Accomplishments of the
Office of Coastal Management
and the Ohio Coastal Management Program

Shortly after the Ohio Coastal Management Program was federally approved in 1997, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources outlined more than a dozen action items which they wanted the Ohio Coastal Management Program to accomplish in coming years.

The Office of Coastal Management and our partners, who share an interest in the health of the Lake Erie coastal area, have made strides toward each goal through numerous activities.

By Goal

1. More nature preserves, parks and open spaces in the coastal region.
2. More recreational opportunities.
3. Cleaner water and beaches.
4. Easier shore access.
5. Hands-on educational opportunities to learn about Lake Erie?s coast.
6. Less erosion and flood damage to new development, which will be located out of harm?s way.
7. Preservation of remaining wetlands.
8. Revitalization of decaying urban waterfronts.
9. Restoration of degraded stream corridors in urban areas.
10. Enhance indigenous/native species and their habitats and control foreign or nuisance species.
11. Readily available technical advice about coastal issues from professionals.
12. Economic development enhancing the natural beauty of Lake Erie?s shore.

By Task

1. Aquatic Nuisance Species Management
2. Coastal Erosion Area Management
3. Coastal Hazards and Technical Assistance
4. Coastal Management Assistance Grants
5. Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program Development
6. Coastal Resources Inventory
7. Consistency
8. Coordination of Services
9. Cross Training
10. Cumulative and Secondary Impacts
11. Integrated Management Team
12. Lake Erie Access Program
13. Lake Erie GIS
14. Permit Consolidation
15. Public Education and Outreach
16. Research Reserve Coordination and Coastal Training Institute
17. Special Area Management Planning
18. Submerged Lands Management
19. Urban Streams and Watershed Management

BY GOAL

1. More nature preserves, parks, open spaces and recreational opportunities in the coastal region

• Began a systematic inventory of public access sites to Lake Erie to assist in identifying future needs. This is the Lake Erie Access Program.
• ODNR purchased 123.54 acres of lakefront property on Middle Bass Island to protect an increasingly rare expanse of coastal open space and provide a new addition to Ohio's State Parks system. (2000)
• ODNR negotiated state's purchase of 10 acres of Lake Erie shoreline property adjacent to the Marblehead Lighthouse State Park, expanding the park to 13 acres. (2002)
• In 2003, ODNR began the consideration to purchase 677 acres of North Bass Island which includes 2.4 miles of undeveloped coastline and 43-acres of coastal wetlands. Ohio's two year capital spending budget includes $6.8 million to purchase the land.
• The City of Huron was awarded a $12,500 Coastal Management Assistance Grant for acquiring property adjacent to Lake Front Park to provide green space and provide future public access.
• Numerous Coastal Management Assistance Grants have been awarded for communities to develop plans on making better use of their waterfront resources

2. More recreational opportunities

• Renovated Cleveland?s Edgewater Park in 2001. The $3.1 million renovation included $1 million to improve the park?s boat launch ramp.
• Constructed a new boat building at the Huron River Boat basin which includes restrooms, showers, a retail lounge area, indoor boat storage and administrative offices. ODNR responsible for 75% of funding through Division of Watercraft.
• Created a master plan for the development of Middle Bass Island State Park land including a renovated marina??to meet the recreational needs of Ohioans while preserving and protecting the natural and cultural environment of the area.?
• Awarded Coastal Management Assistance Grants to groups including:
• Put-In-Bay Township ($40,000) for renovating the Put-In-Bay Ice Ramp to provide access for ice fisherman and eliminate a safety hazard.
• Sandusky City ($21,000) for constructing two handicap accessible fishing stations, one at Shoreline Park and one at the Shelby Street Boat Launch Facility.
• Port Clinton ($25,000) for a recreational waterfront trail in Waterworks Park

3. Cleaner water and beaches

• Created an Adopt-a-Beach Program with Ohio state Parks to promote beach clean-up and restoration efforts.
• Launched an Urban Streams restoration and protection program in cooperation with ODNR’s Division of Soil and Water Conservation. Seven urban stream specialists now work in Erie, Huron, Cuyahoga, Medina, Summit, Geauga and Lake counties protecting Lake Erie tributaries.
• Awarded a $35,016 Coastal Management Assistance Grant to Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments to investigate historically high bacteria levels in Wolf Creek and their impact on Maumee Bay State Park Beach.
• Funded the Arcola Creek Watershed Study and Planning process under contract with the Lake County Soil and Water Conservation District. The Lake County Soil and Water Conservation District is working to increase support and involvement of watershed stakeholders, inventory the watershed's resources, assess current programs to determine present and future impacts, and provide professional and technical support to "Friends of Arcola Creek."
• Working with the Division of Soil and Water Conservation, developed a Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program (CNPCP) to control pollution in Ohio?s coastal region.

4. Easier shore access

• Awarded Coastal Management Assistance Grants to groups including:
  • Ashtabula City for creating a fully accessible boardwalk to Walnut Beach and constructing a self-guided nature trail over the Lake Erie beach dunes and the Ashtabula River's estuary wetlands.
  • Mentor ($25,000) for building a stairway, landing and promenade to Mentor Beach Park Pavilion.
  • Mentor-on-the-Lake ($25,000) to construct handicap access to the top of the bluff at Overlook Beach Park.
  • Vermillion Port Authority ($26,500) for developing a master plan for transient handicap accessible marina.
  • Avon Lake ($100,000) for building an access ramp from the fishing pier to Miller Park Beach.
• Division of Watercraft has awarded multiple Boating Access Grants
• State?s purchases of additional park property such as on Middle Bass Island, Kelleys Island and in Marblehead have given more opportunities for direct public access to the coast.
• Conducted a Coastal Resources Inventory and established a Web site for information review

5. Hands-on educational opportunities to learn about the unique nature of Lake Erie?s coast

• Awarded Coastal Management Assistance Grants to groups including
  • City of Toledo ($70,000) to construct a floating dock and fully accessible ramp for a pontoon boat used to give educational tours on Swan Creek.
  • Ottawa County Visitors Bureau ($70,000) to create interpretative and interactive displays highlighting Lake Erie?s natural resources for the new Lake Erie Islands Regional Welcome Center.
  • Bowling Green State University ($18,822) to create a database of Ohio maritime resources which is available at the Lake Erie Shipwreck museum in Vermilion and at www.bgsu/colleges/library/hcgl/vessel.html
• Participant in Ohio?s annual Coastweeks events at beaches, parks and communities along the Lake Erie shoreline. Coastweeks is a month-long celebration of Lake Erie designed how to teach how to protect and preserve the coast.
• Publish quarterly coastal newsletters informing the public of new coastal events, activities and resources.
• Developed on-site evaluation and educational program regarding shoreline erosion processes and viable approaches to address them.
• Developed a Coastal Training Initiative to enhance the coordination of education for local officials and decision makers.

6. Less erosion and flood damage to new development by locating new development out of harm?s way

• Developed final maps of the Coastal Erosion Areas as required by Ohio law and initiated a permit system for new conservation easements within the Coastal Erosion Area.
• Developed a consolidated permit application to streamline the shoreline project permit processes.
• Initiated projects to address cumulative and secondary impacts of development in state and local permit decisions.

7. Preservation of remaining wetlands

• Developed a Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program with the Ohio EPA to outline wetland mitigation and restoration strategies and identify high quality wetland areas.
• Awarded Lake Metroparks a $49,900 Coastal Management Assistance Grant for ecological assessments at the Steelhead Run Nature Preserve.
• ODNR?s purchase of land on Middle Bass Island included wetland areas. The state?s effort to purchase most of North Bass Island includes 43 acres of wetlands.
• Cooperated with several developers near Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve to obtain conservation easements and incorporate conservation measures.

8. Revitalization of decaying urban waterfronts

• Funded 14 local projects to plan for waterfront revitalization and other community enhancements including:
  • Port Clinton who adopted a master plan for revitalizing its urban waterfront, attracting people and businesses.
  • Lorain who advanced their waterfront development plans by approving the purchase of 408 acres on the east side of the city for a modern industrial and recreational park.
  • Kelleys Island who updated their master plan to overhaul the island's zoning and building codes, protect its natural features and preserve its quiet charm as a resort community.
  • Huron whose downtown revitalization project was linked to a new waterfront walkway along the Huron River that connects a series of city parks with the municipal boat basin, amphitheater and downtown business district.

9. Restoration of degraded stream corridors in urban areas

• Funded a $30,000 Coastal Management Assistance Grant for a study to find ways to buffer the West Creek watershed from urbanization. The grant was based on the West Creek Preservation Committee?s goal of preserving the nine-mile West Creek Valley as an oasis of natural beauty and recreational opportunities and creating recreational access to the Cuyahoga River Valley, the Ohio & Erie Canal and the Towpath Trail.
• Funded a $22,417 Coastal Management Assistance Grant to study the Cuyahoga Corridor Towpath which examined potential opportunities to establish trailheads, recreational areas, and waterfront access along the towpath extension.
• Established stream restoration standards.

10. Enhance indigenous/native species and their habitats and control foreign or nuisance species

• Funded bird species monitoring prior to wetland restoration at Maumee Bay State Park.
• Sponsored research into nonchemical means of reducing sea lamprey populations.
• Funded control of invasive species in coastal state nature preserves.

11. Readily available technical advice about coastal issues from professionals

• Created the Office of Coastal Management and located the office in Sandusky for ease of access by shoreline owners and residents and to assist communities with resource protection.
• Developed a consolidated application to streamline shoreline project permitting.
• Created an easily accessible technical assistance program to actively aid citizens and communities in addressing coastal erosion.
• Established an Integrated Management Team comprised of 12 ODNR divisions to coordinate coastal resource management

12. Economic development that enhances the natural beauty of Lake Erie?s shore

• United more than 50 stakeholders in the Mentor Marsh watershed and surrounding communities to develop a management plan for protecting the marsh and its watershed and to spur nature-based tourism and development in the nearby communities.
• Supported the Chagrin River Watershed Partners? efforts to adopt protective ordinances to deal with development issues.

By Task

Aquatic Nuisance Species Management

Ohio Coastal Management Program staff assisted in the development and implementation of the Ohio Aquatic Nuisance Species Prevention, Control and Abatement Plan. The program has also funded projects to assess non-chemical methods of controlling sea lamprey and to control invasive plant species in coastal state nature preserves.

Coastal Erosion Area Management

The Ohio Coastal Management Program adopted Coastal Erosion Area rules and made final delineation of Coastal Erosion Areas based on 27-year recession rate photo- and field- measured at 100 foot intervals by the Division of Geological Survey.

Coastal Hazards and Technical Assistance

The OCMP funds and coordinates many activities of ODNR's Division of Geological Survey Lake Erie Office. Site visits and evaluations are conducted to provide technical assistance to property owners regarding coastal processes, Coastal Erosion Area delineations, and submerged lands boundary determinations.

The Geological Survey continues to compile and verify data for a shore structure inventory. More than 5000 structures have been inventoried. This inventory contains information on the type, location, relative effectiveness and impact of erosion control measures built along Ohio's Lake Erie coastline. This inventory will ultimately provide a technical foundation for comprehensive planning at state and local levels.

Coastal Management Assistance Grants

Developed and implemented a pass-through grants program for local communities, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations. Funded 45 projects (Cycles 1 through 7) totaling more than $1.6 million. Each year, the OCMP conducts two workshops in October to inform potential applicants on Coastal Management Assistance Grant requirements and procedures.

Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program Development

Submitted the Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program (CNPCP) to NOAA and U.S. EPA, jointly with Ohio EPA. Submitted to Ohio EPA for final review in December 1999. Ask Greg about current status.The document compiles Ohio's existing authorities and proposes additional initiatives to control nonpoint pollution in Ohio's coastal region. Recommended initiatives were developed in conjunction with extensive public participation in the updating of the statewide nonpoint source management program, coordination with relevant state agencies, and with subcommittees developed including Coastal Resources Advisory Council members.

Published an executive summary in December 2000 and and conducts regular outreach activities to familiarize local governments and others with the CNPCP. The CNPPCP Coordinator is providing technical assistance to the Mentor area SAMP and the Cumulative and Secondary Impacts projects as well as commenting on federal consistency determinations

Coastal Resources Inventory

Developed, in cooperation with members of ODNR's Integrated Management Team and the Great Lakes Information Network (GLIN), an On Line Interactive Mapping demonstration project.

Consistency

The OCMP has developed an efficient mechanism for conducting federal and state Consistency reviews and a web-based mechanism for citizens to request that public meetings be held for specific projects.

Administration of the federal and state consistency provisions has:

• Negotiated changes to a proposed dock structure and adjacent lands on Middle Bass Island, based on concerns shared by the Ohio Historical Society. The project was modified to increase visual buffers to prevent significant adverse impacts to the East Point Manor House, a National Register of Historic Places listed structure.
• Ensured the integrity of the Marblehead Lighthouse through coordination with ODNR's Division of Parks and Recreation and the Ohio Historical Society.

Coordination of Services

Established and staffed the Office of Coastal Management in the central coastal area to combine and provide more coordinated services. This office combined ODNR's Divisions of Real Estate and Land Management, Water and Soil and Water Conservation and Engineering in one location.

Cross-Training

The Ohio Coastal Management Program has conducted two Cross-Training workshops, through which more than 100 ODNR employees learned about the activities and programs of the 12 ODNR divisions involved in coastal resource management and Sustainable Community efforts in Ohio.

Cumulative and Secondary Impacts

Office of Coastal Management staff are leading a project to assist state and local regulators in considering cumulative and secondary impacts of development within permitting processes. A consultant compiled data on permitting processes and permit actions, interviewed responsible staff regarding current efforts to track and monitor impacts of permitted actions, and summarized findings. A steering committee comprised of ODNR staff (Divisions of Real Estate and Land Management, Geological Survey, and Soil and Water Conservation) and Ohio EPA staff (Lake Erie Programs and Section 401 Water Quality) is guiding development of this project. The group is working collaboratively to improve database access and coordination within ODNR and OEPA.

Lake Erie Access Program

The Lake Erie Access Program includes geo-referenced point data for fishing access sites, boat ramps, piers and other features along Lake Erie’s coast. The source of this data is primarily from the Division of Watercraft, although other available data was compiled by the Division of Real Estate and Land Management. The Division of Real Estate and Land Management is currently working on revising the Lake Erie Access Program information to include other types of access such as wildlife areas, parks and preserves. By the end of June, information available from efforts related to developing the Ohio Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) should be incorporated into the Lake Erie Access Program.

Lake Erie Geographic Information System (LEGIS)

The Lake Erie Geographic Information System (LEGIS) was established to support the functions mandated under the Ohio Coastal Management Program and to assist the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) in promoting wise management of land and water resources in the Lake Erie watershed. The Lake Erie Geographic Information System is part of the ODNR Geographic Information Management System Program and serves as a forum to exchange data related to Ohio’s Lake Erie and Lake Erie watershed. GIS data has been developed and used in the following example applications: coastal erosion areas, coastal wetlands, submerged lands, public access, and coastal recreation, cultural and environmental resource inventories.

Base layers include seamless digital orthophotography, digital raster graphics, digital elevation model mosaics, and geo-referenced remotely sensed images of the coastal region.

Departmental efforts to inventory physical and natural resources have produced soils, land use/land cover, land use/land change analyses, wetland inventory, ground water resources, ground water pollution potential, surficial and bedrock aquifer, potentiometric surface, surficial geology, glacial geology, bedrock geology, bathymetry, near-shore substrate, fisheries, natural heritage, flood plain, hydrology, hypsography, dam inventory, well water, and watershed coverages.

A range of other digital data is included in the Lake Erie GIS, such as cadastral and boundary (counties, cities, townships, school districts, coastal zone management area, Ohio House and Senate Districts, watersheds, zoning, parcel), roads (federal, state, county, local, municipal), railroads (active and abandoned), trail systems, protected lands, vacant lands, Lake Erie Access, coastal erosion area, submerged lands leased area, and shore structure inventory data.

Different levels of data interaction are actively being developed for the Lake Erie GIS, including a custom ArcGIS interface and custom ArcIMS application. The Lake Erie ArcIMS application will be available through the Ohio Coastal Management Program’s web site within the year! Most of the GIS data is currently downloadable from the ODNR GIS repository.

Permit Consolidation

Developed and began using a consolidated application form for Submerged Lands Leases, Coastal Erosion Area permits, and Shore Structure permits.

Public Education and Outreach

Initiated an Adopt-a-Beach program in cooperation with Division of Parks and Recreation to work with naturalists, community organizations, schools, and scout groups on beach clean-up and restoration projects. Conducted several LAKERS (Lake-Aware Kids Engaged in Relevant Science) environmental education programs at Old Woman Creek in collaboration with OWC staff.

Presented sessions of a Public Trust Doctrine Workshop for state and local officials and other interested parties. The OCMP collaborated with the University of Toledo's Legal Institute of the Great Lakes to educate these individuals regarding the principles of public trust resource management and ODNR's administration of the PTD with respect to the public trust lands of LakeErie.

Conducts Coast Weeks events annually during September, with activities such as "Explore the Shore Day, educational programs, and displays by the Divisions of Wildlife, Watercraft, Geological Survey, Water, and Real Estate and Land Management.

Hosting the International Conference Coastal Zone 2001 in Cleveland July 2001.

Supports the Division of Geological Survey in giving presentations on coastal erosion, lake levels, sand management, the OCMP, and other Lake Erie related issues.

Research Reserve Coordination and Coastal Training Institute Development

The Ohio Coastal Management Program initiated a joint planning effort with the Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve to foster improved coordination of activities and develop a joint operational plan. Staff from the Ohio Coastal Management Program and Old Woman Creek-National Estuarine Research Reserve identified six principal areas of focus on which they work cooperatively: Coastal Training Institutes development; CZ01 planning; packaging and marketing our programs; developing more active and effective partnerships with GLERL, Ohio Sea Grant, Ohio Lake Erie Commission Office, and other research and educational institutions. The Ohio Coastal Management Program and Old Woman Creek have joined with the Ohio Sea Grant College Program to develop a Coastal Training Program to educate local officials, organizations, and planners regarding innovations in coastal resource management and Sustainable Community development.

Special Area Management Planning

IInitiated development of a Special Area Management Plan in the Mentor Marsh watershed and surrounding communities and garnered active participation of approximately 50 stakeholders. The stakeholders formed an organization, the Marsh Area Regional Coalition (MARC), and formed five task forces: Wetlands and Biodiversity; Land Use; Water Quality; Shoreline Management and Nearshore Issues; and Recreation and Public Access. The Coalition has developed a mission and vision statements, identified strategic issues and developed a written issue characterizations, conducted public outreach events and will finalize an implementation plan in June 2004. The Coalition is now on line at http://www.lakecountyohio.org/planning/marc/.

Submerged Land Management

The Ohio Coastal Management Program, with active involvement of the Coastal Resources Advisory Council, adopted revised Submerged Land Leasing rules to create efficiencies and provide for focus on priority areas.

The Ohio Coastal Management Program supports several initiatives that foster responsible and rewarding underwater diving in Lake Erie. It has published a Divers, Shipwrecks and Ohio Law brochure, helped organize the Maritime Archeology Survey Team (MAST) which is devoted to documenting Ohio's underwater historic resources, and sponsors and participates in annual Shipwreck Archeology courses. MAST now publishes The Manifest newsletter to inform members and others regarding events and ongoing activities. Diver slates illustrating the wrecks of the Adventure, the W.R. Hanna and the F.H. Prince in 2001.

Urban Streams and Watershed Management

The Ohio Coastal Management Program assisted with initial funding of the Urban Streams program, through which seven Urban Streams Specialists were hired in coastal watershed counties to educate and work with local governments and residents to foster urban watershed stewardship in a variety of ways.

The Ohio Coastal Management Program also initiated the Arcola Creek Watershed Study and Planning process under contract with the Lake County Soil and Water Conservation District. The Lake County Soil and Water Conservation District is working to increase support and involvement of watershed stakeholders, inventory the watershed's resources, assess current programs to determine present and future impacts, and provide professional and technical support to "Friends of Arcola Creek." The Lake Soil and Water Conservation District conducted a riparian landowner survey in 1999 and as a result has entered into several conservation easements to protect riparian habitat in the watershed.