Watershed Partners Plan 2010 Projects

By Mariana Silva

Nimishillen Creek Watershed Partners Core Committee met Feb. 25 at Kent State at Stark to discuss the group’s plans for 2010. They discussed how to present watershed issues to students and community, possible partnerships and grant opportunities.

Eric Akin, Northeast Ohio Four County Regional Planning and Development Organization’s coordinator for the Upper Tuscarawas River Watershed, said the groups need to expand knowledge on watersheds through newsletters, blogs and social media and produce information about the Nimishillen Creek watershed specifically to people in Stark County.

“The information needs to be accessible to decision makers,” said Biology Professor Jacquelyn Zevenbergen. She said it is important to interact with people who have no information on watersheds and get them to develop a “civic responsibility” toward water.

Kent State graduate Brandi Adamski said she is planning a magazine where communities can get local information about the environment. She said she wants to create a resource for Stark County where communities can discuss water issues.

“The ball is gonna be rolling here within a month,” Adamski said.

Darrin Petko, Stark Parks Natural Resources Crew Leader, along with the other groups at the meeting, scheduled the Annual Nimishillen Creek LEAP cleanup for Sep. 18. The date coordinates with schools’ and colleges’ calendars to increase student participation. The cleanup location hasn’t been chosen.

The groups also discussed costs and tasks associated with the cleanup such as access permits, trash and tire removal, publicity, supplies and thank-you gifts.

David Smeltzer, a professor at Kent State producing a documentary on watersheds, talked about exposing the groups’ projects on water issues at the Igniting Streams of Learning in Science Summit 2010 on April 9 in Cleveland, where universities, high school teachers and students meet to share their knowledge on science.

The groups also discussed, but didn’t decide on, a possible project to be submitted under 319 section of the Clean Water Act that will make approximately $3 million available for projects in 2011.

Applicants may ask for up to $500,000. A local match of 20 percent is required for all amounts, which means if a project’s total cost is $100,000 no more than $80,000 may come from federal funding. Projects targeting Ohio waters where Nonpoint Source pollution is “a significant cause of aquatic life use impairments” will be given priority.

The groups will meet again on the last week of March or early April.