Western Lake Erie Basin - Urban Waters Federal Partnership 29 April 2014 at Wildwood Metropark, 1-3 pm Meeting Notes I. Opening Presentation A. Welcome and Introductions Approximately 45 participants per sign-in sheet B. Purpose of Meeting Focus on ideas / topics / themes from first two meetings (Nov 2013, Feb 2014) How federal agencies can help locals with their priority water projects C. Review of Last UW Meeting - Themes / Issues People need to experience their waters to appreciate Algal problems (drinking water, recreation, etc.) Climate change / extreme weather considerations Load assessments /TMDL needed for nutrients Sediment control Open lake dumping issues Failing small WWTPs, septic systems, CSOs, SSOs Need to increase stakeholder base - engage, educate, empower Water should be integral to business, recreation, and economics Things people can do in homes / neighborhoods to protect waterways Utilize great local news station and radio spots Need more riparian buffers to filter Phosphorus Need more areas with public access to waters for boating Education - lack of understanding from general citizens Find people we are not already reaching / not current constituents Earth week celebrations, volunteer monitoring, teacher workshops II. Examples from Other Urban Waters Locations Workplans from different locations were presented (NW Indiana, LA, Philly) NW Indiana breaks down into four workgroups by sub-watershed. (Three watershed workgroups have CWA 319 funding, and one is a Great Lakes AOC.) Each UW location can choose to focus as they would like, form committees, to meet their issues / needs / goals. III. How Do We Want to Structure Ourselves? Brainstorming... Suggestion to define urban area, our geographical zone Page 1 of 3 ------- Need more community folks and local groups represented, including EJ and underserved residents (evening meetings suggested sometimes) Wellness focus, use green space, develop trails (Health Dept, Forestry, DOT funds potentially for these types of projects; zoo and Metroparks has green space development) People want to connect to water that is nice / clean... thus ecosystems are important as they help provide clean water, and land acquisition important to restore more land (Middlegrounds project is a good example) Can UW can help with land acquisition? - should we work on high quality lands, or low quality ones that need work? TNC working on template - how increase use of natural areas by urban/ EJ communities Urban gardening groups, reach out to them (Toledo Grows) Lucas County Land Bank - how to use abandoned properties Try to get Trust for Public Land involved (office in Cleveland) How to make Lake Erie a destination for fishing, swimming, economic development? Have a public outreach booth at shows to talk about water quality and how it affects everyone. Lake Erie Protection Fund - count some of their work as match for other projects? (funds are from license plate fees) Get people down to use the water and offer watershed information (boat rides, naturalist talk, DW source) Sandpiper would welcome speakers from UW partners - 20 minute presentations (for example, naturalist from Metroparks speaks once a month) Hard to get funding for education and outreach materials; need DW source information. Get people to help with river and stream clean-ups, then they appreciate and understand better where their drinking water comes from Sustainability plan Public education and outreach - understanding and awareness needed / social change; Know the message we want to share, know how to measure if effective, need social science! (Ml recent study of behavior change after outreach - future topic?) Sediment issues at Cullen Park - coming from rural upstream, WWTP, etc.? Dredging issues - open lake dumping vs place in islands Social media campaign, how to change behaviors Map the EJ areas, natural areas, and social survey results to see where to focus efforts Start educational components first, then programs will follow Page 2 of 3 ------- Program workgroups preferred (not sub-watersheds) - potentially Urban Stormwater / Gl / BMP Team; and Land Planning / Mapping & baseline conditions; and Economic Development Teams Check other plans for top three topics that need help IV. Missing Partners or Resources Community groups and residents Toledo Grows Lucas County Land Bank Trust for Public Lands Green space funding - Forestry or DOT Health and Wellness funding - Dept of Health Social Science / Social Change - need info and data (find Ml study report) V. Wrap Up and Next Steps Will consolidate ideas and consider workgroups to focus on specific programs Schedule next meeting for mid-summer? Doodle poll will be sent Page 3 of 3 ------- |