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PROJECTS:

Cleveland WPC Green Infrastructure Project

East Branch Dam Removal

Euclid Creek Tunnel

Mayfield Hts Green Infrastructure Project

Wildwood Wetland  / Lacustrine Refuge Project

Wildwood Stream and Wetland Restoration Project /

Lacustrine Refuge in the Cuyahoga AOC Project

Wildwood Lakefront State Park, Cleveland, Ohio

The Lacustrine Refuge Project is located in Wildwood Lakefront State Park in the Euclid Creek Watershed on the Main Branch of Euclid Creek, a tributary to Lake Erie that is heavily urbanized and affected by urban runoff and habitat degradation in the City of Cleveland.

The Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District has received a $1,396,050 grant from US EPA through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) to fund the project.  The Lacustrine Refuge project provides a rare opportunity for residents of an urban area to connect with nature and to experience native plant species long displaced from our region and to enjoy wildlife species which have disappeared.

Project Benefits and Outcomes

Ecological restoration of the Lower Euclid Creek has been awarded to a Northeast Ohio design-build team called RiverWorks (EnviroScience, Inc., GPD Group and RiverReach Construction). The projects technical advisory committee will work with RiverWorks to create the following positive changes for Euclid Creek:
    - Restore important coastal and lacustrine wetlands;
    - Restore Euclid Creek to its historic alignment;
    - Increase the overall ecological function of Lower Euclid Creek;
    - Increase fish habitat and spawning of recreational species;
    - Address bank erosion within the park;
    - Recreation trail extension with views of restored lacustrine wetland area;
    - Increased habitat for birds and amphibians;
    - Assisting Euclid Creek in reaching State of Ohio water quality attainment standards;
    - Aid in delisting Cuyahoga River AOC (Area of Concern);
    - An economic impact of $2.4 million (double the project cost);
    - Control and management of pervasive invasive plant species; and,
    - Provide opportunities for environmental education and public involvement.
 

Project Partners: City of Cleveland, Cleveland Metroparks, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Cuyahoga County Engineer, Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District, Friends of Euclid Creek, Midwest Biodiversity Institute, Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, Northeast Shores Development Corporation, Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Cleveland Lakefront State Parks and Ohio State Parks Divisions, and Ohio EPA.

Land Owner: City of Cleveland

Land Management Entity: ODNR Cleveland Lakefront State Parks

Grants Manager: Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District

Design / Build Consultant Team: RiverWorks - A partnership for Stream & Wetland Restoration made up of EnviroScience, Inc., the GPD Group, and RiverReach Construction

Project Costs: Design / Build Contract: $1,169,872

Project Funding: US EPA through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, in the amount of $1,396,050

Current conditions at the Lacustrine Refuge site with pervasive Japanese knotweed and other invasive plants species:

        Invasive Plant Species on the Oxbow / Lacustrine site          Fly fishermen enjoy fishing this section of Euclid Creek in Wildwood State Park

Fish We're Hoping to see once Wetland Restoration complete:

                    Bowfin at Arcola Creek                                                                Northern Pike at Arcola Creek

Project Publication, News & Resources:

Public Meetings:

• 1st Public Meeting held on Thursday, September 8th, 2011, 6:00pm-7:30pm at the Euclid Hospital, Main Building - Waltz Auditorium.  30 people attended the public meeting where the Euclid Creek Watershed Coordinator and EnviroScience project manager, Joel Bingham, presented the concept plan and project timeline.  The project team heard feedback and answered questions from the community.  Click here to see presentation.

Project articles in the following publications:

• Cleveland Plain Dealer article on archaeology of Euclid Creek in estuary area - article published on 10/25/11

• Cleveland Plain Dealer article on restoring Euclid Creek - article published on 8/31/11

• Cleveland Plain Dealer editorial on restoring Great Lakes funds- article published on 7/24/11

• Cleveland Councilman Michael Polensek, Ward 11 - Spring 2011 Newsletter

• Euclid Observer - article published 5/4/11

• Collinwood Observer - article published 5/4/11

Click on the following Euclid Creek Newsletters to follow the progress on the project:

• 2007 Issue 10 p. 3; Issue 11 p. 3;

• 2010 Issue 19 p. 1

• 2011 Issue 21, p. 3; Issue 22, p. 3

Estuaries Website - information on estuaries

To see all of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funded projects through the Great Lakes Accountability System click here

Great Lakes Restoration Initiative - Lake Erie Systhesis Team website - lists Ohio/Lake Erie GLRI awardees' projects

Project Timeline:

• Request for Proposals for Design/Build portion of project: issued October 30, 2010

  • Proposals Due: December 1, 2010; received proposals from four Design/Build Teams

  • Selection Committee reviewed proposals and brought teams in for interviews in December 2010 and January 2011

  • RiverWorks Design Build Team selected to conduct work (EnviroScience, Inc., GPD Group, & RiverReach Construction)

• RiverWorks Contract Start Date / Notice to Proceed: March 17, 2011,

  • Project Manager is Joel Bingham of EnviroScience

• Technical Committee Meetings:

  • Kick-Off Meeting held on March 31, 2011 at Cleveland Lakefront State Park offices (13 participants)

  • Committee meeting held on June 30 2011 at Cleveland Lakefront State Park offices (12 participants)

• Literature Review / Project Area Evaluation: March-April, 2011 completed

• Topographic surveying: June-July, 2011 completed

• Public Kick-off Meeting (to present concept): September 8, 2011 completed

• Wetland delineation survey: May 2011 completed

• Morphology/Ecological survey: July 2011 completed

• 30% Design: June 2011 completed

• Request for Proposals for Construction Oversight Services portion of project: issued March 23, 2012

  • Proposals Due: April 13, 2012

• Permitting: November 2011 - April 2012

• Final Design: November 2011 - April 2012

• Construction: Summer 2012 start

• Public Meeting (post construction): Spring 2013

Project Background Information:

          Received GLRI Award on September 20, 2010

          Request for Proposals (RFP) process for Design/Build portion of project

• Lacustrine Refuge in the Cuyahoga AOC Request for Proposals (RFP) and Legal Notice - Issued: October 30, 2010

• Pre-Proposal On-Site Meeting: A Pre-Proposal meeting was held at the Lacustrine Refuge project site on November 8, 2010 at 10:00 am at Wildwood Lakefront State Park.  The entrance is located at E. 174^th Street and Lakeshore Boulevard, meet at marina parking lot.  Pre-Proposal Meeting Sign-In Sheet.

• RFP Addendum #1 - Issued: November 12, 2010, RFP Addendum #2 - Issued: November 23, 2010

• Proposals Due: December 1, 2010 - 4 Design/Build Teams submitted proposals

• Support Documents:

• Great Lakes Restoration Initiative - US EPA Approved Project Work Plan for the Lacustrine Refuge in the Cuyahoga AOC Project

• Euclid Creek Watershed Action Plan

• Euclid Creek Total Maximum Daily Load Report

• Lower Euclid Creek Greenway Plan - Lacustrine Refuge project identified in this plan

• BioHabitats original Concept Plan Cross Section

• Project Maps: Project Acreage Map; Project Aerial with Topographic Lines (Map Updated November 15, 2010)

• Project Data:

  • OEPA Fish Data; USGS Flow Data; OEPA Euclid Creek TMDL Historical Data; Historical Lake Level Data [www.glerl.noaa.gov/data/now/wlevels/levels.html];

  • NEORSD Biological Data: Fish Data, Euclid Creek QHEI

  • Euclid Creek Peak Flow Rates at the Lakeshore Bridge (Model Node ECMB1030) (Data added November 17, 2010)

                  1 yr =  1,840 cfs

                10 yr =  5,350 cfs

              100 yr = 10,120 cfs

    Note: these flow rates were generated from the SWMM4 to SWMM5 conversion of the NEORSD RIDE Model

• Reports:

  • Preliminary Army Corps Sediment Analysis

  • Integrated Wetland Assessment Program Part 2: An ordination and classification of wetlands in the Till and Lake Plains and Allegheny Plateau regions;

  • Integrated Wetland Assessment Program Part 2: An ordination and classification of wetlands in the Till and Lake Plains and Allegheny Plateau regions - highlighting key plant species to consider by John Mack

  • Addendum to: Integrated Wetland Assessment Program Part 4: Vegetation Index of Biotic Integrity for Ohio Wetlands & Part 7: Amphibian Index of Biotic Integrity for Ohio Wetlands

  • Integrated Wetland Assessment Program Part 6: Standardized Monitoring Protocols and Performance Standards for Wetland Creation, Enhancement and Restoration v. 1.0

  • Characteristic Plant Species for Wetland Restoration Projects in Ohio v. 1.0

  • Application of a Vegetation-Based Index of Biotic Integrity for Lake Erie coastal marshes in Ohio

• Helpful Websites:

  • Cleveland Lakefront State Park website & Naturalist's webpage

           RiverWorks Team Concept Plan for Lacustrine Project, November 29, 2010

           Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process for Construction Oversight Services portion of project

• Lacustrine Refuge in the Cuyahoga AOC Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for Construction Oversight Services - Issued: April 7, 2012

• Proposals Due: April  24, 2012

• Support documents listed above

  • RFP Withdrawn 4/7/12: Lacustrine Refuge in the Cuyahoga AOC Request for Proposals (RFP) for Construction Oversight Services  and Legal Notice - Issued: March 23, 2012

For more information, please contact Claire Posius, Euclid Creek Watershed Coordinator, 216-524-6580x16 or email cposius@cuyahogaswcd.org.

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