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Watershed Spotlights

A Green Infrastructure Farewell - For Now

August 2025

While the Cleveland Metroparks Green Infrastructure Maintenance season continues, it had to end for Jamie Penny, one of our Green Infrastructure crew members as she heads back to school. Jamie did a wonderful job this year and was fond of tackling the more physical tasks like lifting heavy loads and pulling the toughest of deep rooted weeds. We are so grateful for her efforts! See her end of season reflections below. - Stream Restoration Ecologist, Elizabeth Hiser

Jamie Penny

When looking for jobs this year, I had no idea what I wanted or what to look for. All I knew was that I wanted to work with the Cleveland Metroparks again. After searching and searching I landed on the Green Infrastructure Specialist posting and was interested. I honestly had no idea what it was and how it worked when applying, but I hoped for the best! Before the interview I did intensive research and discovered the Green Infrastructure 101 recording on YouTube. I found out that Elizabeth Hiser, who I had met 2 years prior, would be my potential boss through that video! After learning about green infrastructure, I felt a little more confident for my interview and I got the job (thankfully)!

My previous experience was in Invasive Plant Management, so I had only a little native plant identification skills. Throughout the summer, with the help of Elizabeth and the crew, I now can identify a handful of native plants. I also learned about my love for soil ecology and insects! The crew and I also got to help with research to inform maintenance efforts by employing several different testing protocols including Soil Compaction and Permeable Pavement Infiltration Testing. We had a lot of fun working with WVP through the Green Infrastructure series and weeding around the parks and observing the progress they made.

Elizabeth also gave us the opportunity to get our Master Rain Gardener Professional Certification, which was a very fun learning experience. The crew and I were able to do the whole planning and building experience, bringing a new Barbie themed rain garden to one of the parks intern houses. This job has brought me a lot of joy (especially my crew members Hanna and Al), and I was able to learn a lot during this season.

My next step is heading back to Cleveland State University for my senior year. I am hoping to complete my bachelor's degree majoring in Biology and minoring in Environmental Science. My goal after college is to get a full-time position in environmental research or green infrastructure!

Jamie Penny - Green Infrastructure Specialist 2025

Hydrology Summer Summary

August 2025

Our Hydrology Team had a very productive summer - we are so proud of their efforts and are happy to have them share their stream tales with you! - Stream Restoration Ecologist, Elizabeth Hiser

Chris Meigs

Plip… plip… plip.

Rain drops begin to fall on the leaves in the surrounding woods - lightly, at first, but then with a growing intensity of overlapping “plips”. I stand above a round of wood and heave a maul over my head, rain dripping from my brow. With a final swing, I hear a satisfying crack as the round splits in two - the perfect size for building up a berm along the outside of the meander my coworker, Gabe Zimmerman (He Who Walks Loudly In Sloshing Boots), and I have been building up to keep the stream from eroding a new, unplanned channel.

But water, it seems, tends to have a mind of its own, and one of the most important things I’ve learned during my time under Elizabeth Hiser has been to “think” like water.

On that hot, rainy summer day, I experienced first-hand how water wants to move. And because Elizabeth believes in experimentation, sharing her knowledge, and exposing us to as many stream restoration techniques as possible, I felt well prepared to tackle the issues present.

From studying log and rock grade controls to beaver dam analogs, I began to understand how we might redistribute energy inherent in a stream system. Through techniques such as BEHI and QHEI, I honed my ability to recognize erosion (and how to combat it) and geomorphological features within the stream; meanders, pools, and riffles. And by utilizing an index capturing large woody debris data, I could see how fallen trees, logs, and branches could alter sediment deposition within even the smallest of streams.

I’ve always enjoyed seeing how things interact and how playing with one variable can alter others. The world is intricately and delicately connected in ways we often struggle to understand and this summer has presented the perfect opportunity to study just how entangled these factors are within even a simple stream system. One small change can have a ripple effect throughout an ecosystem, a watershed, an entire region, and eventually on a global scale. Working alongside someone like Elizabeth makes you think about these things, especially when you experience the impacts in-real-time.

But I digress.

Without doubt, this has been one of the best summers I’ve had in a long time - over a decade, if memory serves. I have learned so much and had opportunities to apply these new skills in ways I never even imagined I’d be able to. It’s been a new set of skills forged through hard work, mistakes and setbacks, and sometimes a little disappointment if my plans failed at first. But with the benefit of monitoring progress and a strong team offering support, mistakes turned into lessons and disappointment gave way to fiery determination to come back better than before!

These lessons I cherish from my time with the Cleveland Metroparks and I will carry them forward into the next chapter of my life. And beyond.

-Chris Meigs, Seasonal Hydrology Technician II '25

Gabe Zimmerman

This summer has been packed full of new experiences that I have been honored to participate in. As I am pursuing my Natural Resource Management degree, I have made it a goal to experience as many different sides of natural resources and land management as possible. Thankfully, the Cleveland Metroparks have been able to make that a reality.

Starting last season as a Green Infrastructure seasonal, I was able to branch around the department through cross training opportunities and discover what really interested me. All the cross training was valuable, but one role stuck out to me, Hydrology Technician. This role is filled with all sorts of fun stream data collection and stream restoration that I took a strong interest in. Using these opportunities, I was then able to use my new skills and qualifications to apply as a Hydro Tech for the 2025 season.

Throughout the last 4 months, I have been able to expand my stream skills through various stream function assessment and restoration methods. Some of the main focuses of the summer were monitoring utilizing Bank Erosion Hazard Index (BEHI), Stream Crossing assessments to find possible fish passage projects, Large Woody Debris Index (LWDI), and hand scale restoration work by repairing berms of streams and wetlands as well as creating grade control. I was also able to participate in two full stream function surveys where we gather data on the stream’s geomorphology, bed material, surrounding vegetation, erosion along the banks, and wood located in the stream.

In addition to this, I was given the opportunity to complete a Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) course which resulted in receiving an EPA level 2 data collector certificate. My partner Chris and I were also able to lead volunteer events where we give volunteers the opportunity to learn all about what we do and experience it for themselves.

I am beyond thankful for Elizabeth and the entire Cleveland Metroparks for allowing me to gain such interesting and valuable skills and experiences. These skills are greatly beneficial to me as I continue with my degree and eventually into the full time workforce. This summer has been very unforgettable, and I thank all that were a part of it with me!

-Gabriel Zimmerman, Seasonal Hydrology Technician II '25

Summer in the Streams

September 2024

As in 2023, we asked our hydrology technician seasonals to reflect and share on their summer efforts with Cleveland Metroparks as their time with us is winding down. We are impressed with and grateful for their efforts and happy to share their season summaries with you:

Allyson Allen

I started this year with no idea where life would take me. I was working at a lab and missing being in the field desperately. After spending my previous summer doing stream work through AmeriCorps in Montana, I knew streams are where I belonged. When job hunting and this opportunity showed up, I decided to jump feet first, hoping that I would land this position (pretty safe to say I did as I’m writing this blog now).

Throughout the summer, my team partner and I have been given an immense amount of knowledge and experience. We learned full stream function assessments which had multiple components, bank erosion hazed index (BEHI), and how to monitor stream crossings. We were able to do land acquisition surveys, water chemistry monitoring, and some hand-scale work at Padua and Old Station.

On top of the field work, Elizabeth gave us the opportunity to attend workshops and connect with various people. We were able to participate in the Chagrin River Watershed Partners and ODNR grant funding course and I was able to participate in the Stream Functions Pyramid and Quantification Tool workshop. We also shadowed multiple departments/niches and were able to connect with volunteers through events. Another great thing we were able to do was connect with professionals through presentations and were able to learn about various topics.

Overall, my time as a hydrology technician seasonal was amazing. It grew my experience that will allow me to continue in my career but also strengthened my love for streams. Streams and their ecosystems are amazing and urbanizing them makes the work interesting while also challenging as what would normally be is not. Using the stream function survey and the quantification tools provide insight into what is happening and what possible solutions could be done which made this my favorite thing to do all summer.

I couldn’t be more thankful for the experience and opportunity this season has given me. Elizabeth and my coworker Brooke have made this summer fun and informative. Through Elizabeth’s kindness and knowledge, she has made my love, passion, and knowledge for streams and their ecosystems expand which I couldn’t be more thankful for. Working for the Metroparks was amazing, and it will be a season I’ll never forget!

-Allyson (Ally) Allen, Hydrologist Technician ‘24

Brooke Nekich

My experience this summer with the Metroparks has been invaluable. I graduated from Baldwin Wallace University, with my Bachelor of Environmental Science with a geology minor. I have always known I wanted to pursue a career that would have a purpose and would make a difference. Luckily, this summer I have had the opportunity to be a Hydrologist Technician under Elizabeth Hiser.

I found the Hydrologist Technician position online and decided to apply thinking it was worth a shot. After speaking with Elizabeth, she was impressed with my field experience that I gained while in my undergraduate program. It is very typical to feel like an imposter when you are trying to gain experience and use what you learned in a new position. I feel that over these 6 months I have gained confidence and knowledge that will help propel me forward in my future endeavors.

Over the course of my term, my team partner Ally and I have learned new things and strengthened the skills we learned in our undergraduate. We have done multiple stream function assessments (which include large woody debris index, pebble count, BEHI, riparian vegetation assessments, cross sections, and longitudinal profiles), land acquisition assessments, stream crossing assessments, working with volunteers, connecting with professionals through presentations and even completed a grant funding course offered by the Chagrin River Watershed Partners and ODNR.

I enjoyed completing stream function assessments, I found it interesting once we took the data we collected and analyzed it. We were able to see how the stream was functioning, and this information can be used towards potential future restoration projects. I also enjoyed meeting new faces both at the Stewardship Center and out in the community.

Elizabeth has been a wonderful boss and mentor. She has taught me so many useful skills this summer that I would have not learned otherwise. Elizabeth made it a point to make sure we were able to meet and make connections with other people that are a part of the Metroparks and other entities. This experience has been one of a kind and I am so thankful for the opportunity.

-Brooke Nekich, Hydrologist Technician ‘24

Restoring Restoration - A West Creek Zuni Bowl Pilot Project

June 2024

This spring our hydrology, green infrastructure, aquatic and WVP seasonal staff had a chance to do some hand scale restoration work at the recently acquired Padua Franciscan Campe Corde property. Here is their report:

The West Creek Conservancy hired consultants to restore a stream and wetland complex at the soccer field at Camp Corde that was once lush with trees and valleys. The crew created a stream, wetlands and rolling hills in the previously open field to store water in the landscape. By creating this new stretch of stream and wetlands, biodiversity has increased at this site, and flooding has decreased for the houses down slope.

Hydrology, green infrastructure and aquatic seasonals went to the site to address head cutting that has occurred in the constructed stream. Head cuts are a type of erosional feature where the water will cut down on itself and erode the material beneath, resulting in the head cut unraveling the streambank and moving upstream. This can cause issues with the stream being incised and could potentially drain a wetland complex.

The seasonal teams decided that the best way to mitigate the head cutting would be to do hand scale restoration. This entailed creating rock structures to eliminate the head cutting that is occurring in multiple areas of the stream. We decided to mimic Zuni bowls, on a small scale at this site. We hope to see our efforts help the stream by reducing head cutting and we look forward to monitoring our repairs after significant rain events this summer.

Author: Brooke Nekich 2024 Hydrology Tech

Lake Erie Volunteer Science Network: Empowering Communities for Lake Erie's Protection - The Year in Review

April 2024

The Lake Erie Volunteer Science Network (LEVSN) continues to strengthen its role in fostering community-driven water stewardship across the Lake Erie Basin. LEVSN connects a diverse array of volunteer water quality monitoring groups across several states, amplifying their collective impact on safeguarding our invaluable water resources.

About the Lake Erie Volunteer Science Network (LEVSN)

Established in 2020, the Lake Erie Volunteer Science Network is a groundbreaking initiative aimed at uniting community-based water quality monitoring efforts across the Lake Erie Basin. Spearheaded by Cleveland Water Alliance, LEVSN equips volunteers with the tools, training, and support needed to collect credible data, fostering a collaborative environment that bridges the gap between local actions and regional water resource management strategies. As the network moves into its third year of standardized monitoring, the commitment to expanding its reach and impact remains unwavering, promising continued advancements in the collective endeavor to safeguard the health and vitality of Lake Erie and its watersheds.

Since 2020, LEVSN participation has more than tripled to 21 groups coming into the 2024 field season. The network has partnered with professional scientists and decision-makers to create a robust program that can fill data gaps and inform management efforts across the Lake Erie Basin. In 2023 alone, network participants engaged 143 volunteers in 3,196 hours of service to collect over 800 samples across 20 local watersheds.

2023 Highlights: A Year of Significant Expansion and Impact

This past field season, LEVSN has witnessed unprecedented growth and achievements:

Empowerment of eleven local monitoring groups, including five newcomers, enhancing the network's collaborative and scientific capabilities.

Expansion of monitoring efforts to over 120 sites across 20 Lake Erie Basin waterways.

Significant enhancements to data analysis protocols and the Water Reporter web tool, facilitating more credible and effective data storytelling.

Advancement of participating groups into leadership roles in standards development, fundraising, and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

Winning a contract with the International Joint Commission for the development of a Volunteer Water Monitoring Handbook to support Great Lakes communities.

Recognition and sharing of LEVSN's methodologies and successes at prominent conferences, emphasizing the network's growing influence and credibility.

Key Achievements and Findings from the 2023 Field Season

The 2023 season has brought forward critical insights into the health of Lake Erie and its watersheds, underpinned by the Lake Erie Baseline Assessment Framework (LEBAF), a set of standards for the collection, analysis, and communication of volunteer-collected water quality data. Overall, the network’s 2023 observations indicated that the rivers and tributaries in the Lake Erie Basin are generally healthy and support aquatic life, particularly regarding pH, temperature, and DO. Conductivity measurements, however, are cause for concern in some sections of the rivers and tributaries, but do not suggest that the rivers and tributaries are unhealthy overall. Some rivers and tributaries are healthier than others based on different parameter exceedances. Unhealthy conditions were most often event-based (e.g. during periods of drought), short-lived (i.e. observed during a single sampling), and occurred in smaller tributaries of larger systems that drained highly altered land, primarily urban areas or, in some cases, row crop farmland. Read the report here.

Moving into 2024: Strengthening the Network and Amplifying Impact

Looking ahead, LEVSN is set to further its mission with even greater determination. The network's expanding reach, backed by a record 21 volunteer groups going into the 2024 field season, underscores its vital role in advancing water quality management and conservation efforts. LEVSN invites individuals, organizations, and communities to join this transformative movement, contributing to a healthier future for the Lake Erie Basin through various avenues of support and collaboration.

"For Cleveland Water Alliance, the Volunteer Science Network is an effort to get communities involved in the Smart Lake Erie Watershed Initiative. Over the past few years, CWA has deployed hundreds of sensors throughout thousands of miles of telecommunications coverage, establishing Lake Erie as the largest digitally connected freshwater body in the world, but there will always be gaps in that data. The fact that people care about our water resources deeply enough to volunteer their time to fill these gaps is a truly invaluable asset. Ultimately, communities have to be part of the solution if we are going to steward our natural resources and grow our water economy,” says Max Herzog, CWA Program Manager leading the LEVSN effort.

Thank you to Community Science Assistant Bre Turner for leading our 2023 LEBAF program and to the Watershed Volunteer Program community members who participated in 2023 LEBAF!

A brief overview of the network’s progress and findings can be found here.

The full report from LEVSN’s first standardized field season can be found here.

For those interested in supporting or partnering with LEVSN, please reach out to Max Herzog with Cleveland Water Alliance at mherzog@clewa.org. Together, we can write the next chapter in the story of Lake Erie's protection and stewardship.

Stream Assessment Summer Feature

August 2023

As field season winds down we asked our 2023 hydrology seasonal technicians Philip Eskamani and Noelle Kidd to reflect on their summer at Cleveland Metroparks. We are grateful for their efforts here on behalf of our streams and happy to share their season summaries with you:

Philip Eskamani

My name is Philip Eskamani. I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology from Kent State University and a Master of Science degree in Geosciences from Colorado State University. Going into 2023, I found myself in between full-time employment. I saw the job posting for Hydrology Technician at the West Creek Reservation and thought that it would be an excellent learning experience. Having a background in sub-surface geology, I’ve been yearning to gain more knowledge and experience with surface processes, particularly processes involving rivers and streams. Living near such an amazing freshwater resource as the Great Lakes, I felt learning about such processes was a necessity.

My first couple of weeks as a Hydrology Technician at the Watershed Stewardship Center were very educational to say the least. Elizabeth Hiser, as well as others in Natural Resources, taught my Hydrology Tech teammate, Noelle Kidd, and I a great deal on Stormwater Control Measures and Green Infrastructure Practices that is so exemplified by the West Creek Reservation Center. These different aspects of the Watershed Stewardship Center, and how much they help our urban watershed, were very eye-opening to me.

Spending the summer conducting various stream function assessments, as well as touring several different stream restoration projects, I have come away with a much deeper knowledge and understanding of our local hydrology here in the Metroparks. Being trained on, then carrying out various stream function assessments, such as Bankfull Verification, Bank Erosion Hazard analysis, and Riparian Vegetation analysis (just to name a few!) have allowed me to think about streams in a much more analytical manner. This knowledge of how to think about streams with a scientific and quantitative approach will undoubtedly help me go forward in my career.

My position as Hydrology Technician has been a wonderful experience working with wonderful people who are clearly passionate about the work they do. The position has also helped me gain a much deeper understanding on the different functions of stream function assessments and restoration efforts that go into creating cleaner and healthier watersheds. I hope the scientific data we collected as Hydrology Technicians will aid in providing insight into our local streams and further promote sustainable action. I’m proud to have been part of the Watershed Stewardship Center and their efforts towards protecting and enhancing our urban watersheds.

-Philip Eskamani, Hydrologist Technician ‘23

Noelle Kidd

You can’t get a job if you don’t have experience and you can’t get experience if you don’t have a job. So, what are college kids to do? The solution lies in the park system. The Cleveland Metroparks offers multiple seasonal positions in various natural resources positions. This gives college students, and those alike, an opportunity to gain experience in their dream job before they even graduate.

I stumbled across the Hydrology Technician position while searching for something to do during the summer. I go to Allegheny College where I major in geology. As I filled out the application, I was not sure if I was really qualified to do the job. I never expected to hear back from the MetroParks on this seasonal position. However, during my interview, Elizabeth Hiser focused on my skills and how I work and learn. Throughout the entire summer, I was able to learn everything from how to use and conduct surveys, bank erosional assessments, culvert assessments, invasive and native plants, old growth forest, property acquisitions, stream restoration plans and stream construction. This seasonal position offered me so many opportunities to work with other natural resource departments, practice what I learned in the classroom, understand the technologies used to collect data, and experience the wildlife the MetroParks is so passionate about protecting.

To finish off the summer, Elizabeth Hiser and Jenn Grieser connected with the Holden Arboretum to give me the chance to participate in the SEARCH symposium. I created a poster to display the data I collected on a new MetroParks property and ways to restore the property and stream to its natural state. This opportunity gave me more public speaking and professional development experience.

Throughout my summer as a Hydrologist Technician, I was given a unique field and professional experience that will aid me in my career after college, and make my resume stand out to future employers.

-Noelle Kidd, Hydrologist Technician ‘23

David F. Leahy Award for Volunteer Excellence

April 2023

We would like to congratulate WVP Steward Clark Button on receiving the David F. Leahy Award for Volunteer Excellence from Greater Cleveland Volunteers. Clark was acknowledged for taking volunteerism to heart in over 40 organizations throughout the community.

Clark been volunteering for over 35 years and expanded his efforts after retirement. During COVID, Clark helped to set up online volunteer workshops with Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry's Men's shelter. He currently staffs a six-station lab for the shelter to help men develop basic computer skills. Clark is also a regular volunteer for Holden Forests and Gardens and Playhouse Square.

At the Metroparks you can find Clark out monitoring water quality, tracking trails, assisting with wildlife cameras and spending time at our retail spaces.

When notified of this recognition Clark shared the following: "I appreciate

the volunteer opportunities I’ve experienced and want to thank those

organizations I’ve worked with. I’m also grateful to my fellow volunteers making my experiences enjoyable. I tell people I’ve done everything from being an instant replay cameraman at the NCAA Fencing Championships to a production assistant at the World Yo-yo Contest! Where else but Cleveland?

I’m honored to be this year’s recipient of the David F. Leahy Award for

Volunteer Excellence by Greater Cleveland Volunteers and I’m grateful to the organizations and volunteers I’ve served with while volunteering. "

We are honored to have Clark in the Watershed Volunteer Program and are pleased to share a small part of his volunteer story with all of you.

Teaching Anglers about Water Quality Monitoring

April 2023

WVP Volunteer and "retired" Ohio EPA staff member Greg Orr is no stranger to measuring the health of Ohio Streams. After a career of supporting the Surface Water Department Greg has continued to help monitor stream health as a consultant and volunteer and now has stepped up to the plate to share his experience with others. Greg helped to introduce members of the public to aquatic macroinvertebrates at World Water Day and he recently gave a presentation to the Firelands Flyfishers. When we asked Greg to share his experience he enthusiastically shared the following:

"Mike Durkalec, Aquatic Biologist for Cleveland Metroparks, asked me to give a presentation to the Firelands Flyfishers. Firelands Flyfishers is a Fly Fishing International (FFI) fishing club which is a group of men and women fly fishers, fly tiers, rod builders and educators. Their goals are to educate members, the public and kids on all aspects of fly fishing. The objectives of my presentation to the club members on March 8, 2023, were to: explain how Ohio EPA and others evaluate water quality; explain why macroinvertebrates are good indicators of water quality; to demonstrate some ways they are collected, identified, and categorized to assign a water quality index to a stream; and to give an overview of the water quality of the Rocky River Watershed.

I informed the group of the importance of benthic macroinvertebrates. That they are an important part of the food chain, especially for fish. Many feed on algae and bacteria which are on the lower end of the food chain. Some shred and eat leaves and other organic matter that enters the water. Because of their abundance and position as, if you will, the “middleman” in the aquatic food chain, benthos play a critical role in the balance and natural flow of energy and nutrients. As benthos die, they decay, leaving behind nutrients that are reused by aquatic plants and other animals in the food chain.

I explained why benthic macroinvertebrates were monitored as one way to determine water quality. Biological monitoring focuses on the aquatic organisms that live in streams. Scientists observe changes that occur in the number of types of organisms present in a stream system to determine the richness or diversity of the biological community. They also observe the total number of organisms in an area, or the density of the community. If diversity and density change over time, it may indicate the effects of human activity on the stream. Biological stream monitoring is based on the fact that different species react to pollution in different ways. Pollution-sensitive organisms such as mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies are more susceptible than other organisms to the effects of physical or chemical changes in a stream. These organisms indicate the absence of pollutants. I went over the advantages of using benthic macroinvertebrates when looking for indications of stream/lake pollution, such as:

Benthic macroinvertebrates are relatively easy to sample. They are abundant and can be easily collected and identified by trained volunteers.
They are relatively immobile. Fish can escape toxic spills or degraded habitats by swimming away. Migratory animals may spend only a small portion of their life cycles in a particular stream before moving to larger rivers, wetlands, or other streams. However, most macroinvertebrates spend a large part of their life cycle in the same part of a stream, clinging to objects so they are not swept away with the water’s current.
Benthic macroinvertebrates are continuous indicators of environmental quality. The composition of a macroinvertebrate community in a stream reflects that stream’s physical and chemical conditions over time. Monitoring for certain water quality parameters (such as the amount of dissolved oxygen) only describes the condition of the water at the moment in time the samples were taken.
Benthic macroinvertebrates are a critical part of the aquatic food web. They form a vital link in the food chain connecting aquatic plants, algae, and leaf litter to the fish species in streams. The condition of the benthic macroinvertebrate community reflects the stability and diversity of the larger aquatic food web.

Lastly, I went over the state of the water quality of the Rocky River Watershed based on Ohio EPA’s and the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD) evaluations. "

Thank you Greg for sharing your experience with WVP and spreading the word to the public!

Aliyah Griffith

February 2023

Aliyah Griffith is a self proclaimed life long learner with a passion for the ocean. She started with a Marine and Environmental Science Bachelors Degree from Hampton University before going on to get her Master of Science and PhD in Marine Science from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. In August 2016, Aliyah founded Mahogany Mermaids as a resource for young women of color to be exposed to marine science. The nonprofit offers virtual and in-person educational events, online educational resources, a list of scholarships and they have their own grant to support a marine studies student. We found her article on Why Increasing Diversity in Marine Sciences Will Save The Ocean to be inspiring and we hope you do too!

Restoration and WVP Stewards at Work

November 2022

Watershed Volunteer Vicki Straus reached out to the WVP team on November 10th to ask what locations a new WVP volunteer might enjoy tracking during the predicted rain events on November 11th. Stream Restoration Ecologist Elizabeth Hiser has quite the list of sites throughout the park that she would like to observe during significant rain events and shared her wish list with Vicki who decided to check out two sites in South Chagrin along the Chagrin River on November 11th during the rain.

Vicki donned her rain jacket & boots and headed to the field with her phone in hand to record and share observations around lunch time once a significant amount of rain had fallen. Over the course of the day Moreland Hills received almost 2 inches of rain according to the NEORSD rainfall dashboard. By 1:00 PM when Vicki took the video to the right at the Chagrin River Jackson Field Restoration site, 1.61 inches of rain had fallen. Downstream at the Chagrin River at Willoughby USGS gage, the river had risen about 0.84 ft and over the course of the day and the 1.9 inches of rain the river would rise 6.74 ft (according to provisional data).

Elizabeth had just taken a Kent State University class on a tour of the Jackson Field Restoration on 11/9/22 and you can see the river at baseflow in the photo to the right (looking upstream) as compared to during the video of the rain event that Vicki took nearing 1 pm. If you look closely you can see in the photo from 11/9/2022 the outside meander logs and bendway weirs designed to help steer the river's energy back towards the center of the channel, provide habitat and minimize the force of flows along the left bank to help prevent erosion. These features are under water in Vicki's video.

We love when stewards get engaged with their watershed and learn more about what happens in our watersheds when it rains. Thank you Vicki for braving the elements to share your observations and show us our restoration at work!

We are happy to report that this project so far is functioning as designed, preventing erosion, providing better habitat and water quality, and helping to disperse the river's energy during flows like we had on Friday November 11th by engaging the floodplain. You can learn more about the project design in Chagrin River Watershed Partners great video of the Jackson Field Restoration.

Have you taken advantage of rainy days to watch restoration at work? Please share your observations with us! Did this post make you excited about water levels and rain data? Check out the Great Lakes Data Watershed HyFi dashboard to compare water levels at different HyFi stations in the region and take a look at data from 11/11/2022 to see how other sites handled the rain.

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Ohio Stormwater Awareness Week

October 2022

Stormwater Awareness Week is a regional effort that encourages communities and the groups that care about them to raise stormwater awareness via newsletters and social media posts, or with fun educational events.

Get involved with the 5th year of outreach and share one or all of the "Clean Streams Start Here" images and links on your personal social media.

Watershed Volunteers can directly engage this week with Cleveland Metroparks efforts to plant trees at Garfield Reservation (October 18th and 19th) and Euclid Creek Reservation (October 21st).

Test your knowledge with this stormwater quiz and share your results!

Learn where the rain goes in your neighborhood (or any other) with this fun interactive map.

Find out about the health of your waterway with the USEPA How's My Waterway tool

Unique FrogWatch Find: Northern Leopard Frog
September 2022

While monitoring for the FrogWatch program in July, Bob Bennett, a WVP Certified Watershed Steward, heard some unexpected frog calls that may have some interesting implications for the Northeast Ohio area.

Bob describes his experience in the program and his Leopard Frog encounter here:

“2022 has definitely been interesting regarding my encounters with Leopard Frogs. Did you know that they can vocalize underwater? Me neither…until recently. It was something I learned AND experienced this year while volunteering for the FrogWatch program.

In addition to hearing them vocalize underwater, however, I also happened to hear and record some of their standard calls during the early part of July – an unusually late time for such behavior to be occurring. These particular amphibians normally call from March to May in Northeast Ohio. ” — Bob Bennett, Certified Watershed Steward

Mayim Hamblen, a Naturalist with the Cleveland Metroparks and the leader of the FrogWatch program, elaborates on what this find could mean for Northeast Ohio:

"FrogWatch volunteers have an extraordinary job in the evenings from February to August; they get to listen to the calls of the night and sometimes capture a unique amphibian moment. Bob Bennett, an active and enthusiastic FrogWatch volunteer, has been taking observations in the Strongsville area for a while and came across an interesting call on July 5th. To our surprise, he observed Northern Leopard Frog calls at the WVP Baldwin Creek site!

These frogs only occur in a couple locations throughout the Cleveland Metroparks and are not normally heard after May as their breeding season ends then. It is hard to say exactly why this frog was calling so late into the season. With the changes in our climate, it is possible breeding season timing could be off and this singular phenomenon could become more common in the future. It’s also possible that someone released a pet frog into the area.

We will have to keep tracking data at this location over the next couple years before making any solid conclusions, but these captured moments are an integral part of the FrogWatch project and what makes it such an asset as we look to protecting and understanding our native species. We’d like to extend a huge thank you to Bob for dedicating over 17 hours this year to the project!

There has only been one recorded Leopard Frog at the closest FrogWatch site to Baldwin Creek [Strongsville Wildlife Management Area] since 5-10-2017.

In total, since 2013, only 37 instances of Leopard Frogs have been recorded in CMP by our FrogWatch volunteers." ⁠— Mayim Hamblen, Cleveland Metroparks Naturalist

A big shoutout to Bob for this important find, thank you for your continued monitoring efforts for both the FrogWatch program and WVP!

Interested in joining the FrogWatch program? Contact us at wvpinfo@clevelandmetroparks.com!

Bob Bennett is smiling and holding a D-net over his shoulder at a macroinvertebrate monitoring event.
[Photo credit: Cleveland Metroparks]

Addressing High Nutrient Levels at Volunteer Monitoring Sites

Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District Monitoring Efforts.

September 2022

One of our WVP volunteers, Dave LeBrun, recently spotted higher than normal nutrient levels at Bonnie Park. Dave has been a long-term water chemistry monitor with WVP. He began monitoring at the Bonnie Park sites in 2019.

“Bonnie Park is very close to my house so I consider it part of my backyard. I have been a part of the wetland and stream rehabilitation through planting live stakes along the stream bank and removing invasives. Water testing is a natural extension of that. Keeping tabs on the water quality helps to maintain the gains that have been made through this project .” - Dave LeBrun

Our monitors like Dave help to fill in the data gaps and provide those necessary observations to identify potential sources of pollution. Thank you to Dave and all of our volunteer monitors. To read more about how our organizations responded to the high nutrients levels, please read the update from Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District below.

In July a volunteer testing water quality at Bonnie Park in Strongsville found elevated levels of nitrates in the Rocky River. Nutrient pollution such as nitrates and phosphates are a common impairment in Ohio and can come from a variety of sources, such as fertilizer on lawns, excess excrement from dogs, wildlife, or livestock, or runoff of fertilizer applied to crops. High levels of nutrient pollutants cause algae to increase in the rivers and lakes, which can lead to toxic algal blooms. On a smaller scale, when a volunteer finds high levels at a site where those levels are normally lower it can indicate dumping or runoff from an upstream source. Therefore, in response to the volunteer’s findings, Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District tested several upstream sources such as the downstream points below housing developments, industrial buildings, and confluences of smaller tributaries. This testing found the nitrate levels had returned to normal, indicating the higher levels may have been due to large storms washing pollutants into the stream. In such cases pollutant levels can increase rapidly in the days or weeks following heavy rain, but can also rapidly subside as the water moves downstream. The volunteer will continue to sample the stream and if high nitrate levels are found again further investigations may take place.

Cuyahoga SWCD Sampling Locations for assessing potential sources of pollution after learning of elevated nutrient levels at the Bonnie Park sites.

Graph showing nitrate values collected at the upper Bonnie Park site. The two last values shown are 4.8 mg/L and 3.7 mg//L., which are well above the target of 1.3 mg/L for nitrate.

Lake Erie Communities Standardize Data Collection for Watershed Health

Cleveland Metroparks Watershed Volunteer Program works with partners to accelerate safe and accessible water futures.

August 2022

The Lake Erie Volunteer Science Network (LEVSN) - a collaboration of 16 local water quality monitoring programs convened by Cleveland Water Alliance (CWA) - has published a set of standards for volunteer-collected data that will empower communities to tell a new regional story about the health of our watersheds and support smart environmental education, research, and management.

Residents of Lake Erie communities feel a powerful sense of connection to their water resources and local organizers have harnessed this energy to power “Citizen” or “Volunteer” science groups that have monitored water quality across their watersheds for years. However, challenges around the credibility and consistency of the collected data have often meant that experts and communities struggle to fully leverage the power of volunteer science to fill critical information gaps and support the management of our most precious natural resources.

To address these challenges, the new standards - called the Lake Erie Baseline Assessment Framework (LEBAF) - were co-developed with researchers and decision makers at CWA’s 2022 Lake Erie Citizen Science Summit with a goal of unlocking the potential of local groups to address the most pressing water governance, research, and advocacy challenges currently facing Lake Erie communities.

“The Lake Erie Volunteer Science Network has accelerated the existing organizational and grassroots volunteer monitoring ecosystem with the latest technology and a standardized framework for collecting and communicating credible environmental information,” said Dr. Christopher Winslow, Director of the Ohio Sea Grant College Program. “This effort has shifted the movement from isolated engagement and education efforts to an organized network of advocates armed with robust, real-time water quality data to effect decisions regarding regional infrastructure investments, priorities, and policies.”

The standards provide a framework for new and old volunteer programs to elevate the credibility of their work and chart a path for expanding and improving over time. At the end of each field season, LEVSN will analyze and communicate data-based findings to participants and the public, driving progress towards the goal of clean and accessible water for all Lake Erie communities. In partnership with The Commons, the collaborative has also supported the development of an Open API that will increase the visibility of volunteer-collected data through state and federal databases, enabling easy connection to decision making, analysis, and modeling tools. Over the past two years, LEVSN has piloted cutting edge technologies that empower communities to monitor nutrient pollution and harmful algal bloom toxins. Now, its members are testing LimnoTech’s Affordable Sensor Kit, an in-situ sensor node with the capacity to gather basic physical and chemical data at significantly reduced cost.

"Volunteers within our Watershed Volunteer Program and our partners at Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, West Creek Conservancy, Friends of Euclid Creek, Rocky River Watershed Council, Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District, and Bay Village Green Team have really enjoyed the opportunity to trial new technology and to contribute to a Lake Erie-wide monitoring effort," said Jennifer Grieser, Director of Natural Resources at Cleveland Metroparks. "The Lake Erie Baseline Assessment Framework offers credibility to the passionate efforts of our volunteers and validates the time they invest in gathering valuable data."

Cleveland Metroparks is home to 18 park reservations, eight lakefront parks, over 300 miles of all-purpose, hiking, biking, and bridle trails, eight golf courses, five nature centers, dining, retail, and the nationally acclaimed Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. The park system is very closely aligned with Lake Erie waterways including Chagrin River, Cuyahoga River, Rocky River, and other direct Lake Erie tributaries. The organization serves a mission to protect nature, connect communities, and inspire conservation of our world. The Watershed Volunteer Program (WVP), established in 2012, is offered through Cleveland Metroparks with funding support from Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District. Its mission is to connect community members concerned with the health of local watersheds.

Since its inception, CWA has managed LEVSN on behalf of the GLOW Lake Erie Partnership which includes Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, Council of Michigan Foundations (CMF), Great Lakes Protection Fund, Greater Toledo Community Foundation, Lorain County Community Foundation, Cleveland Foundation, Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation, and Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo.

Aidan became a regular this summer at West Creek seen every day in one of our green infrastructure practices helping to beat back invasive plants and keep our green infrastructure functioning. He also assisted with retrofitting rain gardens at West Creek Conservancy and is seen below touring Metroparks restoration sites and green roofs.
[Photo credit: Cleveland Metroparks]

Green Roof at Edgewater Park.
[Photo credit: Cleveland Metroparks]

Touring restoration sites throughout Cleveland Metroparks.
[Photo credit: Cleveland Metroparks]

Aidan was often seen with a bucketful of Mugwort or Thistle during his time at West Creek.
[Photo credit: Cleveland Metroparks]

[Photo credit: Cleveland Metroparks]

When it Rains it Pours

August 2022

When it rains, it pours.

But, how does the Cleveland Metroparks make sure that the rain doesn’t negatively impact the park and surrounding area?

My name is Aidan Meidenbauer. Up until 8 weeks ago, I couldn’t answer this question. Thanks to Elizabeth Hiser and a number of other Natural Resource employees, I’m starting to gain an understanding of the amazing work that the Natural Resources team performs for the Metroparks! Hopefully, this article can help you gain an appreciation for their work too!

I am going into my second year at the University of Denver where I am majoring in Ecology and Biodiversity with a minor in Sustainability. This summer, I knew I wanted to work for the park system. I applied for a job at West Creek to help manage invasive species; however, my University’s schedule inhibited me from working in this role.

After my interview, the hiring manager, Jennifer Hillmer, saw my interests and goals and recommended that I apply for a new position at the reservation called “Green Infrastructure Specialist.” The job posting was somewhat vague, but it seemed like it would be a great experience to learn about park conservation.

I ultimately was hired for the position by the Park Manager, Cody Beshire, and the Director of Natural Resources, Jennifer Grieser. They explained their vision for the role: making the Metroparks’ stormwater control measures more aesthetically pleasing and ecologically beneficial.

My first day on the job, I walked the park with Cody and was introduced to Elizabeth Hiser, the Stream Restoration Ecologist for the Cleveland Metroparks. Cody and Elizabeth explained to me the purpose behind stormwater control measures and how they are used to slow down, reduce, and clean storm water runoff to prevent pollutants from entering our streams and sewers. They explained the engineering components (10 in total!) that are used throughout the reservation. After understanding the mechanics that went into developing sustainable stormwater systems, I set to work cleaning various areas of the park to allow water to easily flow and reach its destination (while also keeping the area looking natural and well kept!).

Over the course of the summer, I’ve been introduced to so many amazing people who are knowledgeable and passionate about their jobs. These individuals have helped me learn to identify some of the common native and invasive species that are found throughout the reservation, especially in bioretention areas. This knowledge has allowed me to help beautify the park and promote plant diversity by removing harmful plants and performing maintenance throughout the reservation.

I’ve also had the opportunity to go “in the field” with Elizabeth and Jenn to explore other reservations and see how their practices are different from the ones used at West Creek. They were extremely helpful and encouraged me to ask questions and propose my own solutions to any issues that we ran into. It was reassuring to go on these excursions with them because it showed me what the field is like and what sort of things I need to look for when I am doing this job in the future.

This position has allowed me to familiarize myself with several plant and animal species that I see everyday, learn about a relatively new environmental practice, make connections with people in my future field, and get outside for the summer. This job was more than I could have hoped for and definitely soil-idified my decision to do conservation work after I graduate!

Group photo of the 2022 Seasonal crew!
[Photo credit: Cleveland Metroparks]

Carrie Hansen (Left) is seen crouching down in the mud at a WVP event and smiling at the camera. Bob Bennett (Right) is smiling and holding a D-net over his shoulder at a macroinvertebrate monitoring event.
[Photo credit: Cleveland Metroparks]

Special Shoutout to Our Enews Team!
July 2022

This month, we’d like to give a huge thank you to Bob Bennett and Carrie Hansen for their long-term help on WVP’s Enews! Carrie has been our Editor and Bob has overseen the News, Jobs, and event updates sections since 2017. Together, they have offered over 480+ hours combined—wow!

“My favorite part of being in the WVP is getting to participate in such a diverse set of activities. Where else can I generate content for a newsletter, monitor amphibian populations on a nice summer evening, become a certified rain gardener, and collect critters in a stream in order to determine water quality? That variety makes for some interesting events.” ⁠— Bob Bennett

“I became a certified Watershed Volunteer in November 2012 just as I was retiring from my job with the City of Cleveland. I was in the first class of WVP graduates. My favorite activity is the Learning Opportunities. I have learned a great many things about watersheds in my ten years with the WVP. I also enjoy planting trees; I know they will be our future Tree Canopy that will protect our watersheds, reduce the effects of heat, and increase the habitat for wildlife. I plan to continue with the WVP for many more years, learning, monitoring, and restoring.” ⁠— Carrie Hansen

We would also like to welcome Millie Harnocz who will be assisting the Enews team by finding content for and editing our Jobs section.

Thank you so much for your continued contributions to WVP. We really appreciate your help!

[Photo credit: Elizabeth Hiser and Kevin Harrison]

Watershed Stewards Discover Garlic Mustard Aphids
June 2022

We’d like to give a special shoutout to Watershed Stewards Kevin Harrison and Bill Ferguson for their recent garlic mustard aphid find! Bill tells the story of the discovery as follows, “Prior to the start of removing a large patch of invasive Garlic-Mustard plants from a wooded area above Whipp's ledges in the Hinckley Reservation, Elizabeth Hiser, Stream Restoration Ecologist, described to our group of volunteers the discovery of a European aphid in the northeast section of the Metroparks that specifically targets the Garlic-Mustard plant. We were requested to keep a sharp eye out for any specimens of this aphid for collection and study by Holden Arboretum. Since the process of inspecting pulled plants for this aphid would slow progress in removing the objectionable plant, I decided to inspect only the specimens that exhibited a stressed condition. The hundreds of plants I pulled that day all appeared quite hardy, with the exception of one specimen that displayed wilted new growth on the main stem. Examining the underside of the affected leaves disclosed several dark aphid-like insects that adhered to their plant host. I immediately turned this specimen over to Elizabeth Hiser who carefully bagged and saved the sample for Holden Arboretum to identify the find. I hope that periodic surveys can be made of this area to assess the effect of the aphid on Garlic-Mustard plant populations with time.”

Kevin shared his excitement on social media, saying, “Exciting find today! While pulling invasive garlic mustard in the woods at North Chagrin Reservation, I came across aphids feeding on a few of the plants. I just recently learned about the existence of these aphids, which come from Europe (same as garlic mustard) and feed specifically on garlic mustard. Nothing else eats this plant which is part of why it grows out of control and outcompetes native plants. The aphids were first discovered in the US only last year by the Holden Arboretum! It was really something to find this recently discovered aphid, not to mention the satisfaction of witnessing garlic mustard having the life sucked out of it! A sample has been dropped off with the scientists at Holden for further study.”

For more information, see Holden Arboretum’s identification chart and guide to record your findings here!

Do you have a fun watershed-related find or experience you’d like to share? Let us know or use our hashtag, #NEOWaterSteward!

Why We Plant Trees
May 2022

Planting trees results in many wonderful environmental, personal, and community benefits. From an environmental perspective, trees are known for reducing stormwater runoff by taking in rainwater, improving air and water quality by absorbing pollutants, increasing biodiversity by providing habitats for native wildlife, and helping to fight climate change by reducing greenhouse gases by storing carbon dioxide in their wood.

Trees have also been shown to benefit communities by improving physical and emotional health (Read more here). Chris Wolf, a WVP Volunteer, can vouch for these effects. “Personally, I plant trees because I enjoy and benefit from spending time in the forest. It’s the place I go to de-stress and relax. A few years ago, my daughter bought me a book about Shinrin-Roku (forest bathing) which is a Japanese concept. Studies have shown that spending time in the forest encourages mental relaxation, while also boosting the immune system, helping alleviate respiratory ailments, depression and anxiety. I firmly believe the concepts of Shinrin-Roku to be true and have found huge benefit from walking in the woods, particularly over the past 2 years of the pandemic.”

Taelor Benoit, Cleveland Metroparks Staff Member and former WVP Volunteer, draws a connection between science and culture. “Growing up in South Louisiana as a Cajun person, I feel a very deep connection to nature. Planting trees to protect against erosion and storm surges during hurricanes is a great way to give back to the land your ancestors have lived on for hundreds of years. Nature is a powerful force that deserves to be nurtured.”

Additional Resources

Video: The Power of Trees
Article: Can Trees Heal People?

Citation

National Parks. (n.d.). Benefits of Trees. Retrieved May 16, 2022, from https://www.nparks.gov.sg/treessg/learn/benefits-of-trees

A Headwaters Habitat Evaluation Index (HHEI)
Apr 2022

Stream habitat is essential for sustaining a healthy ecosystem. Habitat provides necessary hiding places for smaller fish and other aquatic species. Stream cover, sinuosity, substrate, and channel width are characteristics that contribute to stream habitat. One important habitat characteristic is stream size. The size of stream determines the biology that a stream can support.

Primary Headwater Streams are small streams that have drainage areas equal to 1 mi2 and pools less than 40 cm in depth. These streams can be classified in three ways, as class 1, class 2, or a class 3 streams.

Class 1 – dry ephemeral streams with a low diversity of species
Class 2 – intermittent flow streams, may contain salamanders
Class 3 – perennial flow streams, sustains salamanders, cold water fish

Warm water habitat describes a type of aquatic use designation for a stream. It is defined as a water body that supports fish and macroinvertebrate diversity. The qualitative habitat evaluation index (QHEI) is a habitat assessment that is used to define warm water habitat status for fish. This assessment was initially developed by the EPA to identify the water quality of larger rivers. Smaller streams typically score low on these assessments and, as the result, typically fail attainment standards. Additionally, because smaller streams host fewer species of macroinvertebrates and fish than larger streams, it is difficult to compare larger streams to smaller streams using the same criteria. The HHEI is an evaluation tool developed specifically to assess the physical and biological characteristics of primary headwater streams (PHS).

Criteria/ Metrics

The HHEI uses a biological screening and three habitat metrics to evaluate PHS.

The three metrics for an HHEI assessment are substrate, bankful width, and pool depth.

Substrate describes the geology of the streambed. The substrate metric for the HHEI is assessed based on the two most prevalent substrate types present and the total number of substrate types present. Examples of substrate types for this metric include: bedrock, gravel, cobble, silt, and sand.
Bankful width measures the distance from bank to bank at which point the water level in the stream will start to flow into the floodplain.
Pool depth describes the measured distance between the water surface to the streambed in slow flow parts of the stream called pools.

Each of these metrics is scored using a point system. The substrate can have a maximum of 40 points, while bankful width and pool depth and bankful width can be each have a maximum of 30 points. The total scoring for the HHEI assessment ranges from 5 - 100, with 5 being poor water quality and 100 being excellent water quality.

Additional Resources

For more information about HHEI assessments, please check out the following resources.

Are any of the words in this color new to you? Did you look them up and find a definition that you like best? If so please, share with us at wvpinfo@clevelandmetroparks.com.

Interested in participating in an HHEI training course?

Register for the May 2 and 4 virtual sessions. WVP volunteers can sign up in Volgistics here and non-WVP volunteers can sign up here.
Register for the full training here.

Class 1 stream in Stream in Henry Township, source: Ohio EPA

Class 2 stream in Stream in Bainbridge Township, source: Ohio EPA

Class 3 stream in Liberty Township, source: Ohio EPA

World Water Day
Mar 2022

The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in June of 1992. This global Earth summit discussed how social, economic, and environmental issues are interconnected and that an interdisciplinary solution is needed. In addition, the United Nations general assembly declared the observance of World Water Day on March 22 of each year, beginning in 1993. This day sheds light on the international importance of freshwater and focuses on a different water-related topic each year. Past themes have included, Women and Water, Sanitation, Water and Climate Change and Valuing Water. The theme for World Water Day 2022 is Groundwater, Making the Invisible Visible.

Although groundwater cannot always be seen, that does not mean it is not important. Groundwater is replenished through the infiltration of melting snow and rainwater into the soil into underground aquifers. Since precipitation in Northeast Ohio has been increasing over the last several years, our groundwater reserve is also increasing. However, accessibility to groundwater is dependent on well construction and the types of geological materials underground. Even though we currently have a large amount of freshwater stored beneath the surface, that does not mean we can always get it. Groundwater is one of the world’s largest sources of freshwater and supports activities involved with sanitation, agriculture, industry, and natural ecosystems. Some of these activities can contaminate groundwater which could bring devastating impacts in combination with the threat of climate change. Therefore, we must use this vital resource sustainably and in a way that prevents further pollution.

As watershed stewards, we are continuously exploring ways to promote the sustainable use of freshwater in our community. Not letting the water run while it’s not in use, reducing the use of fertilizers on our lawns, and maintaining green infrastructure are a few of the many actions we take to keep our groundwater clean. World Water Day is about action. So, we encourage you to take on one new practice this year related to the sustainable use of freshwater. Let us know what you plan to do by emailing us at wvpinfo@clevelandmetroparks.com.

Celebrate World Water Day with us by sharing your watershed knowledge and passion! Represent the Watershed Volunteer Program with information and interactive activities that help kids and adults make a connection with watershed stewardship here in NEO. Register for various shift options here. More info about the event can be found at the Cleveland Metroparks event calendar here.

Groundwater and the Great Lakes
Feb 2022

Groundwater is one of the most important resources for freshwater in the Great Lakes region. A volume of 1000 m3 of freshwater is stored in the Great Lakes Basin. While the Great Lakes provide most of the public water supply, 8.2 million people in the Great Lakes region rely on groundwater for their drinking water (Grannemann et al., 2000).

An aquifer is a large permeable soil unit which stores groundwater. The amount of water stored in aquifers depends on the soil characteristics. Aquifers made of unconsolidated glacial soil consisting of sand and gravel are the most prominent water-bearing aquifers in the Great Lakes Basin. Bedrock aquifers containing carbonate rocks such as limestone, dolomites, or sandstones are also quite common.

[Photo credit: U.S. Geological Survey]

Groundwater is hydraulically connected to surface waters. The level of surface water is impacted by groundwater interactions. The water levels of streams, lakes, and rivers increase when groundwater discharges (adds water) into these bodies. This happens in areas where the water table is more elevated than the stream surface. Much of the groundwater that discharges into the Great Lakes occurs near the shore. Among all the Great Lakes, groundwater discharge to Lake Michigan is the greatest (2,700 CFS) (Grannemann et al., 2000). This is due to the composition of sandy gravel aquifers near the shoreline of the Lake. Groundwater discharge also plays an important role in the flow of water in streams, especially during warm weather and low surface runoff. It is estimated that groundwater contributes to 48 % of streamflow in Lake Erie (Grannemann et al., 2000)

[Photo credit: U.S. Geological Survey]

Unlike groundwater discharge, which refers to the additional of water to surface water, recharge describes the addition of water to an aquifer. The amount of recharge can vary throughout an aquifer, and it is affected by several factors such as the aquifer soil type, the amount and rates of precipitation and groundwater withdrawals, and urbanization. Impervious surfaces generated from urbanized areas contribute to increased runoff which deposits into surface waters. This runoff bypasses groundwater system, and thus reduces the recharge. Increased pumping and lower recharge rates from precipitation also reduce groundwater recharge.

An estimated total of 1,510 MGD groundwater is withdrawn from within the Great Lakes basin and 200MGD is withdrawn near regional boundaries (Grannemann et al., 2000). As cities grow and urbanization increases, threats to groundwater increase. Therefore, it is essential to understand human impacts on groundwater resources and ensure the collection of accurate groundwater data in theseareas. A greater understanding of aquifer characteristics, sources of groundwater recharge and sources of groundwater discharge could help to prevent disasters and maintain healthy communities and ecosystems.

Citation

Grannemann, N. G., Hunt, R. J., Nicholas, J. R., Reilly, T. E., Winter, T. C., Trentham, R. L., & Konkol, A. T. (2000). The Importance of Ground Water in the Great Lakes Region . U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved February 4, 2022, from https://water.usgs.gov/ogw/pubs/WRI004008/WRIR_00-4008.pdf

Meet the Area Managers
Jan 2022

Cleveland Metroparks spans over 24,000 acres across 18 different reservations within Northeast Ohio. Each reservation is maintained by a Natural Resources Area Manager that develops a comprehensive management plan to best conserve natural resources. Elements of a management plan may include installing a deer exclosure, removing invasive vegetation such as buckthorn, or planting trees to increase biodiversity. Throughout the year, WVP works with the area managers to help meet elements of each of their management plans. Meet the incredible team behind protecting and managing Cleveland Metroparks’ most valuable natural resources.

Valerie Carter-Stone is originally from Massachusetts but has had the opportunity to study and conduct field work in eleven different states, as well as Belize and Canada. She moved to Ohio in 2014 to specifically work with Cleveland Metroparks and loves the area, happily raising two kids and two dogs in Brecksville with her husband Dan. Serving as a Girl Scout troop leader for six years, Valerie is passionate about giving all of Cleveland's youth the opportunity to connect with nature. She works within our seven most urban reservations and strives to regularly provide the surrounding communities with opportunities for involvement and hands-on learning within Cleveland Metroparks. An advocate for diversity and inclusion, she strives to give youth from all backgrounds the chance to explore a possible career within natural resource management and regularly oversees high school shadows, high school interns, AmeriCorps members, college volunteers, and seasonal employees.

Valerie with the Cleveland sign

[Image Credit: Cleveland Metroparks Staff]

Tim during a bat survey

[Image Credit: Cleveland Metroparks Staff]

Tim Krynak has worked in several locations within Cleveland Metroparks during his tenure in Outdoor Education now Outdoor Experiences, which included: Garfield Park, Rocky River, and North Chagrin. Now as a Natural Resources Area Manager, he spends most of his time in the Rocky River, Mill Stream Run, Bradley Woods, and Huntington reservations. Tim’s specialties include bats, birds, reptiles, and amphibians and has had a recent interest in insects. One of his proudest accomplishments was the completion of a bat survey of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and Cleveland Metroparks. During this experience, he was able to spend a great deal of time in the parks for three summers which contributed to the completion of his master's thesis. Some of Tim’s unique finds include the American badger, the long-tailed weasel and the mocha emerald dragonfly.

Erik Shaffer is the Natural Resources Area Manager for the southern reservations of the Cleveland Metroparks. The reservations that are included in this area are Bedford, Brecksville, and Hinckley. He has been managing these areas since 2018 though he has been working in the natural resources division since 2009. Erik has specialized in wildlife/human interactions, habitat management and prescribed fire. Working in these disciplines, one of the things most enjoyed by Erik is being able to observe a completed project over time. Sometimes results can happen within weeks and sometimes it may be a decade or longer before a desired change happens. This can range from the establishment of a new forest or meadow to the different types of wildlife that utilize these areas.

Erik installing tree cages at Hinckley | October 2021

[Image Credit: Cleveland Metroparks Staff]

Josh installing tree cages at Euclid Creek | September 2021

[Image Credit: Cleveland Metroparks Staff]

Josh Philipps has been working as the Natural Resources Area Manager-East for about four years. Before coming to Cleveland Metroparks, he had a mixed background of wildlife/ecological research and management. His interests include botany, mycology, entomology, and ornithology. His favorite part of working with the Metroparks is to observe the changes in the Metroparks over the seasons and the years, in no small part because of the land management and restoration projects. Josh’s area of expertise in the natural resources division is in trail development and decommissioning. In this capacity, he works with the trails team when new trails are being built to reduce impacts to natural resources. He also helps identify high value natural resource areas where trails need to be removed or rerouted and assists with implementing these projects. He is proud to have been a part of a couple of grants funded restoration projects with the Metroparks, most notably the Jackson Field-Chagrin River and Beecher's Brook EPA 319 restoration projects. The project Josh is currently most excited to be working on is a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant through the US Forest Service focusing on soil decompaction and tree planting to mitigate the effects of stormwater runoff in the Euclid Creek watershed.

Monitoring Discovery
Jan 2022

Bob Bennett, a Rocky River macro monitor, recently discovered the first sighting of stoneflies in Baldwin Creek. Stoneflies are aquatic insects. Both nymphs and adult stoneflies can easily be identified by their two segmented tails and six legs. Adult stoneflies can be identified by transparent wings. There are approximately 104 species of stoneflies living in Ohio. These macroinvertebrates are essential food sources for several fish species such as trout and excellent indicators for good water quality. Huge shoutout to Bob for this exciting discovery!

This finding highlights the importance of volunteer monitoring for filling in data gaps and showcasing the complete story of what is happening in our streams. Curious to learn more about stoneflies? Please check out the following article Winter Stoneflies Sure Are Super Cool and Stonefly Fact Sheet.

Stonefly captured and released by Bob Bennett | December 2021

[Image Credit: Bob Bennett]

History of WVP
Dec 2021

A unique collaboration was formed between Cleveland Metroparks, Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD) and West Creek Conservancy in 2012. This partnership helped to build and fund the Watershed Stewardship Center at West Creek Reservation. To coincide with the opening of the center, Director of Natural Resources, Jenn Grieser and other Metroparks staff created the Watershed Volunteer Program (WVP) to connect residents with their local watersheds.

WVP volunteers harvesting native seeds | October 2012

[Image credit: Cleveland Metroparks staff]

WVP native plating event | 2013

[Image credit: Cleveland Metroparks staff]

The WVP received an Ohio Environmental Education Fund grant from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to kick-start the program. This grant explained that due to increased negative impacts from stormwater, WVP will support residents with training and hands-on projects to develop best management practices for their local watershed. WVP receives annual financial support from NEORSD that helps to fund WVP staff salaries and general operations.

Some of the first WVP volunteers shared their knowledge of water resources with one another early on and were able to foster a culture of learning and leadership. This shared enthusiasm among volunteers to protect their water has helped the program to grow over the years. From 2012-2021, over 2,200 stewards have contributed more than 24,900 hours of service to learning about, monitoring, restoring, and connecting others with Northeast Ohio watersheds. The WVP hosted 76 in-person events, met virtually for 16 hours, launched two new monitoring programs to study macroinvertebrates and harmful algal blooms, assisted with 8 different restoration projects, and planted over 1,200 trees in 2021! Thank you to all that have been a part of WVP-you have made a very positive impact on your community.

WVP stewards restoring the Greathouse Wetlands | April 2017

[Image credit: Cleveland Metroparks staff]

Decade on Restoration
Nov 2021

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has defined 2021-2030 as the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. This initiative aims to prevent and reverse the degradation of ecosystems across the world. In order successfully restore ecosystems worldwide, people from all levels of government, private sector, educators and civil society must work together to develop long-lasting solutions.

UNEP, FAO and several other organizations have developed ten principles to guide the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. One of those principles is to benefit nature and people. Nature can be restored in ways so that it can provide ecosystem goods and services for people. There are 4 different types of services ecosystems provide:

Supporting services = fundamental processes necessary for life on Earth including photosynthesis, nutrient cycling, soil formation and the water cycle
Provisioning services = products that can be extracted from the environment such as food, drinking water, timber, and oil
Regulating services = benefits from naturally occurring processes, such as tree roots preventing soil erosion, pollination, water purification, carbon sequestration and flood control
Cultural services = non-materialistic benefits to human well-being, such as enjoyment of the natural world through tourism or artistic inspiration

WVP stewards harvesting willows at West Creek Reservation | September 2021

[Image credit: Cleveland Metroparks staff]

Ecosystems Services Chart | 2016

[Image credit: World Wildlife Fund]

WVP volunteers participate in a variety of restoration projects, including invasive species removal, native plantings, and tree care. These projects are helping to prevent further ecosystem degradation and are building resilience against climate change. Can you identify types of ecosystem services nature has provided for you related to a restoration activity you have participated in? Share your thoughts with us at wvpinfo@clevelandmetroparks.com

The Turbidity Tube
Oct 2021

In September 2021, you might have read the article about the secchi disk and how it’s used to measure water transparency or turbidity. Turbidity is the degree to which light penetration is blocked by suspended solids (soil, sediments, algae). Another tool that is commonly used by scientists to measure water clarity is called a turbidity tube. The turbidity tube is a 2 feet-long and 1.5-inch-wide plastic tube that is open at the top and closed at the bottom. A secchi disk is built into the bottom of the tube and a a valve, to easily remove water from the tube, might also be at the bottom. Turbidity data is collected by pouring water into the tube, looking into the tube and recording the depth (in centimeters) of the water at which the secchi disk can barely be seen with the naked eye. The depth measurement is then converted to Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTUs) using a unit conversion chart.

Jackson Candle Method.

[Image Credit: Hach]

WVP volunteers and Cleveland Metroparks staff using a Turbidity Tube at Euclid Creek | August 2021

[Image credit: Cleveland Metroparks staff]

Before NTUs, turbidity was measured using Jackson Turbidity Units (JTUs), which comes from the Jackson Candle Method that was first used in 1900. Instead of a secchi disk, a candle was held beneath a glass tube and the viewer marked the depth at which they could see no longer see the flame of the candle.

Turbidity can affect aquatic organisms, recreational water use, and the quality of our drinking water. Predatory fish and macroinvertebrates need to see clearly to capture their food underwater. If water is highly turbid, this can make hunting for food a great challenge. Similarly, if you are swimming in a lake or stream with high turbidity, use caution because visibility will be low for you as well. Sometimes high levels of suspended solids can correlate with water-borne pathogens. Measuring turbidity helps to provide a better understanding of how much water needs to be treated before it can be distributed.

The turbidity tube is utilized by government agencies, non-profit organizations and educational institutions across the country due to its simplicity and affordability. Here at WVP, we frequently use the turbidity tube when collecting water quality data as well as doing habitat and aquatic organism surveys.

The Secchi Disk
Sept 2021

To effectively gather data about our watersheds, volunteers and staff are trained to use different types of tools and equipment. When collecting water quality data, we like to observe the transparency of the water that can be affected by sediment, algae, and the color of the water itself. A tool commonly used to determine water transparency is called a Secchi disk.

The Secchi disk has an 8-inch diameter and is divided into alternating black and white quadrants. When attached to a rope, the Secchi disk is lowered into a body of water until it is no longer visible to the observer. The point at which it isn't visible is the Secchi depth or the depth of disappearance.

Italian astronomer, Pietro Angelo Secchi, was the first person to use the Secchi disk to measure water transparency in the Mediterranean sea in 1865. The Secchi disk was first used in the state of Ohio in 1994 as part of a pilot study created by Kent State University researchers to examine regional changes in water transparency.

Lowering of a Secchi disk to measure transparancy | 2016

[Photo credit: Mountain Lake Community Association and Watershed Advisory Group]

Secchi Dip-In Founders (L) Bob Carlson, (M) Dave Waller and (R) Jay Lee.

[Photo credit: North American Lake Management Society]

As of this year, citizen science volunteers have helped collect over 41,000 records of Secchi disk data in over 7,000 separate water bodies as part of the North American Lake Management Society’s (NALMS) Secchi Dip-In program. Many states have developed their own Secchi dip-in programs or have made slight modifications to the NALMS program. In 2007, the Ohio Lake Management Society (OLMS) created the Citizen Lake Awareness and Monitoring (CLAM) program to collect water transparency data for the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA).

Carl Stokes
Sept 2021

In August 2021, several volunteers and Cleveland Metroparks staff participated in Take a Hike with Cleveland's Historic Gateway Neighborhoods Corporation. While exploring the Canal Basin, we learned about one of Cleveland's most influential individuals, Carl Stokes.

Born in the summer of 1927, Stokes was raised in Outhwaite, which was Cleveland's first federally funded housing project. Despite growing up poor, Stokes felt as if he was living a luxurious lifestyle. After dropping out of high school and joining the army, Stokes received his bachelor's degree from the University of Minnesota in 1954. A few years later, he graduated from the Cleveland-Marshall Law school and was admitted to the Ohio State Bar Association.

Stokes being sworn in as mayor | Cleveland 1967

[Image credit: The Philadelphia Tribune]

Carl Stokes addressing reporters after the Cuyahoga River Fire | Cleveland 1969

[Image credit: The City of Cleveland]

Carl Stokes accomplished many firsts during his life, most notably becoming the first black man to be elected as mayor to a major city. As the mayor of Cleveland, this platform gave him an even larger voice, allowing him to push the environmental agenda relating to clean water. Following the 1969 Cuyahoga River Fire, he helped to develop framework for the Clean Water Act of 1972. Carl Stokes left behind a legacy not only for the city of Cleveland, but for individuals such as ourselves, working to protect our local watersheds. Do you have a story to share of someone that has influenced your watershed stewardship journey? Let us know by sending an email to wvpinfo@clevelandmetroparks.com.

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