Chagrin River Watershed Partners Inc

PRESERVING AND ENHANCING THE SCENIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY OF THE ECOSYSTEM OF THE CHAGRIN RIVER, LAKE ERIE AND OTHER OHIO WATERSHEDS IN A MANNER WHICH ASSURES A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR PEOPLE, PLANTS AND ANIMALS.

CRWP IS A COLLABORATION OF 35 CITIES, VILLAGES, TOWNSHIPS, COUNTIES, AND PARK DISTRICTS WORKING ON INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO FLOODING, EROSION, AND WATER QUALITY PROBLEMS TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACTS OF DEVELOPMENT AND LIMIT LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS. CRWP'S FOUNDING PRINCIPLES ARE: - NATURAL SYSTEMS PROVIDE FLOOD CONTROL, EROSION CONTROL, AND WATER QUALITY - IT IS MORE COST EFFECTIVE FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO TAKE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT STEPS TO MAINTAIN THESE SERVICES THAN TO PAY FOR COSTLY, AND GENERALLY, LESS EFFECTIVE, REMEDIAL SOLUTIONS. CRWP RESPONDS DIRECTLY TO THE NEEDS OF MEMBER COMMUNITIES, ELECTED OFFICIALS, ENGINEERS, PLANNERS, LAW DIRECTORS, AND OTHER PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS BY HELPING THEM UPDATE COMPREHENSIVE PLANS, ZONING REGULATIONS, AND OTHER PROGRAMS GUIDING LAND USE. CRWP HAS ASSISTED COMMUNITIES BY INTRODUCING INNOVATIVE PRACTICES THAT MAINTAIN NATURAL RESOURCE FUNCTIONS AND PREVENT OR MINIMIZE FLOODING, EROSION, AND WATER QUALITY PROBLEMS. THESE PRACTICES INCLUDE CRWP'S RECOMMENDED WATERSHED MANAGEMENT TOOLS FOR PLANNING, RIPARIAN AND WETLAND SETBACKS, CONSERVATION DEVELOPMENT, IMPROVED EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL, AND COMPREHENSIVE STORM WATER MANAGEMENT. IN 2023, CHAGRIN RIVER WATERSHED PARTNERS WORKED WITH ITS MEMBERS AND PARTNERS TO LEVERAGE FUNDING TO IMPLEMENT PROJECTS FOR HEALTHY STREAMS, WETLANDS, NATURAL AREAS AND LAKE ERIE. OUR 2023 ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE: PROTECTED AND/OR RESTORED 9,255 LINEAR FEET OF STREAMS AND 155.6 ACRES OF STREAM CORRIDOR AND WETLANDS. PLANTED 7,543 NATIVE TREES AND SHRUBS. PREVENTED 147 MILLION GALLONS OF POLLUTED RUNOFF FROM REACHING STREAMS. LEVERAGED OVER 3.7 MILLION TO STEWARD STREAMS AND LAKE ERIE. ENGAGED OVER 67,000 PEOPLE TO ACHIEVE HEALTHY WATERSHEDS. PARTNERED WITH OUR MEMBER COMMUNITIES AND CENTRAL LAKE ERIE BASIN COLLABORATIVE ORGANIZATIONS TO PLAN 18 PROJECTS IN THE CHAGRIN RIVER, GRAND RIVER, AND DOAN BROOK WATERSHEDS. ONCE CONSTRUCTED, THESE PROJECTS WOULD RESTORE OVER 12,600 LINEAR FEET OF STREAM, 33 ACRES OF RIPARIAN CORRIDOR, AND 14 ACRES OF WETLAND. IMPLEMENTED A MASTER RAIN GARDENER PROGRAM AND TAUGHT 132 RESIDENTS AND LANDSCAPE PROFESSIONALS HOW TO DESIGN AND BUILD FUNCTIONAL RAIN GARDENS. THE 18 RAIN GARDENS INSTALLED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM IN 2023 PREVENT 270,675 GALLONS OF STORMWATER RUNOFF ANNUALLY. PARTNERED WITH THE NORTHEAST OHIO REGIONAL SEWER DISTRICT, HYFI AND OTHERS TO MAINTAIN A NETWORK OF SENSOR-DRIVEN WATER LEVEL MONITORING DEVICES ALONG STREAMS, LAKES, PONDS AND STORMWATER BASINS. THE DATA COLLECTED BY THE SENSOR WILL HELP STORMWATER MANAGERS AND EMERGENCY RESPONDERS TO STAY UP TO DATE ON THE LATEST STREAM FLOW AND LEVEL CONDITIONS.