Lake County Soil and WaterConservation District

Protecting Lake County’s Unique Natural Resources

Grand River Corridor

High impact development in Lake County occurring High impact development in Lake County occurring with a lack of accurate baseline data on the existing with a lack of accurate baseline data on the existing

condition of natural resources.condition of natural resources.

The need for a comprehensive inventory of natural The need for a comprehensive inventory of natural resources for use by the District, local decision resources for use by the District, local decision

makers, and partnering agencies.makers, and partnering agencies.

Why perform a Natural Resource Inventory?

Primary Headwater Habitat Stream

Primary headwater streams provide important economic and ecological functions through the retention of sediment , water and organic matter; nutrient reduction; and by providing corridors for wildlife dispersal

A primary headwater stream is a surface water of the state, as defined in Ohio Administrative code 3745-1-02, having a defined bed and bank, with either continuous or periodical flowing water, with watershed area less than or equal to 1.0 mile2, and maximum depth of water pools equal to or less than 40 cm.

Ohio EPA Field Evaluation Manual for Ohio’s Primary Headwater Habitat Streams (September 2002)

County Wide Stream Inventory• Ohio EPA Primary Headwater Habitat Evaluation Index

(HHEI) for sites with drainage areas <1 square mile or Ohio EPA Qualitative Habitat Evaluation Index (QHEI) for sites with drainage areas >1 square mile

• Concave Densiometer• YSI 85 Conductivity, Temperature, Dissolved Oxygen,

and Salinity meter• Rosgen Channel Characteristics• Fish Assemblages• Surber Sampler• Salamander Collection• Pebble Counts• GPS and GIS

•Hold level using bubble level

•Using grid system on reflective surface, count the percentage of canopy covering the stream channel

• Take readings in four directions (N, E, S, W) at the upstream, midstream, and downstream points in the sampling reach

• Easy calibration• Readings taken at us and

ds points in reach• Only needs distilled

water to rinse probe and keep membrane moist

Grand River• Ohio State Wild Designated River• Ohio’s Highest Quality River flowing into

Lake Erie• Supports Ohio’s Million Dollar Steelhead

Fishing Industry

Phelps Creek

Aylworth Creek

Bates Creek

Big Creek

East Creek

Paine Creek

Mocha Emerald Somatochlora linearis

Arrowhead Spiketail Cordulegaster obliqua

Eastern Least Clubtail Stylogomphus albistylus

Dot-tailed Whiteface Leucorrhinia intacta

Dragonfly Larvae

OEPA indicates that only 10% of Ohio Streams are Class III

90% of Lake SWCD study dragonfly larva are found in class III headwater streams

Stream adapted species are utilizing class III habitats nearly exclusively

• Species (*Early instar larvae, no positive identification # of larvae # of sample sites

• Aeshna tuberculifera (Black-tipped Darner) 1 1• Aeshna umbrosa (Shadow Darner) 8 7• Anax junius (Common Green Darner) 1 1• Boyeria grafiana (Ocellated Darner) 18 12• Boyeria vinosa (Fawn Darner) 11 9• Boyeria* 1 1• Cordulegaster diastatops (Delta-spotted Spiketail) 1 1• Cordulegaster erronea (Tiger Spiketail) 2 2• Cordulegaster maculata (Twin-spotted Spiketail) 3 3• Cordulegaster obliqua (Arrowhead Spiketail) 4 4• Cordulegastridae* 2 2• Cordullidae* 1 1• Epitheca princeps (Prince Baskettail) 2 1• Gomphidae* 1 1• Lanthus parv./vern. (N./S. Pygmy Clubtail) 4 4• Leucorrhinia intacta (Dot-tailed Whiteface) 1 1• Perithemis tenera (Eastern Amberwing) 1 1• Somatochlora linearis (Mocha Emerald) 2 2• Somatochlora tenebrosa (Clamp-tipped Emerald) 1 1• Stylogomphus albistylus (Least Clubtail) 57 24• Unknown larvae* 1 1

Other Applications

• Storm water management (bmp selection)• 404/401 Stream and Wetland Permitting• Prioritizing Conservation Projects (easements)• Restoration projects• ODOT, OEPA Project comments