brwp insert

7/28/2019 BRWP Insert

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/brwp-insert 1/4

BLANCHARD RIVER?

is our

turn the page to fnd out

JUST HOW

clean



It’s the region where surace water ows rom higher points

and drains to a central point, like the Blanchard River.

Everyone lives in a watershed. The Blanchard River is the

major watershed in Hancock County (71%), and has six-

subwatersheds through Allen, Hancock, Hardin, Putnam, Seneca

and Wyandot Counties. The Blanchard is also a sub-watershed

o the Maumee River basin, draining into Lake Erie and all part

o America’s greatest reshwater resource, the Great Lakes.Twenty-one percent o all the WORLD’S reshwater is in the

Great Lakes!

of the BLANCHARD RIVER shows that only 40% of our

waterways meet this GOAL of the Clean Water Act. TheREMAINING 60% NEEDS HELP.

THE GOAL OF THE U.S. CLEAN WATER ACT IS TO ACHIEVE

IN EVERY BODY OF WATER A LEVEL OR PURITY THAT AT

LEAST SUPPORTS FISHING AND SWIMMING.

IS OUR WATER CLEAN?

THE LATEST WATER QUALITY STUDY

}OF OURWATERWAYS

DO NOTMEET GOAL

60%60%

WHAT DOES THE WATERSHED

HAVE TO DO WITH FLOODING?The slope o the land and the amount o precipitation in the watershed determines which areas will ood. Flooding occurs in all

watersheds and has great eect on residents, businesses and property owners. The Blanchard River Watershed Partnership (BRWP)

is very interested in ooding. However, the ocus o the BRWP is on water quality and how the water quality can be maintained and

improved using natural solutions and other Best Management Practices.

WHAT IS A WATERSHED?

PUTNAM

HANCOCK

SENECA

ALLEN

HARDIN

WYANDOT

A U G L A I Z E

R .

BLANCHARD R.

CRANBERRYCREEK

subwatershed

OTTAWACREEK

subwatershed

EAGLECREEK

subwatershed

THEOUTLET/LYE

CREEKsubwatershed

RILEYCREEK subwatershed

HEADWATERSsubwatershed

MAUMEE RIVER LAKE ERIE



drinking water

commerce recreation

agriculture

WHY YOU SHOULD CARE

ABOUT CLEAN WATER...WATER QUALITY AFFECTS EVERYONE

drinking water

commerce

agriculture

recreation

WATERQUALITY

approximately 80% of the people in thewatershed drink Blanchard River water.

Farming and related businesses are the basis ofour local economy. The annual value of our localagri-business is estimated to be more than a

BILLION DOLLARS!

One o the major pollutants ound

in the waterways is pathogens or

fecal bacteria. The source(s) o

the pathogens are:

• ailing home septic systems

(human waste)

• animal waste

• contaminated storm water

runo

Reducing pathogens will make

the water saer or living

organisms and or drinking.

Water is an important part o many

manuacturing processes. In addition

to being a part o many nished

products, water is used to heat, cool

and clean in many actories.

The availability o abundant clean

water at a low cost helps keep existing

companies in our counties andattracts new ones. Reducing sediment

and pollutants in our ditches, streams

and river reduces the cost o water

purication treatment and helps

maintain the quality o our well water.

Many river access sites, trails

and nature preserves orm

an extensive parks system in

the watershed. Easy access to

shing, boating and hiking is

available or great getaways

to enjoy the outdoors. A ew

hours o resh air and sunshine

along the river, without a long

drive, can be a “wilderness

adventure”, or close to it!

Water is making the Midwest a veryattractive location or industries that need

large quanities o water and or bringing

qualied employees to our Great Lake region.

Anyone who enjoys canoeing, shing, hikingor swimming, be it along the Blanchard

River or Lake Erie, should be concerned with

water-quality.

The Blanchard River watershed covers

nearly 495,000 acres, o which over 80%

is used or agriculture purposes. Farming

is the largest industry in the watershed.

Water or irrigation and livestock is a major

actor in the success o our agricultural

heritage.

The arming community is very aware o

their contribution to sediment, phosphorus,

and nitrogen loading into the waterwayso the watershed. The Algal Bloom in Lake

Erie is directly linked to these loadings.

Reducing sediment, phosphorus, and

nitrogen loading will improve water quality.

The value o ood production and clean

water is vital to sustain our quality o lie.



WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP...

BLANCHARD RIVER WATERSHED PARTNERSHIPweb: www.blanchardriver.org | email: [email protected] | address: PO Box 1237 | Findlay, OH 45839-1237

CLEAN WATER. BRIGHT FUTURE. The Blanchard River Watershed Partnership is, frst and oremost, an advocate or clean water, our community’s most precious

resource. We are a collaborator, educator, data keeper, acilitator and unding conduit. But what does all o that mean? We coordinate eorts with other

organizations to keep the Blanchard River and its tributaries clean. Clean enough or swimming, fshing, canoeing and or processed consumption. Clean water

is a valuable resource not only or recreation, but or all consumers o water including individuals and businesses. Clean water. Bright uture. That’s our motto!

The Blanchard River Watershed Partnership is incorporated as an Ohio non-proft organization approved as an IRS 501 (c)(3) tax exempt group.

URBAN AREAS:use phosphorus-ree ertilizer

use rain barrels, plant a rain garden

direct downspouts away rom paved suraces

when living by a stream, create a buer

never dump anything down storm drains or into streams

wash your car in the yard or at a car wash

pick up ater your pet

check your car or leaks and recycle your motor oil

recycle all medicines, do not fush or dump them down the drain

have your septic tank pumped and system inspected regularly

AGRICULTURE AREAS:develop a Nutrient Management Plan or your arm

use Cover Crops every year

use Conservation Crop Rotation

use a Drainage Management Plan

use Filter Strips/Riparian Buers

use Residue/Tillage Management Plan

- No Till, Mulch Tillage, and Conservation Tillage

create and restore wetlands

have your septic tank pumped and system inspected regularly

VOLUNTEERJOIN / DONATE GET INVOLVED

THE SOURCE OF ALL BLANCHARD RIVER IMPAIRMENTS ARE HUMAN-RELATED ACTIVITIES. HERE ARE SOME THINGS YOU CAN DO TO HELP:

brwp insert

Documents