek Watershed Planning Guide, 2005: published in September, 2005. The Cuyahoga County Planning Commission Euclid Creek Watershed Planning Guide is an overview of the watershed and examines greenspace opportunities for the watershed through recreational and cultural corridors and outlines sustainable design practices. Euclid Creek Watershed Planning Guide
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Euclid Creek Brochure & Fact Sheet
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Explore Euclid Creek Brochure, 2004 (click here to view brochure - .pdf) |
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Euclid Creek Watershed Fact Sheet and Map (click here to view brochure - .pdf) |
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Euclid Creek Watershed Cartoon Map & Urban Stream Information, 2006 (Click on maps to download) Call the Euclid Creek Watershed Coordinator if you are interested in purchasing a full size hard copy for your home, work, or class room (216-524-6580x16).
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Volunteer Opportunities
Sign-up to Volunteer for upcoming
events, water quality monitoring or committees
Contact Claire Posius,
Euclid Creek Watershed Coordinator
(216) 524-6580 x16
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