The Chagrin River Watershed

The Chagrin River drains approximately 267 square miles. The 47.9-mile mainstem receives flow from the East Branch, Griswold Creek, Willey Creek, and the Aurora Branch including McFarland Creek, Silver Creek, and Beaver Creek.

Surface waters make up a significant portion of the water resources of the Chagrin River. Over l00 miles of named perennial streams exist within the watershed. Bass Lake, Lake Lucerne, Sunny Lake, Kiwanis Lake, and Geauga Lake are among the larger lakes in the watershed. Hundreds of small lakes and ponds also exist in the basin.

While many wetlands have been drained, filled, and converted to urban or agricultural use, wetlands remain throughout the watershed of varying size. Several large wetlands and complexes remain in the headwaters with some larger than 10 acres in size. Remaining wetlands provide a variety of functions including flood flow attenuation, important wildlife habitat, and sediment retention.

Several sections of the river have a stream use designation of either exceptional warmwater habitat or cold water habitat. Stream segments designated exceptional warmwater habitats include Griswold Creek, Willey Creek, McFarland Creek, and Beaver Creek. Stream segments with a coldwater habitat use designation include East Branch and tributaries, Silver Creek, two Unnamed tributaries to Bass Lake (Chagrin RM 47.65 & Chagrin River RM 48.3). Other segments of the Chagrin River and tributaries have a warmwater habitat use designation. The mainstem below Daniels Park is classified as a Seasonal Salmonid stream.

Portions of the Chagrin River are classified as a State Resource Water and portions have been designated as a State Scenic River. Designated sections include: 1) 11 miles of the Aurora Branch from the State Route 82 bridge downstream to its confluence with the main stem of the Chagrin, 2) 23 miles of the main stem from its confluence with the Aurora Branch downstream to U.S. Route 6 bridge, and 3) 15 miles of the East Branch from the Heath Road bridge at the Lake-Geauga county line downstream to its confluence with the main stem.

Virtually all residents of the Chagrin River watershed in Geauga and Portage Counties are dependent on groundwater for their drinking water. Marginal groundwater supplies are available from localized unconsolidated glacial deposits and from bedrock units. Larger supplies are available from areas underlain by the Sharon Conglomerate. Very large supplies are available from extensive sand and gravel deposits contained in the buried valleys which crisscross the watershed.

The CCBH has done extensive work within the Chagrin River Watershed. Our department has performed extensive HSTS evaluations and thousands of failing HSTS have been upgraded. This has improved the water quality in the overall watershed by improving the discharge of effluent that is being received by the watershed. We have also established permanent sampling locations within this watershed. These locations are sampled five times a year, during dry weather conditions.

Our department received a grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for the evaluation of HSTS, educational outreach efforts and for the establishment of macroinvertebrate sites and permanent water quality monitoring locations. For a copy of the final report, please contact Harry Stark RS, MPA at 216-443-7520.

Along with the water quality activities that the CCBH has performed within the watershed, the Chagrin River Watershed Partners is a nonprofit organization located at 4145 Erie Street, Suite 203 in Willoughby, Ohio, 44094. CRWP was Incorporated in 1996 for the purpose of preserving and enhancing the Chagrin River and its watershed as a high quality natural resource.

CRWP represents a coalition of members in a four county area comprised of cities, townships, villages, counties, and park districts. These members share information and work collectively and individually to solve local and watershed wide problems in a manner which ensures a sustainable future for the Chagrin River Watershed.

Useful Information and Links

Chagrin River Watershed Partners
Geauga County Soil and Water Conservation District
Portage County Soil and Water Conservation District
Cuyahoga County Soil and Water Conservation District
Lake Soil and Water Conservation District