July Currents

Partners for Clean Streams has officially hired eight excited seasonal interns for the Maumee Corps project, funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The interns will be focusing on invasive species management with the help from our partners at The Olander Park System, The University of Toledo, and The Boy Scouts of America. PCS is pleased to loan this crew of students to our partners to focus on the problem of invasive species throughout the summer into early fall. Students will be augmenting existing projects or doing more than these partners could do alone. If you’re planning to visit one of these locations anytime soon, look for the highly motivated group of people wearing brightly colored PCS (or CYS) shirts and thank them for their work!   

The Toledo Metroparks and The Nature Conservancy have also hired seasonal employees. As sub-award recipients under the NOAA grant through PCS, the two agencies have teamed with PCS to put people to work protecting the Maumee AOC. A combined 23 workers have been hired between the three organizations. These employees will be focused anywhere between habitat restoration to invasive species control and removal. We’re proud of the work already accomplished by our partners and excited about the work yet to begin!  

Partners for Clean Streams (PCS) is pleased to announce that Davey Resource Group has been selected to develop the Data Management and Delisting System (DMDS). The DMDS will be an online tool capable of aiding local stakeholders and federal and state agencies in making decisions regarding project suitability for the Remedial Action Plan program and steer the Maumee Area of Concern partners closer to its delisting targets. By incorporating project data, GIS & GPS metadata, and other analytical data sets, the DMDS will be able to assist the RAP Committee in setting priorities, identifying key projects, and developing reports to address Beneficial Use Impairments (BUI) and other issues in the Maumee Area of Concern.

Davey Resource Group will also be working with partners to begin updating the Maumee Watershed Stage II document with new relevant project data sets and maps. We ask all of our partners to be prepared to assist the Davey Resource Group in any facet they can. Stay tuned for future DMDS and Stage II updates as the process unfolds.

My name is Lindsey Crego and I am very excited to be the new Outreach Intern here at PCS. I am going into my senior year at the University of Toledo this fall, majoring in Environmental Studies and concentrating in Communication, so being an Intern with PCS fits me perfectly. Working with PCS is a wonderful opportunity because the Great Lakes are very special to me. Every summer of my life I have swum, fished, and spent lots of quality time with my family at my great-grandparent’s cottage on Lake Erie. My late great-grandparents taught me to ‘always leave the lake in the same condition it was before’. I think everyone should have that mindset whenever they visit our lakes or rivers. I am thrilled to start planning Clean Your Streams and Get the Lead Out, as well as many other fun public outreach activities. I am also very eager to meet with businesses and fundraise for the programs PCS offers. Teaching the public about our streams is very important so I am glad for the opportunity to spread the word about clean, clear and safe waterways. I hope to meet as many people as I can in the next few months and hear many great stories about rivers.

A workshop on August 6 – 9 will take place at the University of Toledo Law School with Rich Fischer and Dave Derrick of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACE). Various local river bank and in-stream habitat restoration features will be discussed. This will be the last ACE workshop given by Dave Derrick. A live construction site will be featured, allowing attendees to better visualize and observe in-stream structures being built. Keep watching the Partners for Clean Streams websiteand Facebookpage for additional details!

By: Ava Slotnick, Outreach Coordinator

A few weeks ago,I went on an adventurous boat trip down the Maumee River in Grand Rapids with my father and sister. While the trip wasn’t very long (2.5 hours), we saw an amazing variety of wildlife and were treated with many surprises along the way. There was a threat of rain, which provided exciting clouds to watch as we started out with one kayak and one canoe on the flooded river. As we paddled, we passed islands where only grasses and sedges stuck out of the rushing water, where usually one could see dry land. After half an hour of paddling, we saw a Bald Eagle soar and swoop down to catch a fish, right in front of us, a very rare treat. On our short trip we saw at least 8 Bald Eagles; after that, I lost count. We identified many Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, various ducks, and many leaping fish. Half way through our journey, a light rain started to fall upon the water. Instead of finding shelter, we let the river float us towards the lake as we listened to the magical sound of rain on the water. As the clouds moved away, a double rainbow appeared to the east; Nature at its best.

In general, the 6 mile stretch north of Grand Rapids of the Maumee River seemed to be in very good shape from a boater’s perspective. We did collect some trash, but not as much as one might expect, probably because of the flood waters being so high. The flood waters covered some trash while the rushing water carried the rest downstream. We did come across one juvenile Long Nosed Gar that had its snout firmly wrapped shut with monofilament (fishing line) that had been neglected by a fisherman. The fish had recently died, perhaps from lack of food or from distress. Except for a few beer bottles, a bait bucket, and a floating basketball, the trash was minimal. The river was more pristine than I thought it would be. We often hear and worry about water pollution issues in our rivers but we don’t go into the water and experience just how much the river is alive and has to offer nearly often enough. That is not to say our work is done, but more that there is so much to appreciate about our rivers. When you are enjoying a peaceful river, it is hard to believe that there could be destruction and violence anywhere in the world. That’s what a river does; it transforms your view on life and reminds you to be steady, strong, and peaceful. Sometimes, it takes a grand river to remind you of the important things in life.