COLUMBUS, OH -- Twenty-two miles of the Upper Chagrin River, located in Geauga and Cuyahoga counties, were officially designated today as "scenic" by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). The designation provides increased protection and stream quality monitoring for the river.
At a morning ceremony, ODNR Director Sam Speck signed the official journal entry, naming that portion of the river that lies between the Woodiebrook Road Bridge in Munson Township and the confluence of the Aurora Branch in Bentleyville as a state scenic river.
By ensuring long-term protection of the Upper Chagrin State Scenic River, state and local partners are demonstrating their commitment to cleaner, healthier water in this stream and in all Ohio waterways, said Director Speck.
The new portion complements 49 miles of the lower Chagrin River that were designated as scenic in 1979 and brings to 71 the total number of miles along the Chagrin River that are now designated as scenic by the State of Ohio.
A designation as "scenic" helps preserve the natural qualities of Ohio's finer streams so that both present and future generations can experience their untouched beauty. Any state, county or local government-funded project that might impact a state scenic river must receive approval from ODNRs state scenic rivers program.
We emphasize a wise-use approach to protecting state scenic rivers, said Stu Lewis, chief of ODNRs Division of Natural Areas & Preserves. Not only do we strive to alleviate potential impacts on scenic rivers, we offer technical advice to communities on ways to protect these invaluable waterways.
In addition to increased project oversight, the new designation will extend stream quality monitoring to the new 22-mile segment of the Chagrin River. Each of Ohio's state scenic rivers is monitored throughout the year to gauge the aquatic health of the stream. Equipped with fishing net, magnifying glass and thermometer, volunteers wade into shallow, "riffled" areas of a waterway looking for macroinvertebrates such as insects, crayfish, mussels, snails and worms.
Ohio's Scenic Rivers Program is the oldest in the nation and works through a partnership of citizen groups, individual property owners and all levels of government to protect streams.
Covering an area of 264 square miles, the Chagrin River watershed encompasses portions of Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake and Portage counties. More than 60 species of fish, including the potentially threatened American Brook Lamprey, call the Chagrin River watershed home. The most notable aquatic resident of the upper watershed is the native Ohio Brook Trout, found in the Spring Brook tributary. Much of the area along the Chagrin River benefits from a healthy corridor of trees.
Efforts to extend the scenic designation to the river's headwaters began several years ago. A number of local officials and organizations have worked toward that goal, including the Chagrin River Watershed Partners and the Chagrin River Land Conservancy. ODNR's Division of Natural Areas & Preserves surveyed the upper reaches of the watershed last year and recommended the scenic river designation be extended to those areas.
There are 20 scenic river segments on 11 streams across Ohio. In northeastern Ohio, portions of the Chagrin, Grand and Upper Cuyahoga rivers - as well as portions of Little Beaver Creek - are designated as scenic.