Little Beaver Creek Wild and Scenic River Advisory Council

The Little Beaver Creek Watershed protection project began in 1999 with a CWA Section 319 grant obtained by Columbiana SWCD and match partners. The goals of the grant have been carried out leading to the beginning of several conservation practices and the understanding of the watershed concept. This project, the first of its kind in the county, is the beginning of a new strategy in planning for the future of this and surrounding watersheds.
The Little Beaver Land Foundation secured protection of nearly 1500 acres of riparian corridor along the Wild and Scenic River designations of Little Beaver Creek and further into the watershed. Little Beaver Creek Land Foundation has since merged with the Western Reserve Land Conservancy.
The largest goal of the project is education concerning this new concept and the effects of non-point source pollution. Many of the schools as well as civic groups have had guest speakers on the subject. The schools have been dedicating parts of the school year to study these concepts and several of them are constructing outdoor classrooms or land labs.

The Watershed Management Plan was completed and approved in 2012. Since then, the Watershed Coordinator role has been shifted back to the Columbiana SWCD. Multiple grants and projects have been received and completed including major dumpsite cleanups, and reductions to agricultural sediment erosion. A key factor to Little Beaver Creek is it is home to the largest population of the Endangered Eastern Hellbender Salamander in Ohio. Decreases in population are believed to be from sedimentation and loss of habitat. Going into the future the major point of concern is protection of the riparian areas and reducing the sediment of which enters the streams.