Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Presented by: Name, Title Your Organization DATE YOU PRESENTED The Meeting you presented at

Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Objectives About Lake Erie Sources and Causes of Impairment History of the WLEB Partnership Partner Roles and Responsibilities Basins in the Project Resources for Watershed Groups Framing the Issues

Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership SOURCES AND CAUSES

Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Sources and Causes LAKE ERIE Sources: –Agriculture –Stream bank erosion –Construction site runoff –Septic and homeowner maintenance issues IN-STREAM Causes: –Siltation –nutrients –Flow and Habitat Alteration –Organic Enrichment and low D.O. –Metals –Turbidity

Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership The Overarching Issue Lake Erie is impaired due to excessive loadings of sediment and nutrients. Long-term water quality monitoring has identified the Maumee River as being the largest single contributor of non-point source pollution to the lake. The Patient The Symptom

Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership HISTORY OF THE WLEBP

Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership History of WLEBP USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) sign of a partnership agreement. The agreement - the two agencies will collaborate on watershed planning and implementation; wetland creation, restoration, and enhancement; and natural disaster recovery. In Ohio, the NRCS and USACE signed a regional agreement supporting the activities outlined in the national agreement, focusing on the Western Lake Erie Basin.

Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership History of WLEBP November 2005, a meeting between various agencies and organizations took place to begin the process of formalizing a partnership between the NRCS, USACE and other stakeholders in the WLEB. In March 2006, a WLEB Partnership charter was signed by fourteen representative agencies and organizations and partnership bylaws were adopted.

Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership PARTNERS AND ROLES

Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership CHARTER MEMBERS USDA -Natural Resources Conservation Service U.S. Army Corp of Engineers Governors of Indiana, Michigan and Ohio Tri - State Technical Committees Ohio Department of Natural Resources Maumee River Basin Partnership of Local Governments National Association of Conservation Districts U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service U.S. Environmental Protection Agency U.S. Geological Survey Ohio Science Center Operational Leadership

Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Role of USDA-NRCS Rapid Resource Assessments Short-Term: The plan estimates the acres of filter strips, riparian buffers, grassed waterways, conservation tillage and nutrient management as well as the number of Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans, waste storage structures, and pasture systems that will be needed to address resource concerns. Long – Term: Each of the eight different 8-digit hydrologic units in the project area will be combined into a basin wide plan.

Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Other Partners with WLEBP All Soil and Water Conservation Districts in the Basin Conservation Action Project Maumee Resource Conservation and Development Council National Center for Water Quality Research at Heidelberg College Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water and Division of Wildlife Sisters of St. Francis U.S. Geological Survey University of Toledo USDA-NRCS Letters of Agreement

Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Role of USACE Comprehensive WLEB Study Investigate measures to improve fish and wildlife habitat, navigation, flood damage reduction, recreation, and water quality in the Maumee, Ottawa and Portage River watersheds.

Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Role of USACE Continuing Authorities Projects (CAP) CAP’s allow for planning, design and construction of small projects. The CAP programs in the following list have 2 phases: feasibility phase and design and implementation phase, and are covered under the Water Resources Development Act.

Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Emergency Streambank and Shoreline Protection (§14) Beneficial Use of Dredged Material Program (§204) Flood Damage Reduction Projects (§205) Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration (§206) Modifications to Projects for the Improvements of the Environment (§1135) Role of USACE Current Relevant CAP list and section

Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Sub Watersheds in the Basin Maumee Basin Rapid Assessment NameHU CodeAcres Blanchard Auglaize Tiffin St. Mary’s St. Joseph Upper Maumee L. Maum. & Port. Ottawa & L. Erie Direct Completed & ,415 1,053, , , , , , ,664 √

Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership WLEB PARTNERSHIP RESOURCES

Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Charter, by-laws, members, contact information Organizational chart Meetings and agendas Fact sheets, reconnaissance study reports and projects Links to related web sites Educational institutions in the basin that have done relevant work Federal and State partners links WLEB Web Site (

Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership –Non-technical user friendly –Clearinghouse of data layers for public use –Example of layers include watersheds, elevations, stream networks, surface and bedrock geology, soils, roads, floodplains and significant land cover changes. –Compatible with other data layers University of Toledo Web Site

Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership e_basin/erie_basin_project.htmlhttp:// e_basin/erie_basin_project.html –Project Description –Project Area Map –Link to Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Web Site USDA-NRCS Web Site

Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Steve Davis, USDA-NRCS, Regional Watershed Coordinator –Phone: (419) – Anthony Friona, USACE, –Phone: (202) – Patrick Lawrence –Phone: (419) – WLEBP Contact Information

Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Re - Framing the Issue The Watershed is our patient!

Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership The PatientThe Symptoms Striving for a healthier, more productive watershed

Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Re - Framing the Issue You are the Specialists and Doctors of your Watershed Patient!

Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership QUESTIONS?

Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Organizational Chart Figure 1a. Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership

Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Organizational Chart Figure 1b. Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership

Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership Organizational Chart Figure 1c. Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership