Urban Conservation Tour
Urban growth and land conservation may not seem like compatible subjects,
but that is why it is critical to take local decision makers out on the land
to show and demonstrate that land development can and should include
conservation elements.
The District held an Urban Conservation Tour
on May 6, 2005, for 36 attendees. Those present included Senator Bob
Schuler, Kara Joseph, Aide to Representative Tom Brinkman and Ms. Lisa Webb,
Aide to Commissioner Pat DeWine, David Hanselmann, Chief of ODNR, Div. of
Soil & Water Conservation, William Brayshaw, Hamilton County Engineer, and
other local officials and dignitaries.
During the tour, we discussed the value of
Mt. Airy Forest for headwater protection for the West Fork of the Mill Creek
and the I-74 Scenic Greenway Plan being implemented by the Hamilton County
Conservancy District, Green Twp. and Hamilton County Parks.
Taylor Creek was then examined. This rapidly
developing watershed had plenty of examples of both good and bad
development. Since 1997 there has been over 40 developments totaling over
1,000 acres in this watershed. Stream bank erosion, hydro modification and
mining obviously took their toll. However, there were also examples of good
development that conformed with the lay of the land and provide shared
greenspace.
The group enjoyed visiting the newly built
Walnut Creek Stables in Colerain Township. This 136 acre farm is a model for
the region. District Superior, Tom Reininger and his family installed a
manure handling facility, gutters cistern with a dry hydrant for fire
protection, heavy use roads and pads, fencing and implemented several
pasture management techniques. The group then enjoyed a tour and lunch on
the Delta Queen River Boat that was in town for the day to change over
passengers. (picture to the left.)
60th Anniversary of the District Join Us
for the Annual Meeting
The District is holding its Annual Meeting September 29, 2005, (Thursday
evening) at 6:00 p.m. It will be at Windows on the Green (G.E. Park) at
12110 Princeton Road, Cincinnati, Ohio. A public election will be held
during the District's 60th Anniversary - Annual Meeting. We plan to hold a
Silent Auction again this year, which has been a great a success!
This year we will be voting for 2 new supervisors. If you are interested in
being on the ballot, you may submit a completed petition form 35 days prior
to the Annual Meeting. These forms are available at the District office.
To learn more about being a Supervisor or to place your name on the ballot,
contact Holly or Barb at the District office at 772-7645. Inquiries may also
be made to the Nominating Committee, Steve Sandfort and Tim Boehmer.
You may also request in writing an absentee ballot no more than 21 days
prior to the election and no later than 3 days prior to the election.
We hope you can join us at our 60th Anniversary celebration! Please call the
office to request ticket(s). Cost for the meal is $10.00, which should be
mailed in along with your registration 10 days prior to the meeting.
Deadline to register is September 16, 2005.
Do You Want To Receive This Newsletter by E-Mail?
If you are interested and able to receive this newsletter by email, please
contact the District office to add your email address to the list. By doing
this, you will help save paper and reduce costs.
You may contact us by email:
holly.utrata-halcomb@hamilton-co.org
or by phone.
The River Continuum Concept – a progression of physical and chemical
characteristics within a watershed:
Have you ever explored a stream or river and wondered if the physical,
chemical and biological characteristics that you encounter are impacted by
water flowing from the upstream reaches or the headwaters? If you have asked
this question, you are not alone. Much research has been conducted in an
attempt to answer this question and numerous studies have determined that
there is a connection between stream channel characteristics of the high
elevation headwater streams and the larger waterways. The association of
physical, chemical and biological parameters throughout the various channel
reaches can be explained through the River Continuum Concept.
 In
this article, I will focus on the physical and chemical conditions that
provide the base source of energy and nutrition for aquatic organisms. The
biological connections will be described in a follow-up article. Physical
and chemical characteristics that influence stream habitat and biotic
communities include geology, light, temperature and current velocity.
Geological characteristics can influence the nutrient input into the
waterways of a particular drainage basin. For example, basins consisting of
low solubility rocks are generally low in essential growth nutrients such as
nitrogen and phosphorus. Alternatively, limestone basins with readily
soluble rocks produce increased levels of dissolved nutrients that increase
algae growth and produce a larger food base in stream systems.
The geological structure of a drainage basin can influence another important
physical variable, light. Light directly influences the rate of
photosynthesis of stream-dwelling plants such as algae, mosses and rooted
plants (macrophytes.) Generally, the higher gradient headwater reaches of a
basin are shaded by the streamside vegetation (riparian corridor) and rely
on outside sources of nutrients from terrestrial vegetation. The shading
produces cooler water temperatures, which delivers highly oxygenated waters
to downstream communities.
In addition to geologic, light and temperature parameters, current
velocities work to shape habitat and transport food and nutrients
downstream. Unused organic matter from upstream reaches becomes food for
downstream organisms, which are better adapted for the downstream
environment. For example, organisms living in fast currents, such as
riffles, have flattened and streamlined profiles. The physical and chemical
parameters that govern upstream channel segments play a key role in the
configuration of aquatic communities and water quality in downstream
reaches.
Ohio Ground Water Resource Maps Now Available Online
Ground water resource maps, which provide information helpful in well
drilling, are now available for all of Ohio’s 88 counties, according to the
Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Water.
The color-coded maps illustrate how much water a drilled well is likely to
produce in any given Ohio county. The maps also provide information useful
in the development of a water supply, including total well depth, aquifer
type and depth to bedrock. Maps feature a brief description of the ground
water geology within the county as well as data about some of the more
common, naturally occurring, inorganic chemicals that might be encountered.
To view or download a map, visit
http://www.ohiodnr.com/water/gwrmaps/ Hard copies of the maps may
be ordered from the Division of Water at a cost of $8.00 per county map,
plus shipping and handling costs. For more information contact Jim Raab at
jim.raab@dnr.state.oh.us
or 614-265-6747.
2005 Erosion and Sediment Control Field
Day a Success
The 3rd Annual Southwest Ohio Erosion and Sediment Control Field Day was
held on June 7, 2005, at the Warren County Career Center. The event was a
joint effort by the Butler, Hamilton, Warren and Madison County Soil and
Water Conservation Districts and the Miami Valley RC&D. The Field Day is
geared as an educational tool for all stakeholders in the field of erosion
and sediment control and the NPDES Phase II Storm Water Program. Classroom
presentations updated participants on changes to current regulations and how
they affect the construction industry. These regulations include House Bill
411 and the Ohio EPA and the US Army Corps of Engineers permitting process.
House Bill 411 is an amendment to Section 307.79 of the Ohio Revised Code
that enables the Board of County Commissioners throughout Ohio to develop
their own erosion and sediment control regulations to address construction
sites 1 acre or larger. The bill also gives the commissioners the ability to
enforce these regulations through fines and stop work orders. The US Army
Corps of Engineers 404 and Ohio EPA 401 permit process defines the
requirements regarding work along streams and wetlands. Also included in the
field day was an outside demonstration of correct installation and
applications of current and new Best Management Practices (BMPs) available.
Vendors of erosion and sediment control products were also on hand to
explain and answer questions regarding their products. The NRCS and Classic
Properties also made classroom presentations describing the merits of
regulatory cooperation and installing proper soil and water conservation
practices on construction sites. Capping the event was a presentation from
Robin Green on how to make conservation development work.
The first planning meeting for next year’s event will be held on September
29, 2005. Please contact the Butler, Hamilton, Madison or Warren County Soil
and Water Conservation Districts if you have ideas and suggestions on how to
make the event better or if you wish to participate in next year’s event.
Outside demonstration on Turf Reinforcement Matting (TRM) |
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George Cummings, D.C. - NRCS
presenting The Good, The Bad & The Ugly (installing BMPs) |
Grassland Reserve Program
The Grassland Reserve Program (GRP) is a voluntary program that helps
private landowners and operators restore and protect pasture land, hay land,
and certain other lands, while maintaining production on the areas.
This is the first time that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has offered a
program to help landowners with long-term protection of grasslands. GRP
offers producers who own or manage at least 40 contiguous acres of
pasture land or hay land some enrollment options. Only privately owned land
is eligible for
participation. The GRP sign-up is continuous.
If you would like more information you may contact John Williams or Jeffery
Barnes at the Butler County NRCS/SWCD office at 513-887-3720.
Conservation Reserve Program
CP-33 Practice
The Conservation Reserve Program has introduced a new practice called the
CP-33 or Field Border. This practice can be used as a habitat buffer for
upland birds. To be eligible for this practice, one would have to be willing
to plant as many as 10 species of grass on land that has had a cropping
history from 1999-2001.
Ohio was only allowed to have 14,200 acres to be placed in this program, so
if you are interested in the program please contact John Williams or Jeffery
Barnes.
Education Corner
And The Winners Are…
The District received many posters this year for our “Conservation Counts”
poster contest. Here are the winners!
- K-2 Brian Talley (June Myers’ class St.
Margaret Mary)
- 3-5 Kanyah Bedgood (Carmie Boesch’s class
at Woodford Paideia)
- 6-8 Grace Elkus (Karen Glum’s class at
Seven Hills Middle School)
Each student received $25.00 and the
sponsoring teachers all received a $25.00 gift certificate to Half Price
Books. Congratulations to all our winners and to all the other students who
participated.
L to R: June Myers, teacher, Brian Talley and Brian’s mom, |
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Education Specialist, Gwen Roth and Kenyah Bedgood. |
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Grace Elkus and Karen Glum, teacher. |
2005 Envirothon
This year four teams from 2 Hamilton County high schools participated in the
Area IV Envirothon and while none of them took home the top prize (a trip to
the State Envirothon in NE Ohio) we all had a great time. This year,
Loveland H.S. and Sycamore H.S. sent two teams each to participate. In all,
over 100 teams from the 18-county SW Ohio area participated. The winning
teams were: Northmont H.S., Cedarville H.S., Franklin H.S. and Fort Laramie
H.S. The top finishing team from Hamilton County was Sycamore H.S. team #2,
with a 13th place finish!!! Congratulations to all our teams. Hope to see
everyone again next year in Shelby County!!
Odegard/Diebel Memorial Scholarship -
Apply Now!
The Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District is currently
accepting applications for the Julius A. Odegard/H. David Diebel Memorial
Scholarship. Each scholarship is worth $250.00 and is available to any
teacher in Hamilton County who will use the funds to educate themselves or
their students on conservation issues. Some possible projects include Land
Lab development, teacher workshop costs, training on conservation issues,
classroom projects promoting conservation. Please be creative! Applications
must be received in the District office by Friday, September 30, 2005.
Please call the office 513-772-7645 if you need more information and for a
copy of the 1-page grant application, which can be faxed or mailed to you.
2005 Environmental Education Resource Fair
at the Cincinnati Zoo
The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, The Greater Cincinnati
Environmental Educators (GCEE) and The Environmental Education Council of
Ohio (EECO) have again teamed up to present the 2005 Environmental
Education Fair scheduled for Wednesday, September 14, 2005, from 3:30 p.m. -
6:30 p.m.
Representatives from over 20 local, regional, state and national
organizations will share their resources, expertise and enthusiasm. The fair
is open to educators of all grade levels and all subjects. The Hamilton
County SWCD
District will be there with an educational display.
To register for the environmental education fair call 513-475-6137.
For more information about the environmental education fair contact:
Sue Magness, SW Ohio Regional Director, Environmental Education Council of
Ohio 513-946-7736 or
sue.magness@hamilton-co.org
Exciting New Curriculum…
 An exciting new curriculum on local water quality issues will be available
this fall for K-12 teachers! Some of you may have recently heard about the
newly formed Hamilton County Storm Water District. The Storm Water District
is
administered by the Hamilton County Engineers and comprises 44 of the 49
jurisdictions in Hamilton County. It was formed to help improve water
quality throughout the county and to meet the new NPDES (National Pollution
Discharge Elimination System) Phase II regulations of the Clean Water Act.
Our Soil and Water Conservation District has been contracted by the SW
District to help with the public education and outreach components of the
program. One of the teaching tools our Soil and Water Conservation District
has developed is a curriculum designed specifically for Hamilton County
focusing on storm water issues. It includes activities illustrating point
and
non point sources of pollution and local water quality issues. The
curriculum is divided into 6 sections; Watersheds, Non Point Source
Pollution, Urban, Rural, Effects and Action. Each section is divided into
four grade levels (K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12). All activities have been
correlated to the new state science standards.
Beginning this fall, teachers throughout Hamilton County will have the
chance to attend one of several workshops given to introduce the curriculum
and teach select activities from the curriculum. We hope that with the
development and introduction of this new curriculum, the students, teachers
and other residents of Hamilton County will become better-informed citizens
and eventually change their actions to promote healthy water quality.
If you are interested in finding out more about the curriculum or if you are
interested in attending an upcoming workshop, please contact Gwen at
772-7645 x14 or gwen.roth@hamilton-co.org.
Fall Workshops
It seems like school just let out, but we are hard at work planning
workshops for this fall. We have two Worm Workshops scheduled (one for
beginner worm enthusiasts and one for teachers who have had a bin in the
past and just need a refresher). We also have a Soil Workshop scheduled for
grades 2-5.
For more information on any of these workshops, contact Gwen by email or
phone.
Attention Teachers……..
If you would like to receive email notification of upcoming events and
workshops for educators, please email your name, email address, school name
and grade level to gwen.roth@hamilton-co.org.
Household Hazardous Waste Collection Program
May 3—September 30, 2005
This program is for Hamilton County residents only! Residents must show
proof of residency when dropping off hazardous waste. There are two
locations:
- Environmental Enterprises, Inc.
4650 Spring Grove Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45232
- Environmental Enterprises, Inc.`
10163 Cincinnati-Dayton Road, Cincinnati, OH 45241
If you have any questions or want to know the
correct times they are open please call 513-946-7734 or visit
www.hcdoes.org
Upcoming Events
- July 22—23, 2005 - Clean Sweep of the
Great Miami River.
8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Call Stream Specialist, Brian Bohl for more information. 772-7645.
- August 31, 2005 - Ohio State University’s
Manure Science Review
in Reynoldsburg, Ohio.The topic is liquid-solid separation of manure.
Pre-registration due by 8/24/05 is $35.00 (lunch included.) Walk-in
registration costs $60/does not guarantee lunch. For more information
contact Mary Wicks at 330-202-3533 or email
wicks.14@osu.edu
- September 24 & 25, 2005 - 2nd Annual Great
Outdoor Weekend.
Hamilton Co. SWCD will be coordinating activities at the Izaak Walton
League Lodge in Loveland, Ohio. Call Gwen Roth 772-7645 x 14 or email
gwen.roth@hamilton-co-org
- September 29, 2005 - Annual Meeting (60th
Anniversary). The meeting will be held at Windows on the Green (G.E.) at
6:00 p.m. Call the office for information.
- Summer & Fall 2005 - Storm Drain Labeling
events dates are being set-up. Call Andrew Gerhard at the District office
if you would like to volunteer, 772-7645.
- September 10, 2005 - Great Miami River
Days Festival.
See
http://www.greatmiamiriverdays.org for more information.
- September 11, 2005 - Great Miami River
educational canoe/kayak float. Contact Brian Bohl, 772-7645.
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