Resources

The Doan Brook Handbook

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 18:49:00 GMT

Download and read the full Doan Brook Handbook by Cleveland Heights author Laura C. Gooch. The online book is broken out into individual chapters, appendixes and index which cover the cultural and physical history of the watershed, plus scientific data, and maps.

Cover Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Introduction to Doan Brook

Chapter 2 The Hand of Man: The Human History of Doan Brook

Chapter 3 The Shape of the Brook: Physical Features that Form the Stream

Chapter 4 Who Else Lives Here? The Natural Environment of the Brook

Chapter 5 The Urban Brook

Chapter 6 Is it Polluted? Water Quality in the Brook

Chapter 7 The Brook in the Rain: The Hydrology of the Doan

Chapter 8 What Can We Do? Doan Brook Restoration

Chapter 9 The Future of the Doan: The Need for Watershed Management

Epilogue

Glossary of Terms

Annotated Bibliography

Appendix A A General Tour of Doan Brook

Appendix B An Outline of Doan Brook History

Appendix C Doan Brook History: A Watershed History Tour

Appendix D Doan Brook Watershed Cultural Institutions

Appendix E Doan Brook Geology and Soils

Appendix F A Geologic Doan Brook Tour

Appendix G Doan Brook Biology Data

Appendix H Doan Brook Hydrology Data

Appendix I Doan Brook Water Quality Data

Appendix J Watershed Restoration Techniques for Doan Brook

Index
Copyright © 2001 Laura C. Gooch. Published by the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, Cleveland, Ohio. Readers are encouraged to use the material in this guide and, in most cases, the publisher will gladly give permission for reproduction for educational, non-commercial purposes.

Publications & Presentations

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:33:00 GMT

A continuously updated collection of links to informative literature and video tutorials for homeowners and educators.

For Community Homeowners

Fighting Invasive Plants in Ohio / ODNR

Rain Garden Manual for Homeowners / Geauga Soil and Water Conservation District

Water Efficient Landscaping / U.S. EPA

Stormwater Brochure / Ohio EPA

NEORSD Stormwater Management Program Property Owner Credit

Groundwater in Ohio / Ohio EPA

Fluoride in Ohio's Groundwater/ Ohio EPA

Solution to Pollution / U.S. EPA

Rockefeller Park Strategic Master Plan/ Siteworks

For Educators

Stream Quality Assessment Form/ Ohio EPA

Stream Walk Data Sheet/ Ohio EPA

A Guide to Ohio Streams/ Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Reptiles of Ohio Field Guide/ Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Sport Fish of Ohio Identification/ Ohio Division of Wildlife

Videos

"After the Storm" video presentation / U.S. EPA

How to install a downspout diverter for rainbarrels / Oatey

Glossary of Watershed Terms

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 19:52:00 GMT

A work in progress, we hope this list of terms related to water and watershed management from The Doan Brook Handbook will provide general information and promote understanding of how we can steward our local natural resources.

Words used in definitions that are themselves included in the glossary are shown in italics.

anoxic Lacking oxygen.

aquifer A layer of soil or rock that is saturated and is capable of transmitting significant quantites of water. Some material, such as clay, can transmit very little water and will not generally be thought of as an aquifer. Other material, such as sand, gravel, or sandsone, can transmit significant quantities of water.

base flow Flow in a stream during dry weather that is fed by groundwater seeping into the stream through its bed and banks.

bedrock The layer of solid rock that underlies the surface soil. Bedrock in the upper Doan Brook watershed is sedimentary rock that lies a few feet below the surface. The sedimentary bedrock of the lower watershed lies several hundred feet below the surface.

benthic Of or pertaining to the bottom of a body of water. (source: EPA)

biofiltration The process of passing water through a concentrated colony of microorganisms that feed on contaminants found in the water. Biofiltration experiments on Doan Brook have used naturally occurring microbes to reduce the high concentrations of nutrients in the brook water.

BMP Best Management Practice. BMPs for watershed management and development are the most effective and practical approaches to controlling point and non-point source pollution to levels that meet environmental quality goals.

cfs Cubic feet per second. Cfs is the unit typically used to report the rate at which water flows past a given point in a culvert or stream.

channel A stream or river bed; generally refers to the physical form where water commonly flows. (source: EPA)

channelization The act of straightening a stream; typically widens and deepens the stream as well to improve the flow of water. (source: EPA)

coliform A group of bacteria found in the intestines of warm-blooded animals (including humans), also in plants, soil, air, and water. Fecal coliforms are a specific class of bacteria that only inhabit the intestines of warm-blooded animals. The presence of coliforms is an indication that the water is polluted and may contain pathogenic organisms. (source: EPA)

combined sewer A sewer line that carries both stormwater runoff and sanitary sewage.

confluence The place where two streams meet.

CSO Combined Sewer Overflow. Overflows of combined sewers to streams and lakes generally occur during wet weather, when the volume of stormwater is too large for the sewers to carry.

culvert A pipe that carries a stream from one above-ground section to another above-ground section. For examples, the pipe that carries a stream under a road is a culvert as is the long pipe that carries Doan Brook beneath University Circle.

daylighting Restoring a section of a stream that has been confined in a culvert or storm sewer to an above-ground channel.

Design Flood The flood that a dam or other structure must, by regulation, be designed to safely withstand. The Design Flood for Horseshoe Lake dam and the Lower Shaker Lake dam is one half of the PMF.

drainage area or drainage basin See watershed.

dredge spoil Soil material that is removed (dredged) from the bottom of a lake or stream and then must be disposed of.

effluent Wastewater, treated or untreated, that flows out of a treatment plant, sewer, or industrial point source, such as a pipe. Generally refers to wastes discharged into surface waters. (source:EPA)

erosion The removal of sediment or rock from a point in the landscape. (soure: EPA)

escarpment A long, cliff-like ridge of land or rock. The Portage Escarpment is a sharp fall in elevation that represents the westernmost edge of the Appalachian Plateau and separates the lower and upper Doan Brook watersheds.

eutrophic Having high nutrient content and high biological activity. Refers specifically to lakes.

exotic species Species of plants or animals that are not native to the area.

fissile Geologic term referring to rock (generally shale) that breaks along parallel planes as it weathers, resulting in thin, plate-like fragments.

flood An unusual accumulation of water above the ground caused by high tide, heavy rain, melting snow or rapid runoff from paved areas (source: EPA). A ten-year flood is defined as a flood that has a one in ten chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year.

gabions Rock-filled wire baskets (generally square) that are stacked together to reinforce an eroding stream bank.

geomorphic process A landscape altering system, such as water runoff or erosion, that influences the movement and shape of the physical landscape.

glacial till A soil made up of jumbled clay, silt, sand, gravel, and sometimes larger particles,, that was deposited in a relatively thin layer by glaciers as they retreated. Glacial till makes up much of the soil of the Doan Brook watershed.

green infrastructure The management of stormwater runoff at the local level through the use of natural systems, or engineered systems that mimic natural systems, to treat polluted runoff. (source:EPA)

greenway A strip of undeveloped land near an urban area, set aside for recreational use or environmental protection.

groundwater Water that soaks into the soil and then flows within the matrix of soil or rock particles.

headwaters The upstream-most sections of a stream; the area where a stream originates.

hydrology The science that deals with the circulation, distribution, and properties of the waters of the earth.

hypereutrophic Having excessively high nutrient content and biological activity. Refers specifically to lakes. The dissolved oxygen content in the lakes is sometimes depleted by excessive plant growth, so that they support poor biologic communities.

impervious Allowing little or no water to infiltrate; water tight. Paved areas and building roofs are the primary impervious surfaces in most urban watersheds.

impoundment A lake, reservoir, or detention basin.

infiltrate To filter into or through. Groundwater infiltrates into permeable material (like soil), but does not infiltrate through impervious surfaces (like pavement or rooftops).

interceptor sewer A large sanitary sewer or combined sewer line that collects flow from a number of smaller sewers.

lacustrine Originating in lake water. Lacustrine sediments are those deposited on lake bottoms.

lake plain The relatively flat area adjacent to Lake Erie that once lay under the waters of the lake's ancestors. The Doan Brook lower watershed lies in the Lake Plain.

lower watershed The part of the watershed extending from Lake Erie to the sharp change in elevation (the escarpment) just upstream (south and east) from University Circle.

macroinvertebrates Invertebrates (animals without backbones) large enough to be seen without a microscope. The health of the macroinvertebrate population is an indicator of the water and habitat quality in a stream.

non-point source pollution Pollution that originates from the accumulation of low concentrations of pollutants collected over a large area. Most of the nutrients that are discharged to Doan Brook accumulate from lawns and golf courses that are spread over the entire watershed. Nutrient contamination in the brook is thus the result of non-point source pollution.

nutrients Essential chemicals needed by plants or animals for growth and health. When nutrients are present in excessive quantities, they promote excessive plant growth that creates eutrophic or hypereutrophic conditions.

organic chemicals Chemicals containing carbon. Naturally occurring organic chemicals are the basis of life on earth. However, in the context of water quality, "organics" generally refers to manmade carbon containing compounds such as synthetic oils, PCBs, poly-aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), pesticides, and herbicides that are often toxic and that often remain toxic for a long time when they are released into the environment.

overtopping In the context of hydrology, overtopping refers to water flowing over the top of a dam or other water barrier, generally in a manner that the barrier is not intended to withstand. None of the Shaker Lakes dams are intended to withstand water flowing over its main earthen embankment.

pathogens Microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, or parasites, that can cause disease in humans, animals, and plants. (source:EPA)

PCBs Polychlorinate byphenyls. A group of manmade, toxic organic chemicals that persist in the environment and have been linked to cancer, reproductive defects, and other health problems.

permeable Allowing water to infiltrate.

Plateau Generally refers to a level land area raised above the surrounding land. The westernmost edge of the Appalachian Plateau forms the Doan Brook upper watershed, and terminates at the Escarpment.

PMF Probable Maximum Flood.

point source pollution Pollution that originates at a single location, such as a factory waste discharge pipe.

Probable Maximum Flood The Probable Maximum Flood, or PMF, is defined as "...the flood that can be expected from the most severe combination of critical meteorologic and hydrologic conditions that are reasonably possible..." in a given area (National Research Council, 1988). In other words the worst flood that can be imagined if science is used to guide the imagination.

QHEO Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index. A physical habitat index designed to provide an empirical, quantified evaluation of the general stream microhabitat characteristics that are important to fish communities.

riparian Having to do with the bank of a river. Used to refer generally to the area surrounding any natural body of water.

riparian corridor The strip of land immediately adjacent to and including a stream. A riparian corridor that is left in its natural condition protects the stream's water quality and habitat.

riprap Large rocks that are dumped or placed to prevent erosion. The downstream face of Horseshoe Lake dam has been armored by riprap.

runoff Water that flows along the surface of the land.

sandstone A sedimentary rock composed of sand particles cemented together.

sanitary sewage Wastewater (sewage) collected from households and businesses.

sanitary sewer A sewer that is designed to carry only sewage collected from household and business indoor drainage systems. Sanitary sewers are not intended to collect stormwater runoff.

sediment Particulate material suspended in or settled to the bottom of a water body. Sediment may originate from natural sources such as natural soil erosion or from human activity such as construction, road grit, disturbed land, or agriculture. Increased flow in an urban stream like Doan Brook also increases the quantity of sediment eroded from the stream bed and banks.

sedimentary rock A rock formed by the accumulation and cementation of mineral (sand, silt, clay, etc.) grains. Sedimentary rocks are generally formed when layers of material that were deposited over many years by wind or water are subsequently buried and compressed until they become rock.

sedimentation Deposition of sediments in lakes or other areas of relatively still water. Over time, lake sedimentation degrades lake habitat and transforms lakes into marshes and eventually valleys. Lake sedimentation rarely changes a lake's ability to decrease downstream flooding.

sewershed The area that drains into a sanitary or combined sewer system. The sewershed is generally related to the surface watershed, but it need not correspond exactly.

shale A very fine-grained sedimentary rock composed of silt and clay. Shale tends to break apart along planes parallel to the plane in which the silt or clay was originally deposited. As a result, shale frequently weathers into thi plate-like fragments.

stakeholder Individual or organization that has a stake in the outcome of the watershed plan.

storm sewer A sewer designed to carry stormwater runoff without any mixture of sanitary sewage.

stormwater Runoff that flows from the surface of the watershed during a storm.

stream gauge An instrument to measure the volume of streamflow over time, generally reported in cubic feet per second (cfs).

stream reach A continuous portion of a stream between two designated points. (source:EPA)

surface runoff See runoff.

stormwater retrofit Stormwater retrofits are new stormwater control structures (small or large) designed to reduce flooding or improve water quality. They are retrofit into already developed areas.

subwatershed A small area of a larger watershed for which surface runoff drains to a particular point. The area that drains to Horseshoe Lake is an example of a subwatershed within the Doan Brook watershed. The area that drains to the lower Shaker Lake is another subwatershed that contains the Horseshoe Lake subwatershed.

till See glacial till.

TMDL Total Maximum Daily Load. Generally refers to plans under the Clean Water Act that limit the amount of pollutant discharge over time. (source:EPA)

uncontrolled drainage areas Drainage areas (or watersheds) that do not include a lake or other structure that reduces flood peaks or slows storm runoff.

upper watershed The part of the Doan Brook watershed that lies on the higher elevation land east of the line of the Escarpment.

watershed A stream's watershed is the area of land over which water running along the ground surface (called runoff or surface runoff) will eventually flow into the stream. Also called a drainage area or drainage basin.

Links to Regional & National Conservation Resources

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 19:22:00 GMT

Looking for information on Ohio, Great Lakes and national environmental concerns? Check out this collection of links to many regional and national conservation websites.

Audubon Ohio

Center for Watershed Protection

Earth Day Coalition

Ecowatch

Environmental Education Council of Ohio

National Pesticide Information Center - EPA

Nature Conservancy of Ohio

Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Ohio Environmental Council

Ohio Watershed Network

Ohio Environmental Protection Agency

Ohio Sea Grant