Rocky River Watershed Implementation Project

The goal of this project was to improve the water quality resources in the Rocky River Watershed by implementation of the watershed management action plan and the utilization of the Rocky River TMDL. The Cuyahoga County Board of Health initiated this Section 319 Ohio EPA grant project on January 2, 2004 and this was a three year project, ending December 31, 2006. The objectives of this project included:

• Provide administrative leadership to support the implementation of the water quality solutions in the Rocky River watershed action plan 
• Provide a cost share program to install 41 onsite Household Sewage Treatment Systems (HSTS) that will replace failing off lot HSTS systems within the East and West Branch of the Rocky River Watershed 
• Evaluate chemical and biological water quality in response to project implementations of BMP’s within the Rocky River Watershed and to monitor for the enhancement of both the TMDL and Watershed Action Plan. 
• Provide a cost share program to landowners within the Rocky River Watershed boundaries to acquire 6,000 linear feet of conservation easements in riparian areas 
• To provide educational outreach programs to educate the general public on watershed protection and importance.

The Board of Health worked with a number of organizations as subcontractors on this project that included: NOACA, Medina Soil and Water Conservation District, Cleveland Metroparks, The Ohio State University Extension, Lorain County Health Department, Summit County Health Department and the Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District.

The overall project accomplished a number of accomplishments. These include:

• Over 8,000 linear feet of conservation easement (total of 143 acres) was established along the East Branch of the Rocky River in Hinckley Township 
• Produced educational packets on HSTS for homeowners in the Rocky River Watershed 
• Performed chemical and biological sampling of 12 sites in Cuyahoga and Medina counties. A total of 38 chemical samples and 12 biological samples were performed. 
• Conducted 33 workshops for school aged children and adults on non-point source pollution and watershed information
• Initiated a volunteer monitoring program 
• Sponsored an annual watershed festival with an average attendance of 1,500 over the past three years.

Caricature Map  East Branch   West Branch 
Rocky River Watershed Brochure

www.myrockyriver.org