Webcast on the Clean Water Act

EPA's Watershed Academy to sponsor free July 1st Webcast on the Clean Water Act

EPA's Watershed Academy sponsors free Webcasts to help build the capacity of watershed practitioners from around the globe. On Wednesday, July 1, 2009, the Watershed Academy will sponsor the first in a series of Webcasts about the Clean Water Act (CWA). This first Webcast will provide an introduction to the CWA including a brief history of the Act, an explanation of technology vs. water quality-based approaches, and a brief overview of key components of the Act and related EPA regulations. The Webcast will feature William (Bill) Painter, Environmental Scientist with EPA’s Watershed Branch. Bill serves as a expert trainer on the CWA and is the author of a popular online Watershed Academy Web module, “Introduction to the Clean Water Act,” posted at http://www.epa.gov/watertrain/cwa/ . Registration is now open at http://epa.gov/watershedwebcasts. Archived audio versions of past webcasts are also available at epa.gov/watershedwebcasts

Northeast Ohio Watershed Council June Meeting

This report on the meeting of the Northeast Ohio Watershed Council was provided by Kathleen Bradley. One day she may post to the blog directly.

The main portion of the NEOWC program on Thursday night was a presentation by the Cleveland Port Authority on their planned move. I will see if they have a power point program that can we sent to you. They are starting the implementation phase of moving the port from the lake front at the Cuyahoga River to the lakefront at E. 55th St. They are pledged to improve access to the lake at the old site which will be leased to developers of some kind. There will be opportunities for restoration at the river mouth and on the Cuyahoga River. They will have public hearings at each step along the way. I'll try to get those notices to you. The presentation was very long, so we did not get a lot else done. The Dike 14 Committee wants to present a rebuttal at the next meeting of NEOWC. I would suggest that Kristy also invite the Dike 14 Environmental Education committee, which is a separate group. Unfortunately I did not get Pam Davis' contact information at the Port Authority. I am sure you can google their website.

Kristy reviewed the high and mostly low points of the new Ohio budget proposal, Substitute HB 1, as passed by the Ohio house. It's now in the Senate Finance and Financial Institutions Committee. Some really bad news- oil and gas drilling are back for public lands, including Ohio Parks. The house removed state solid waste fees on construction and demolition and mixed solid waste proposed in the Governor's Executive Budget while stripping to the bone ODNR and EPA. The Senate plan rejects the the Coal Extraction Fee approved by the House. The Senate wants to DE-fund the Scenic Rivers Program. I have asked Kristy for the full information in e-mail format so we can share with our members.

We also had a great presentation by Gary Whidden on the history of the falls and cascades of the Cuyahoga Valley and what it could look like if the dams were removed and the area restored. I have asked Elaine Marsh to let us know when he will be presenting again. Well worth seeing.

I picked up material on the Adopt-A Beach program, part of Alliance for the Great Lakes. They are looking for groups to do once-a-week beach clean-ups- one group would only have to do it ONCE. In other words, a different group would do it each week. If someone wants to set up a FOWL or RRWC beach clean up (maybe one near a coastal wetland) I would be glad to help. Maybe this could be in the Mentor Marsh area, too. Alliance for the Great Lakes now has an Ohio office. Contact: April Mather, Ohio Outreach Coordinator. P.O. Box 30247, Cleveland, 44130. She actually lives in Berea. Telephone: 216-630-8140 amather@greatlakes.org. The website is www.greatlakes.org.

NEOWC is sending a letter to ODNR requesting the names of the Great Lakes Compact Advisory Committee members be made public with their contact information on the ODNR website.

The NEORSD grant for watershed coordinators was discussed. Contact me if you want more information. The deadline has been extended into sometime in July.

The next meeting will be Tuesday, August 25. Location TBA.

NEOWC is also desperately looking for a secretary.

Paddle Pictures

Some pictures from the The Huron River Paddle 2009.

Click picture for larger image.

If you can't see the album, Huron River Paddle 2009, try this.

Huron River Paddle

It was a perfect day for a paddle on the Huron River. The FOWL summer water event attracted a number of members and some neighbors of our generous hosts, Robert and Linda Wheeler. We agreed to paddle up stream even though the current was up following the heavy thunderstorms this week.


Conveniently, the wind was at our backs making for a gentle paddle.

We were stopped by a log jam across the main channel south of the turnpike overpass. Even a portage at this point was impractical. We chose to explore a side channel that looked blocked at first glance. We were able to get around several fallen trees and continue up stream, but not without incident. Alan’s canoe tipped in the narrow channel while climbing a riffle. I tipped my kayak trying to help. Things spilled into the water.

No one was harmed and the water was refreshing. We continued up the main channel where the current was steadily increasing. Progress became a challenge so we stopped and all rafted together for a casual water-powered drift back. Our conversation turned to the ubiquitous damselflies that would fly in tandem across the raft and even perch for a moment within arms reach. We talked in detail about their mating behaviors and anatomy.
Time passed quickly while the current did all the work. We shot back through the narrow channel and meandered back to the serene launch area at the Homer Page farm where we had started several hours earlier.

We snacked on cookies and watermelon that Alan had so thoughtfully prepared. I was shaken when I realized that my binoculars were missing. I assumed that they left my kayak when I fell out. I blamed my carelessness for the foolish loss. After kicking my butt and wallowing in self-loathing all the way home, as I was rinsing the mud out of the kayak I found the binoculars wedged under the seat. Hooray!!! All’s well. As I continued the cleaning I discovered that I had picked up a hitchhiker along the way. In that brief moment when my kayak was turned sideways, a crayfish jumped in and joined the flotilla. So instead of coming back from the river with less than when I stared, I actually came home with more.
Thanks to all who participated. Thanks for the memories.

Sounds of Ducks, Geese, and Swans

After the great blockbuster weekend in Southern Lorain County centered around Findley State Park, I have a greater awareness of those talented individuals with an ear for birds. Hearing a bird is just as good a way to document its presence as seeing, maybe better.
If you want to hear the sounds of birds the Cornell Lab of Ornithology lets you listen online. As an introduction, try these wetland birds for a variety of sounds. If you like those try others. CD's with high quality nature recordings are not cheap. Allaboutbirds.org presents this digital content in a well organized and useful method.

Huron River Paddle

Thanks to everyone who responded to the Huron River Paddle announcements. We will launch at 11:00 am from the back picnic spot at the Homer Page Farm. If you haven't responded, please email me if you intend to join in. Details can be found here.

2007 Dragonfly Conference Video

I didn't know they were making a video during the conference. It was a great time and I still can't get enough of them. I was out today and found a Unicorn Clubtail! The usual pond dragonflies were present, widow skimmer, common whitetail, saddlebags, green darner, 12 spotted and a breif glimpse of a halloween pennant.

Devotion of Dragonfly Enthusiasts from Wildlife Matters on Vimeo.

Contact me if you want to go dragonfly hunting.