2006 Annual Report
-- Celebrating 10 years of Restoration --
Events:
- The HRWRP partnered with the Sandy Township Trustees to hold a “Clean Sweep” in the Huff Run Watershed and Sandy Township to pick up trash along township maintained roadways. Ten members of the HRWRP met on April 29 and picked up 40 bags of trash and recyclables.
- The 2006 Huff Run Awareness Days were held on May 4, 22 and 28. Partners from the ODNR/MRM, EPA/Surface Water, Carroll SWCD, Tusc. SWCD, other watershed groups and Huff Run members held demonstrations for over 350 students from three different schools.
- The Huff Run Fun Day was held on August 20 in conjunction with the Mineral City Village Council’s Party in the Park.
- The third annual Huff Run 5K was held during the Party in the Park. About 40 runners participated.
- The fourth annual Huff Run Photo Contest was also held during the summer.
- The Huff Run Fall Citizens Tour was held on November 4. Fifteen people attended.
- A local “birthday” celebration was held to honor the 10 year anniversary of the HRWRP on August 15.
- A formal 10-year anniversary celebration with all major partners was held on October 25. About 50 people attended the event, held at the Atwood Lodge.
- A growing ginseng in Ohio workshop was sponsored by the Partnership in July.
Major Accomplishments:
- The HRWRP office was moved from the back of the City Hall building to the former Mineral City Village Council meeting room and offices.
- The Huff Run VISTA position was rehired.
- All local partners endorsed the Huff Run Watershed Plan.
- The HRWRP was awarded two awards from ODNR: Excellence in Mining Education and Excellence in Reclamation for our Awareness Days and Lyons project respectively.
Actions Taken to Restore Issues in the Watershed:
AMD
-The eight completed reclamation projects (Harsha North, Lyons, Lindentree, Linden, Farr, HRWRP Acid Pit, Huff Run AML Project and Jobes) are all working to increase pH, reduce iron and manganese loadings and add alkalinity.
- Trees were planted on the Lyons project with a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and match from ODNR/AML.
- The Harsha North Project was completed this year in November.
- The Mineral-Zoar Project is designed. Crossroads RC&D administers an OSM Clean Stream grant to pay for this project but more funding is needed to move forward.
- Design plans for the Thomas Project are complete. Funding will be established in 2007.
- The Fern Hill (HR-42) project is under design.
Open/ illegal dumping
- Six illegal dumps were removed with funds from the Stark-Tusc-Wayne Joint Solid Waste District.
- Scattered dumping was also removed on the Harsha North project during construction.
Unconnected riparian buffers
- Three streamside landowners agreed to plant trees along their stretch of Huff Run. Plantings will commence in the spring of 2007.
- Contacted two additional streamside landowners about poor riparian buffers on their land
Septic Issues
- Development began for a folder to be distributed about septic tank maintenance.
Agricultural issues
- A listing of all farms in the watershed was completed.
- A mailing was sent out about winter manure application changes to all of the farms in the watershed.
Additional Programming:
- Watch Dog Program pamphlets were created and will be sent out to all homes in the watershed in early 2007.
- A new pamphlet about the HRWRP and its work was created.
- The Environmental Explorers Club was fully established. Members meet monthly to learn about environmental issues, make crafts, and do service projects. Meetings are held the third Saturday of each month.
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