Buckeye Basins Newsletter: Spring 2003

Buckeye Basins is produced by the Ohio State University Extension, Community Based Watershed Management Team. It is compiled quarterly for watershed coordinators, Extension specialists, and natural resource professionals to include within their newsletters, programs or however they see fit.

In This Issue:

• Why Some Watershed Plans Can End Up on The Shelf (Part 4 of 4)
• International Society Releases Climate Change Report
• Diversity and Watershed Planning: Always a Good Thing?
• Charities Face Increasing Accountability Standards
• What Is So Great About Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring?
• Third Annual Raccoon Creek Float at Zaleski State Forest

Why Some Watershed Plans Can End Up On the Shelf

Jerry Iles, Watershed Management Agent, OSU Extension

(Final installment of a four part series)

The prior three installments of this series have highlighted possible shortfalls of watershed plans that are aimed at protecting targeted water bodies. To end this series on a positive note this final installment will focus on critical features to include in an effective watershed management plan.

Scale is the most critical factor to consider for planning future priorities. If your watershed is larger than the recommended fifty square miles that was suggested in installment one of this series, consider planning on a sub-watershed basis. If you are looking for good general guidelines to enhance your project consider the following items from "Crafting Better watershed Plans"

• Create a watershed management institution.
• Conduct planning at the sub-watershed scale.
• Commit to a continuous watershed management cycle.
• Accurately measure and forecast land use.
• Produce an integrated resource map for the sub-watersheds.
• Devise specific criteria to guide sub-watershed development.
• Emphasize strategic resource-based monitoring.
• Audit effectiveness of local watershed protection programs.
• Incorporate priorities from larger watershed units.
• Actively engage stakeholders and include public early and often.
• Promote inter- and intra-agency coordination.

As you read the above list of suggestions remember that your watershed plan is a "living document" that is always evolving, triggered by things such as new land use change / development, aging sewage treatment infrastructure, population density changes and other emerging issues.

"Clements et al. (1996) proposes that each sub-watershed plan in a locality is prepared under a defined management cycle that lasts five to seven years. Preparation of individual sub-watershed plans are sequenced according to a staggered schedule, with a few started each year in a rotation so that all local sub-watershed plans are completed within five to seven years."

A truly effective watershed plan is an ongoing strategy that will require a tremendous amount of work. Each watershed coordinator in Ohio may have one of the toughest yet most rewarding and important jobs in their community. Watershed management ... a job that truly never ends!

DENVER, COLORADO -- When it rains, it pours?more and more! A changing climate appears to be producing more frequent rainstorms and more intense rainstorms in many parts of the United States. If those precipitation patterns continue, more soil erosion on the nation's agricultural cropland and increased water pollution is likely to result, according to a report released today by an international conservation organization.

In a study of projected climate change using mathematical models and examination of precipitation patterns in the United States over the past century, the Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS) suggests that conservationists, farmers, and the public should be concerned.

"Unless additional protective measures are taken soon," said Craig Cox, executive director of SWCS, "increases in soil erosion and runoff from cropland could reverse much of the progress that we've made in reducing soil degradation and water pollution in recent decades." "This likely will require a rethinking of agricultural conservation policies and programs," Cox added. The report, "Conservation Implications of Climate Change: Soil Erosion and Runoff from Cropland," identifies three promising approaches to begin adapting conservation policy and programs to changing climate and precipitation patterns.

First, climatic parameters in conservation planning tools need to be updated immediately. Efforts are already underway in this area, Cox said.

Second, targeted investigations need to be under taken to estimate better just what damage might occur to cropland under different precipitation patterns.

Third, conservationists need to evaluate the benefits of building the risk of damage from severe rainstorms into conservation planning through new risk-based assessments tied to particular conservation systems and the environmental outcomes of those systems.

The report notes that mathematical models predict large changes in future precipitation patterns. More importantly, the report says, the climate record for the past century shows that changes in precipitation patterns already are occurring. These changes have been particularly evident in precipitation records since 1970, according to the report.

The greatest changes have occurred in the Southwest and in a broad region of the country from the central Great Plains, across the Mississippi River, and into the southern Great Lakes Basin. According to the report, increases in soil erosion ranging from 4 percent to 95 percent and increases in stormwater runoff from cropland ranging from 6 percent to 100 percent could already be evident in some locations.

The report also notes that the risk posed to cropland by the changing precipitation patterns increases at a greater rate than the increases in precipitation amount or intensity. Just how much this added risk translates into greater soil degradation and water pollution, the report acknowledges, depends on a host of factors, including landscape features and how the land is used and managed.

SWCS released the report today during a special symposium organized as part of the American Association for the Advancement of Science annual conference. A copy of the report can be requested by calling SWCS at (515) 289-2331 or via email at pubs@swcs.org. The report also is posted on the SWCS website at http://www.swcs.org/t_advocacy_action.htm

Diversity And Watershed Planning: Always a Good Thing?

Joe Bonnell, Program Leader, Watershed Management, OSU Extension

Diversity is one of those words that has taken on so many meanings that it almost has no meaning left. In the realm of watershed management, we talk a lot about the importance of involving diverse stakeholders in the planning process, but even in this context, diversity can mean different things to different people. In this article, I'm taking a closer look at stakeholder diversity, different ways of defining diversity, and when different measures of diversity are most critical in watershed planning.

First, let's look at how we determine if we have a diverse group of stakeholders. Take a moment to consider how you define diversity. One of the first measures of diversity that often comes to mind, perhaps because it gets so much attention, is diversity of ethnic backgrounds. But there are many other ways of measuring stakeholder diversity in watershed planning efforts. Here are just a few:

• Geography (e.g., urban, suburban, rural residents; upstream, downstream residents)
• Profession (e.g., water resource professionals, farmers, business owners, public officials, engineers)
• Organizational affiliation (e.g., Ohio EPA, OSU Extension, Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, Chamber of Commerce)
• Special skills and talents (groups benefit from having individuals who are good meeting managers, good event planners, action-takers, communicators, fund-raisers, and the list goes on.)

Each of these measures of diversity can be important to a watershed planning effort, at different times and for different reasons. Ethnic, geographic, and organizational diversity are especially critical when issues are being identified and prioritized. Different sectors of the community and people from different areas of the watershed will have different perspectives on what problems exist and which are most critical. For example, inner city residents may be most concerned about trash and human health and safety issues related to flooding and standing water, while suburban stakeholders may be more concerned about increasing recreational opportunities and property values.

Involving a diversity of organizational representatives is helpful if you are dealing with complex issues that cross agency and political jurisdictions. Also, each agency and organization will have access to resources and influence over different populations. Leaving any one of them out could create future roadblocks to acceptance of your plan and deny you of needed resources. Some organizations prefer to participate by donating time or money to actions that make an observable improvement to the community and landscape. Others will want to have a say in identifying and prioritizing issues to be addressed during the planning process. Typically, only a few will have the interest and staff to attend regular planning meetings and fewer still will be able to send high-level decision-makers as representatives to regular meetings. Use your time and energy wisely in choosing which organizations you will recruit to serve as board members or advisors.

An often-neglected consideration in watershed planning efforts is seeking stakeholders with a diversity of skills and personal interests. Experience suggests that the most successful watershed groups, boards of directors, and steering committees have members with a mix of talents. Some examples of special talents of group members I have worked with include:

• Photography
• Web-page design
• Working with the media
• Canoeing
• Art (artists often have connections to a much larger art community)
• Ecology (amateur ecologists and naturalists are often more familiar with local flora and fauna than agency and university professionals)
• Meeting facilitation
• Grant proposal writing

Of course you can't form a group or board around talents and skills alone, but you might find that stakeholders will be much more eager to participate if you give them a chance to take advantage of their unique abilities to benefit the group and its mission.

In summary, diversity is generally a desirable objective when recruiting stakeholders to provide input into a planning effort, become a partner in your watershed group, or hold a seat on the board of directors. But diversity can be measured in many ways and different measures of diversity will be meaningful at different times. When you are seeking input on issue identification and solution alternatives, you will benefit from involving stakeholders representing a diversity of perspectives and opinions. When you are developing alternative solutions to complex issues, professional and disciplinary diversity may be more relevant as you attempt to identify ecological, social, and economic impacts of various alternatives. On the other hand, when forming a core group of stakeholders to lead the planning effort, a more appropriate measure of diversity might be number of key organizations represented and number of critical skill sets (e.g., communication, meeting management, accounting, fund-raising) represented.

So, the next time someone says your group needs to be more diverse, ask them what they mean by 'diverse'.

Charities Face Increasing Accountability Standards

Mark O'Keefe, San Francisco Chronicle - 1/29/03

With detailed information on charities easily accessible on the Internet, the public is increasingly holding nonprofits accountable for producing solid results, the San Francisco

Chronicle reports. As a result, nonprofit groups are being pressured to become more like government agencies in their willingness to open their books and more like businesses in their drive to achieve operating efficiencies.

Thanks to the Internet, prospective donors are able to access charity ratings from watchdog groups that look at a range of organizational health and effectiveness factors. In addition, the 990 tax forms nonprofit organizations are required to file annually with the Internal Revenue Service are widely available online and provide detailed financial information on most 501(c)(3) organizations. "You've got more people asking more questions because more information is now available," said acting Independent Sector chief executive Peter Shiras. "Organizations start to pay attention to this because they realize they're being looked at."

The accountability movement picked up steam in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. According to a Harris Interactive survey conducted for the Chronicle of Philanthropy, 42 percent of respondents said they had lost confidence in charities over the way September 11 contributions were handled, while nearly 30 percent said they would be less likely to contribute to any charity.

Charity experts say the days of a handshake to seal a five-figure deal are over and that the best rule for prospective donors is probably Caveat emptor, or buyer beware. "Should we be holding charities accountable to how they spend our money?" asks Janet Atkins, president of Philanthropic Advisers, a D.C.-based consultancy. "Yes. And why? Because these organizations aren't taxed. They're supposed to be working for the public good."

What Is So Great About Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring?

J.P. Lieser, Watershed Management Agent, OSU Extension

Volunteer water quality monitoring can be defined as concerned citizens taking the initiative to measure the condition of their local streams, rivers, lakes, and other water bodies. Many volunteers participate because they wish to protect a stream, or wetland near where they live, or simply because they wish to be involved in something positive. They can be instrumental in providing beneficial data and fostering feelings of ownership for local waterways.

Monitoring activities may include making visual observations of habitat, and land uses; measuring the chemical make-up of waterways; or assessing the abundance and diversity of aquatic life. In addition, volunteers also clean up trash, plant trees and other vegetation, organize educational events and perform many other valuable services.

What can volunteer monitoring programs provide?

• Baseline data - consistent monitoring of the same sites over time.
• Investigative sampling - locate sources of pollution by sampling areas found to be suspect and continuing sampling to pinpoint contamination.
• Watershed surveys - document potential and actual, direct and indirect sources of pollution.
• Resource inventory - survey of plants and animals of the area and surveys of benthic (bottom dwelling) organisms.
• Public education - stimulates awareness that complex ecological systems require long-term observation and study for understanding. Also, helps to build local stewardship of waterways.
• Establish new management priorities - provides information that may help guide management efforts.
• Understanding of the relationship between ecological conditions and human land-use.

What is NOT provided by a volunteer water quality program?

• Direction that environmental quality is taking - a sequence of only 2 - 3 years of data can be very misleading.
• Immediate detection of change - environments have a response time, which varies greatly - for example, perhaps a decade for lakes, and a century for soil.
• Cannot tell us whose activities should be controlled - science can give us data to assist in judgments, but it cannot make those judgments for us.

Common Volunteer Chemical Monitoring Parameters:

• Water Temperature
• pH
• Dissolved Oxygen (DO)
• Conductivity
• Turbidity
• Stream Flow
• Nutrients
• Metals
• Pesticides

Common Volunteer Bioassessment Techniques:

• Aquatic Macroinvertebrates
• Fish
• Aquatic Vegetation
• Fecal Coliform Bacteria

Physical Habitat Assessments

• Visual Assessments (Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index/Watershed Inventories)

More Biological Monitoring

Biological monitoring is a fantastic way to determine the health of aquatic environments and assess the relative severity of the pollution impacts. Once a problem is detected, more in depth testing is usually necessary to identify the cause, its source, and the appropriate mitigation.

Biological monitoring is an effective way to determine water quality problems because:

• Biological communities reflect overall ecological integrity (i.e., chemical, physical, and biological integrity).
• Biological communities change in response to a wide variety of pollutants and to the cumulative impacts of those pollutants.
• Routine monitoring of biological communities can be relatively inexpensive, particularly when compared to the cost of assessing toxic pollutants.
• The status of biological communities is of direct interest to the public as a measure of a pollution-free environment.
• Where criteria for specific impacts do not exist (e.g., nonpoint-source impacts that degrade habitat), negative changes in the biological communities may be the only practical means of evaluation.

How to get involved:

Contact your local Watershed Coordinator, OSU Extension Watershed Agent, or Soil and Water Conservation District to find out about opportunities in your area. If not group exists look at the reference below to start your own group.

References

http://www.epa.gov/owow/monitoring/volunteer/startmon.html

Third Annual Raccoon Creek Float at Zaleski State Forest

Saturday April 26, 2003

The Raccoon Creek Watershed Project is hosting the third annual Raccoon Creek float on the last Saturday in April. Bring your canoe or kayak and join us for an 8-mile float through the heart of Zaleski State Forest. Come witness the beauty of nature at the peak of spring. This section of Raccoon Creek is heavily forested and flows through a narrow gorge with high ridges overhead. The wild trillium will be in full bloom among the tall hemlocks as you float past a diverse community of wildlife. We have seen large snapping and leatherback turtles swim beside our canoes. The spiked blue hairdo of the male kingfisher is common along the creek as are other birds including great blue herons, pileated woodpeckers, barred owls, and red shouldered hawks...to name a few. Beaver, mink, deer, and flocks of wild turkey will certainly have a presence. If local reports are true...you may catch a glimpse of returning black bear to Ohio. Bring your fishing pole and try out some of the great bass fishing that Raccoon Creek has to offer. You may even want to pull up on shore and take a short hike to see the ghost of Moonville Tunnel.

The day begins with registration (no fee required) from 9:00 AM -- 9:45 AM at the Hope School parking lot near Lake Hope. A project director will be on hand to give an oral history of Raccoon Creek. Learn about restoration activities on this scenic Ohio waterway and the creation of a 12-mile canoe trail through Zaleski State Forest. The float will kickoff at 10:00 AM sharp and will take at least 3 -- 4 hours to complete. Important!...water temperatures will be cold so bring a dry bag and a change of clothes in case of any accidents. Hypothermia is a serious matter and we will be in a remote area...so be prepared. We will be shuttling paddlers and boats back to the starting point after the float. While we are bringing your boats back...please join us for a light lunch at Lake Hope beach where representatives from Mad River, Wilderness System, and Wave Sport will be setup with demo boats for your enjoyment. We will also be raffling off a new kayak during lunch. For more information call 740-596-5676 or brettlaverty@hotmail.com.

Overnight camping is available at Lake Hope State Park, which is five minutes from the put-in. Hocking Hills State Park is also nearby and has camping available.

Directions: From Athens, Ohio...go west on U.S. Route 32 (Appalachian Highway). Approximately 15 minutes from Athens is the town of Albany and the Ohio University Airport. Get off on U.S. Route 50 West (across from the airport) and follow it for 10 miles. Look out for 278 north and follow it into the town of Zaleski. It is approximately 4 miles from Zaleski to the dam at Lake Hope. At the Lake Hope dam, turn right and follow the signs to the float.

If you are coming from outside the area there are a number of highways that will get you into the Athens area. U.S. 33 south from Columbus, U.S. 32 east from Cincinnati, U.S. 50 east from Chillicothe, and U.S. 50 west from Marietta.

Please pass this notice on to any fellow paddlers you may know.

Don't miss the fun! 

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