Late Fall-Early Winter 2003 Summer 2003 Voice of the Mill Creek Newsletter, Mill Creek Watershed Council

8/9/2019 Late Fall-Early Winter 2003 Summer 2003 Voice of the Mill Creek Newsletter, Mill Creek Watershed Council

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Fall/Early Winter 2003 EIGHTH YEAR

Published by: Mill Creek

Watershed Council

Supporting jurisdictionsinclude:

Amberley Village

Butler County

Cincinnati

Colerain Township

Elmwood Place

Evendale

Fairfield

Fairfield Township

Forest Park

Glendale

Greenhills

Hamilton County

Liberty Township

Lincoln Heights

Lockland

Montgomery

Millcreek Valley Conservancy District

Norwood

Reading

St. Bernard

Sharonville

Springdale

Springfield Township

West Chester Township

Wyoming

GOLD MEMBERS

Butler County

Metropolitan Sewer

District of Greater Cincinnati

City of Springdale

Fuller, Mossbarger,Scott and May

XCG Consultants, Inc.

SILVER MEMBERS

Environmental RateConsultants

Village of Evendale

Voice of the Mill CreeCorps given 15 month deadline for GRR

When President Bush signed the 2004Energy and Water Appropriations Billon December 1 st he set in motion acourse of action that will greatly ac-celerate the process intended to pro-vide long-term flood damage reduc-tion in the Mill Creek valley.

Congress has given the Secretary ofthe Army until March 1, 2005 (15months) to complete the Mill Creekgeneral reevaluation report (GRR) - aflood control study originally author-ized in 1998 that appeared to have noend or spending limit in sight earlierthis fall. The bill further specifiesthat completion of the GRR is to beperformed at 100 percent federal costrather than the 25 to 50 percent localcost share recently proposed by theCorps a stipulation that would haveended the study.

The Corps is now also required tocomplete a report that provides basin-wide plans for Mill Creek flood dam-age reduction. Need for this languagebecame apparent this past summerwhen the Corps revealed preliminarystudies supporting flood control op-tions that would protect only limitednumbers of structures within the floodplain leaving the remaining struc-tures in our local communities unpro-tected during flood events. These re-

cently added options also all but elimi-nated the likelihood that the locally-preferred deep tunnel solution toflooding would be implemented.

Flood damage reduction in the MillCreek valley was initially authorized inthe Flood Control Act of 1970. Initialflood control public works projects be-gan in 1981 but were suspended in1991 when complications were en-countered. In 1998, the Corps was au-thorized to begin a General Reevalu-ation Report for the Mill Creek toevaluate flood damage reduction al-ternatives. This report was to be com-pleted originally in 2000 but continuedto grow in length and expense with nohard completion date.

Inclusion of directive language forcompletion of the Mill Creek GRR studyin the 2004 Energy and Water Appro-priations Bill would not have been pos-sible without a last minute, concertedeffort by local stakeholders, such asthe Millcreek Valley Conservancy Dis-trict, the Metropolitan Sewer Districtof Greater Cincinnati, the Mill CreekWatershed Council, and our electedofficials in Washington. In these daysof increasing divisiveness in our com-munities it is reassuring to know thatwe can rally together when the needarises. (See page 5 for related story.)

Late-breaking news

Flood Warning System a go!

Word reached the Millcreek ValleyConservancy District at press timethat the long anticipated Creek flood

early warning system has been ap-proved by the Army Corps of Engineersheadquarters office in WashingtonD.C. Check the Mill Creek WatershedCouncil website for details as they be-come available.


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PAGE 2M I L L C R E E K WATE R S H E D C O U N C I LFA L L / E A R LY W I N T E R

Voice of the Mill Creek

Clean Ohio Fund stream projects taking root

State-funded but locally managed projects arebringing bioengineering and ecological restorationto two Mill Creek tributaries this fall.

In Springdale, the Clean Ohio Fund is making itpossible to improve a Beaver Run segment andtributary flowing through the citys ChamberlainPark. In Colerain Township, the fund is naturallyenhancing three streamside sites being convertedfrom flood-prone homesteads to natural green-spaces.

The Mill Creek Watershed Council pledged sup-port to both projects, improving the chances ofsuccess for grant applications prepared by theOhio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Gov-ernments (OKI).

Mark Policinski, the new executive director ofOKI, sees signs of hope in the stream restorationwork, saying, OKI welcomes these opportunitiesto work with member local governments, the pri-vate sector and the State of Ohio to improve theregions water resources, one site at a time.

Under the guidance of Dr. Craig Straub, a restora-tion ecologist with the JF New company, the twoprojects are designed to implement bioengineer-

ing techniques that work with nature rather thanagainst it. Structural solutions often degradeover time, but bioengineering practices usuallygrow stronger with time as plants take root andnatural processes restore equilibrium.

Though they are miles apart in separate MillCreek sub-watersheds, the projects have commonelements:

stabilizing the streambank to prevent erosionand sedimentationplanting native shrubs and trees to improvethe stream corridor and provide wildlife habi-

tateradicating invasive, non-native plant speciesto improve biodiversity and habitat.

The Beaver Run project is receiving nearly$209,000 from the Clean Ohio Fund. The City ofSpringdale is contributing an additional $111,100in local match or services in kind for a total pro-ject value of $320,100.

The West Fork Mill Creek project is proceeding on$43,800 state funding and $37,000 worth ofmatch or services from Colerain Township for atotal project value of $80,800.

Most of the Beaver Run work has been contractedto Sunesis Construction Co., which previouslybuilt man-made riffles along East Fork Mill Creek.In Colerain Township, the installation work hasbeen shared by township employees, JF New,Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation Dis-trict, OKI and an eclectic gang of volunteers.

The end product of both projects should be lesserosion, more trees and shrubs, less junk and lit-

ter, more wildlife, less unfiltered runoff, andcleaner water.

More information is available by calling:

Craig Straub (JF New) - 513.942.3446Frank Birkenhauer (Colerain Twp) - 513.385.7500Beth Stiles (Springdale) - 513.346.5700Bruce Koehler (OKI) - 513.621.6300Article provided by Bruce Koehler at OKI

Bioengineering practices installed at the Beaver Run ripariancorridor restoration project in Springdale. OKI photo


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A strategic regional policy plan for the OKI regionAbout five years ago, the OKI Board of Trusteesestablished a Commission on Land Use and starteda process to draft a Strategic Regional Policy Planfor the entire eight county tri-state region. It wasdetermined that the Strategic Regional PolicyPlans would be a long-range guide for physical,economic, and social development of the region.

After taking time to decide how to undertake sucha tall order, and establishing an ambitious scopeof work, the Land Use Commission spent severalmonths gathering and analyzing an extensiveamount of data. It has also identified issues thataffect the relationship between transportation andland use planning, established a vision for the re-gions future, identified goals and objectives toaddress critical challenges or fundamental policyconcerns, and will prepare policy statements in2004.

The mission of the Land Use Commission is tobring about better coordination between land useplanning and long range transportation planning,or more specifically, to encourage land use pat-terns that promote multi-modal travel and the ef-ficient use of land, natural resources, and publicfacilities and services.

OKIs decision to form this Commission grew out offederal mandates for transportation planning, andfrom an estimated $3.5 billion shortfall betweenidentified needs and funds available for the re-gions transportation system over the next 30years.

The OKI Land Use Commission outlined a processthat will present the big picture of where the re-gion is today, where the region wants to be atsome future date and how to get there -- a stra-tegic approach. The Commission laid out a me-thodical set of steps: creating a vision for stew-ardship; identifying strategic regional issues; out-lining the trends and conditions affecting the re-gion; establishing the goals and objectives; andfinally determining reasonable and effective pol-icy statements .

The strategic regional issues strongly emphasizethe need for the protection and conservation ofground water and surface water resources on aregional basis. The value of preserving diversenatural systems, which include air, water, wild-life, plant life and land are also recognized. Theneed for coordination among natural systemsplanning, land use planning, public facilities plan-ning, and watershed planning are key pieces ofthe proposed goals and objectives.

At this time, the Land Use Commission is prepar-ing to finalize and accept draft goals and objec-tives for the strategic regional plan. After policystatements are attached to the goals and objec-tives, acceptance of a final set of goals, objec-tives and policies is expected in late 2004.

For more information, contact Janet Keller at OKIby calling (513) 621-6300, or by email at [email protected].

In search of:Your unusual, beautiful or intriguing photographs of the Mill Creek

and its immediate surroundings.Submit your mounted photographs (limit three per entrant) for display & judging at theJanuary 29, 2004 Mill Creek Watershed Council meeting to:

MCWC Photo ContestOne North Commerce Park Drive, Suite 222

Cincinnati, OH 45215

For more information call Nancy Ellwood at 513.563.8800.Submission deadline: January 15, 2004


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The Mill Creek Watershed Coun-cil held its second bi-annualCapture the Creek Art Exhibitionand Sale, featuring artist JacobPfeiffer and original artworks by36 other local artists, and music

by The Townsmen, on Satur-day, October 4 th at CincinnatiMuseum Center.

This unique fundraising eventwas a collaborative effort be-tween the Mill Creek WatershedCouncil and local artists to raiseawareness about the Mill Creek.The lucky 135 people who pur-chased tickets were treated to afestive evening of fine dining,

dancing, and exquisite art. Prof-its from the sale of twentyseven artworks will be used tofund Council activities in 2004.

The event planners want tothank the following people whoparticipated on the various plan-ning committees: Nancy Ell-wood, Charleen Vondermeulen,

John Vondermeulen, Susan Ro-schke, Anne Lyon, Mark Rogge,Rosemary Schmidt, Dave Buesk-ing, Greg Jaspers, Doug Smith,and Peter Thornbury.

It would be impossible to holdan event of this caliber withoutsponsors and in-kind support.We want to extend our specialthanks to partners and eventsponsors: Burgess and Niple,Cincinnati Art Club, City of Nor-wood, Eclectic Gardens, Enjoythe Arts, City of Forest Park,Gaeanet Design, Greenacres,Queen City Artists, MiddletownArts Center, Mill Creek Water-shed Council, OKI RegionalCouncil of Governments, Poster-Solutions, and the Western Eco-nomic Council .

We would also like to thankPeter Thornbury of CincinnatiConservatory of Music for de-signing lighting for the art gal-

THANKS TO CAPTURE THECREEK 2003 ARTISTS:

(in alphabetical order)

Alice Allison, Ann Arnold, JuliaBeers, Jan Boone, Tim Boone,Julie Braucksick, Ursula Bren-ner, Elizabeth Dayton Cautley,Dierdre Dyson, Cathy Fiorelli,Helene Fondacaro, Alice Fos-sett, Joy Kashdan Glaser,Joanne Honschopp, RogerHeuck, Victoria Jensen, JuneLove, Joan Miley, Les Miley,Velma Jean Morris, CarolynMuller, Nikki Orleman, NancyPendery, Sheryl Petersen-

Tesch, Jacob Pfeiffer, BarbPryor, Judith Reed, WilliamRybolt, Mary Sergent, Char-leen Vondermeulen, John Von-dermeulen, Mary Helen Wal-lace, Martha Weber, Mark Wil-lenbrinck, Kay Worz, BarbaraZentgraf and Paul Zentgraf.

Capture the Creek 2003 art event a success!lery and Jerry Harden of theRiverwatch Group for providingcredit card processing services.

Planning for the next Capturethe Creek Art Exhibition and Salein 2005 will begin in June 2004.If you are interested in being asponsor or participating on oneof the event planning commit-tees, please contact Ms. NancyE l l w o o d a t n e l l [email protected]

or call her at 563-8800.

Capture the Creek 2003 guests view paintings in the event gallery.


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Section 3

Construction is progressing well on the Mill CreekSection 3 Punch List and Maintenance contractwith placement of the articulated concrete blockroad on the right bank and plantings on bothbanks. The work should be done by March, 2004to be followed by a one-year plant establishmentand maintenance period.

The contract was awarded to Sunesis Construc-tion in February, 2003 in the amount of $2.15million. The work to the creek bed and banksnear Salway Park Section 3 - was identified inthe 1998 Operations and Maintenance (O&M)Agreement between the Corps and Millcreek Val-ley Conservancy District.

After the restoration, the completed Section 3channel would be turned over to the local spon-sor for operations and maintenance. Section 3was initially constructed by the Corps from 1982-1984. The new work is for stabilizing the channelslopes using riprap at the toe of the slope andbioengineering features for the rest of the slope.The work also includes construction of a mainte-nance access road near the toe of the slope alongthe right bank. This project will revegetate andstabilize approximately 2,500 feet of streambankalong both banks near the Salway Park area.

Future construction activities include completingthe plantings on the flood plain bench on theright side; completion of the articulated concreteblock access road; installation of ponds and rif-fles in the stream to improve water quality andfish habitat; replacing the fence; and completingthe seeding and tree planting. This work isweather permitting. The Corps will work withother agencies to restore the Butterfly Garden.

General Reevaluation Report (GRR)

An Issue Resolution Conference (IRC) is scheduledfor Dec. 16, 2003 in Cincinnati to discuss the

GRR. Headquarters representatives from Wash-ington D.C. will attend the meeting. The pur-poses of the IRC include:

summarizing the results of the screening levelevaluation of a wide array of alternatives,

discussing various Corps policy issues regard-ing the outcome of the screening analyses in-cluding which plans will be carried forwardfor detailed analyses,

discussing the implications of the directionscontained in the FY04 Congressional Confer-ence Report,

receiving the views and input of the Sponsor,other stakeholders, and state and Federal re-source agencies, and

clarifying the study teams goals and guidanceto complete the study.

For more info on Mill Creek go tohttp://www.lrl.usace.army.mil/Mill%20Creek/ .

Article submitted by the US Army Corps of Engineers Louis-ville District Office.

Corps Corner

Update on Army Corps MillCreek projects

Work on Section 3 continues where layers of filter fab-ric are installed on the banks. USACE Photo


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To:

For more information, contact:

Nancy Ellwood, Executive DirectorMill Creek Watershed Council

One North Commerce Park DriveSuite 222

Cincinnati, Ohio 45215

Phone: 513.563.8800Fax: 513.563.8810

E-mail address:[email protected].

Website: www.millcreekwatershed.org

One North Commerce Park Drive, Suite 222Cincinnati, OH 45215

Mill Creek Watershed Council

Mill Creek Watershed Council meetings will take place on aquarterly basis in 2004. We have also changed to meet at10:00 am on the last Thursday of the first month in eachquarter. Next years schedule:

Thursday, January 29, 2004, Colerain Township (4200 Springdale Road)

Thursday, April 29, 2004, City of Sharonville (10900 Reading Road)

Thursday, July 29, 2004, City of Springdale (11700 Springfield Pike)

Thursday, October 28, 2004, City of Wyoming (800 Oak Avenue)

Annual elections and discussion of the 2004 work plan andbudget will take place at the January meeting. All Councilmeetings are open to the public.

2004 Meetings:

Council Mission:To promote the improvement of the Mill Creek watershed to create

integrated environmental, aesthetic, recreational, and economic benefits for present and future generations.

Newsletter also available in color at:www.millcreekwatershed.org

Documents

Late Fall-Early Winter 2003 Summer 2003 Voice of the Mill Creek Newsletter, Mill Creek Watershed Council