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Cuyahoga Valley National Park » Cuyahoga River Restoration: Boston Mills North
| River Restoration Virtual Public Meeting | ||||
| Date | Start Time | End Time | Time Zone | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 25, 2020 | 3:00 PM | 5:00 PM | United States | Virtual Meeting Cuyahoga Valley National Park 15610 Vaughn Road Brecksville, Ohio 44141 4403437353 |
The National Park Service (NPS), in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), will be reshaping areas of the floodplain adjacent to the river between Boston Mill Visitor Center and Vaughn Road. The goals of the project are to improve water quality and return the river to a more natural condition by restoring and expanding wetlands, lengthening the river, and reforesting riverbanks. The project will improve a stretch of river that currently is listed as an Area of Concern under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. Work is scheduled to begin in summer 2021 and is expected to take two years to complete.
"This restoration project is part of a multi-year plan to improve the condition of the Cuyahoga River," Craig Kenkel, Superintendent of CVNP said. In addition to the public meetings, interested parties are encouraged to review additional information and provide input on this project using the NPS's Planning Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) website at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/cuva under the project titled "Cuyahoga River Restoration: Boston Mills North". The public also may submit written comments by mail to Superintendent, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, 15610 Vaughn Road, Brecksville, Ohio 44141, attention: Cuyahoga River Restoration, until July 27, 2020.
CVNP encompasses 33,000 acres along the Cuyahoga River between Cleveland and Akron, Ohio. Managed by the National Park Service, CVNP combines cultural, historical, recreational, and natural resources in one setting. For more information, visit the park's website or Facebook page, or call 440-717-3890.
Description:
NPS, in partnership with the USACE and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), is evaluating options for large-scale restoration of ecological and hydrological conditions of the Cuyahoga River within the boundaries of Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP, the Park) in Summit and Cuyahoga counties, Ohio. The ecological condition of the Cuyahoga River at CVNP has improved substantially over recent decades but nevertheless remains impaired.
The reach of the Cuyahoga River from the village of Boston to the Station Road Bridge does not meet criteria necessary for it to be delisted as an Area of Concern (AOC), as designated under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. This reach is site of several beneficial use impairments (BUIs) that prohibit its delisting, including the degradation of fish populations, degradation of benthos/benthic-invertebrate community, and loss of fish habitat. A primary factor that continues to degrade the Cuyahoga River is massive stormwater runoff resulting from increased development and precipitation in the watershed over recent decades.
To resolve impairments, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) and partners compiled a list of 19 potential projects necessary to achieve delisting. The USACE, in partnership with the NPS, is developing two of the major proposals on the management list that are located within the boundaries of the Park: East of Boston Mills Ski Area (Boston Mills North) and Station Road Area. These proposals are funded by USEPA through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). This analysis considers the environmental impact of the series of associated actions at Boston Mills North.
The purpose of these actions is to resolve the impairments to the health of the Cuyahoga River and the delisting of the Cuyahoga River as an AOC. The proposal is needed because the current condition of the river is degrading and impairing fundamental Park resources.
Meeting Directions/Instructions:
To join: https://usace.webex.com/meet/lynn.m.greer
Phone: 1-877-336-1831
Passcode: 413 385 63
Security code (if prompted): 4182
URL/Webinar link:
https://www.nps.gov/cuva/learn/news/river-restoration-virtual-public-meeting.htm