- Public Involvement & Education
- Storm Water Program
- Watershed Programs
- Conservation Easements
- Soil Fertility Analysis
Headwater Streets
Mimicking the
functions of headwater streams and wetlands (where rivers begin) in
the developed environment
Cuyahoga County is the most highly urbanized county in the state of Ohio, with nearly 90% of the land area considered developed. The vast majority of this development occurred before any state or local regulations requiring storm water management were in place, leading to widespread degraded water quality and stream habitat conditions, especially in headwater stream systems. This degradation is caused by the effects of storm water runoff generated by the increased impervious area (such as parking lots, rooftops, and roads) that accompanies urban and suburban development.
Specifically, the increased quantity of water delivered to
the stream system and the increased speed at which this
water is delivered lead to large spikes in stream flow, even
during common rain events. This increased flow scours the
stream bed and erodes stream banks, both of which result in
increased sediment loads and poor habitat conditions for
fish and benthic macroinvertebrates, as well as increased
flood frequency. Increased loading of non-point source
pollutants such as nitrogen and phosphorus that are carried
in the storm water runoff or in the sediment from the eroded
bank material further contributes to the ecological
degradation of these urban and suburban stream systems.