Rocky River Watershed

The Rocky River consists of the west branch, the east branch, and the main branch and several tributaries.  The headwaters of both the west and east branches originate in Medina County, and eventually converge into the main branch which empties into Lake Erie near the Rocky River/Lakewood city line in Cuyahoga County.  Sections of the river also travel through Lorain and Summit counties.  Within Cuyahoga County, the Rocky River watershed  encompasses all of  Strongsville, Olmsted Falls, Berea, and Middleburg Hts., and portions of North Royalton, Olmsted Twp., North Olmsted, Brook Park, Fairview Park, Cleveland, Rocky River, Lakewood, Broadview Hts., and Parma.   

The major tributaries which flow through Cuyahoga County are Abram Creek, which empties into the main branch; Plum Creek, Baker Creek and Blodgett Creek on the west bracnh; and Baldwin Creek and Healey Creek on the east branch. 

The Cuyahoga County Board of Health currently monitors several locations in the Rocky River watershed as part of its Permanent Sampling Program.  These sites are tested once a month from June through October for several parameters including fecal coliform levels, dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity, turbidity, and temperature.  The sites are also monitored once per season for flow rate and total phosphorous.  The Cuyahoga County Board of Health conducted water quality monitoring projects which focused on unsewered areas in the summers of 1998 and 1999.  These projects consisted of fecal coliform sampling, the qualitative habitat evaluation index, and macroinvertebrate sampling.  Several fecal coliform violations have been identified in the Rocky River watershed.  Fecal coliform is a type of intestinal bacteria which can indicate sewage pollution when it exceeds certain levels which are set in Ohio EPA water quality standards. 

Abram Creek
Highly elevated fecal coliform levels in the Abram Creek watershed were documented by the Cuyahoga County Board of Health along Big Creek Pkwy. in Middleburg Hts. due to the on- site septic systems discharging in this area.

ROCKY RIVER EAST BRANCH
Although fecal coliform samples taken by the Cuyahoga County Board of Health directly   from the river do not exceed Ohio EPA standards, repeated sampling shows a definite increase in fecal coliform as the river travels downstream from the Cuyahoga County line (Boston Rd. in North Royalton) to the Royalton Rd. bridge in Strongsville.  The river receives flow from several unnamed tributaries from unsewered areas along this stretch.

Baldwin Creek
Highly elevated fecal coliform levels were documented from outfalls carrying effluent from on-site septic systems in the Baldwin Creek watershed.  Sampling sites included the Linden Ln. area and West 130th St. in Parma, and Fowles Rd., and Webster Rd. in Middleburg Hts.  In addition, less severe fecal coliform violations were found in Baldwin Creek itself.

Healey Creek
The Cuyahoga County Board of Health monitors this creek as it flows into Cuyahoga County at Boston Rd. in North Royalton.  No fecal coliform violations have yet been documented.

ROCKY RIVER WEST BRANCH
The Cuyahoga County Board of Health has two permanent sampling sites located on the west branch, and has also monitored 5 other sites as part of a summer water quality project.  No fecal coliform violations were found directly on the river.  However, several fecal coliform violations were documented in ditches and storm sewers located in unsewered areas in the watershed of this branch.  One unnamed tributary in Olmsted Falls, which receives effluent from 45 on-site septic systems, has caused residents to complain about foul odors, and the City is attempting to obtain funding for a sanitary sewer.

Plum Creek (in Cuyahoga County)
This creek has shown several instances of fecal coliform violations.  There are several on-site septic systems in this watershed.

Baker Creek
The Cuyahoga County Board of Health has two permanent sampling sites located on this    creek.  One site is located on Drake Rd. in Strongsville, and the other is on Sprague Rd. in Olmsted Falls.  Both these sites chronically exceed the Ohio EPA fecal coliform standards, and both sites are located in unsewered areas. 

Blodgett Creek
The Cuyahoga County Board of Health has one permanent sampling site located on this     creek on Sprague Rd. in Olmsted Falls as it enters Cuyahoga County.  There is a wastewater treatment plant located across the street in Lorain County.  This site chronically exceeds Ohio EPA fecal coliform standards, has low dissolved oxygen levels, and is sometimes visibly polluted with sewage.   

Information and Links

Rocky River West Branch Map
Rocky River East Branch Map
Rocky River Watershed Brochure
Rocky River Watershed Council

NOACA
Cleveland Metroparks
Cuyahoga Soil and Water