Black River Remedial Action Plan

Watersheds: 
Black River
Counties: 
Lorain, Medina, Ashland, Cuyahoga, Huron
Contact Name: 
Ted Conlin
Job Title: 
RAP Coordinator
Affiliation: 
Ohio EPA
Address: 

2110 East Aurora Rd.
Twinsburg, OH 44087

Phone: 
(330) 963-1131
Fax: 
(330) 487-0769
HUC: 
04110001 (with Rocky River)
 
The Black River RAP Coordinating Committee was formed in 1991 to restore any of up to 14 beneficial uses in the Black River Area of Concern (AOC). The Black River AOC is the only AOC in Ohio that enconpasses an entire watershed. Improvements have been noted in the mainstem of the Black River such that a 21 year Contact Advisory, issued by the Ohio Department of Health was lifted in April 2004. The Contact Advisory advised people against contacting the waters and sediments in the lower 6-7 miles of the river and was caused by PAH contaminated sediments. Also in 2004, the USEPA and GLNPO listed the Black River as being in recovery stage for the Fish Tumors and Other Deformities beneficial use impairment. In 2005, the Black River RAP Coordinating Committee was able to remove the Degradation of Benthos Impairment in the whole of the east Branch sub-watershed, roughly half of the AOC.The Black River RAP Committee continues to monitor improvements in the watershed and is initiating a sub-watershed by sub-watershed survey and local stakeholder involvement program. The Committee also continues to work on habitat restoration in the lower mainstem and riparian corridor restoration and other NPS projects in the upper watersheds and has started pilot programs for home sewage disposal systems and mercury reduction.
 
More information is available at the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) Web site and the Black River RAP website (http://www.blackriverrap.com/).
 

 

HUC8: 
04110001
HUC11: 
04110001020
04110001030
04110001040
04110001050