Stream Restoration Ecologist Elizabeth Hiser and WVP Watershed Stewards pose for a group photo at a BEHI (Bank Erosion Hazard Index) training session

West Creek Reservation, July 2022 [Photo credit: Cleveland Metroparks]

Volunteer Science Monitoring

Greetings Watershed Stewards!

Monitoring is a key aspect of the Watershed Volunteer Program. Volunteer science monitoring is a helpful tool for educating the public about common sources of pollution going into our waterways. It is also a great way for volunteers to take an active role in the observation and protection of their environment.

This summer, WVP, along with 16 regional partners, will be piloting a set of Lake Erie water chemistry standards for the collection of DO, pH, conductivity, and water temperature. 

For more information about this program and other monitoring opportunities with

WVP, click the button below and scroll to find the 2022 Volunteer Science Opportunities section. Happy monitoring! 

Best, 

Bre Turner (she/her) 

Community Science Assistant

Watershed Reflections

Thank you so much for your hard work and contributions! We are off to a great start this July with over 100 hours of service! It's been a great month of monitoring. Big shout out to all of our water quality monitors! Thank you to those who joined us to learn about monitoring dragonflies, streambank erosion, and macroinvertebrates!

Independent Invasive Crew

Calling all Invasive plant warriors! Are you someone who loves to weed? Are you well versed in pruning or would like to be? Do you enjoy supporting a biodiverse landscape? Let us know so you can get trained and join our invasive plant management independent project. We have an immediate need for a few helping hands to cut teasel in the West Creek Reservation meadow. This is a great task to get started with because the plant is easily identifiable and for this round can be managed by hand. Email Elizabeth to get started.  

Welcome to Our Newest

Watershed Stewards

Hannah Akel

Jonathan Blados

Catherine Bossert

 Sara Corrigan

 Rita Flanagan

Nolan Fluharty

Carrie Griffith

Eileen Hill-Taylor

Katy Lee

Aleese McCallum

Kyle McGovern

Ella Meges

Janet Noss

Heather Pierce

Eric Rohr

Vicki Straus

Ian Sullivan

Dave Thurau

Caro Volny

Becky Walters

Benjamin Winters

Long-time Enews Volunteers Carrie (left) and Bob (right) at various WVP Events.

[Photo credit: Cleveland Metroparks]

Special Shoutout to Our Enews Team!

This month, we’d like to give a huge thank you to Bob Bennett and Carrie Hansen for their long-term help on WVP’s Enews! Carrie has been our Editor and Bob has overseen the News, Jobs, and event updates sections since 2017...

Watershed Stewards standing in West Creek to study bank erosion at a BEHI (Bank Erosion Hazard Index) training.

West Creek Reservation, July 2022 | [Photo credit: Cleveland Metroparks]

Work Session: Invasive Plant Removal

TOMORROW, Jul 28, 5:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. @ Big Creek Reservation

Training: Bank Erosion Hazard Index (BEHI)

Fri, Aug 5, 10 a.m. - noon @ North Chagrin Reservation

Work Session: Green Infrastructure Maintenance*

Sat, Aug 6, 9 - 11 a.m. @ Huntington Reservation

Work Session: Willow Harvesting

Mon, Aug 8, 9 a.m. - noon @ West Creek Reservation

Work Session: Invasive Plant Removal

Sat, Aug 13, 10 a.m. - noon @ Ohio Erie Canal Reservation

Outreach Event: Backyard Bash

Sat, Aug 13, 11:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. @ West Creek Reservation

Training: Water Chemistry

Mon, Aug 15, 6 - 8 p.m. @ Rocky River Reservation

*Open to the public. WVP volunteers, please log into Volgistics to register.

Our Partners, the Tinker's Creek Watershed Partners (TCWP) are currently looking for volunteers to monitor water chemistry on the last two Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays of every month. To get started, new volunteers must attend a 15-minute training at the Tinker's Creek office where they will learn how to operate equipment and record data. After attending the first training, volunteers will be free to sample sites on their own. During each sampling session volunteers will visit 2 - 4 sites with at least one other volunteer. Each sampling session will take approximately 2 hours and consist of chemistry monitoring and E.coli sampling. If you are interested in monitoring with Tinker's Creek as part of an independent project, please: 

• Email us at wvpinfo@clevelandmetroparks.com, to let us know. 
• Register for a future training on their SignUp Genius here. 

American Association for the Advancement of Science | Regional Reflections on Green Infrastructure and Nature-Based Solutions: Great Lakes*

TODAY—July 27, 1 - 2:30 p.m. Register here to join this webinar to learn about the unique green infrastructure and nature-based solutions that are being implemented across the Great Lakes.

USDA Forest Service | July 2022 Webinar by the Interagency Ecological Restoration Quality Committee*

TOMORROW⁠—July 28, 11 a.m. - noon. Register here to join this webinar to discuss expected climate change impacts, forest vulnerability, and tree species projections for the Western Great Lakes States.

Ohio Sea Grant | Freshwater Science: Using Bacteria to Remove Microcystin from Drinking Water*

TOMORROW—July 28, noon - 12:30 p.m. Register here to join this webinar to learn about different methods that can be used to prevent harmful algal bloom toxins from entering our drinking water.

Summer Master Rain Gardener Course*

Aug 3-Sep 7, Wednesdays, 10 a.m. -2 p.m. Register here to join this class workshop and learn how to design, build, and care for residential rain gardens.

Removal of Cyanobacteria Blooms*

Aug 3, 12 p.m. Join the Algal Bloom Action Team for their webinar series focused on the removal of cyanobacterial blooms. Presenters, Dr. Halis Simsek and Dr. Pankaj Bhatt discuss the HABs research being conducted in their lab at Purdue University. More specifically, how cyanophages interact with the cyanobacteria and how this knowledge is applied to remove blooms. Register here.

Cuyahoga County Public Library | Moses Cleaveland Trees: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow*

Aug 8, 7 - 8 p.m. (Brooklyn Branch): Register here to join Dr. Roy Larick to learn about the magnificent Moses Cleaveland Tree Specimens (they are photogenic!) and how they can help us grow a more natural urban canopy.

Chagrin River Watershed Partners | Wildwood Bioretention Maintenance**

Aug 12, 9 a.m. - noon. Contact us here to join Cleveland Metroparks staff members and fellow volunteers in maintaining bioretention cells in the Wildwood Park parking lot by weeding, picking up trash, and more!

Cleveland Metroparks | Digital Emerald Necklace*

Read and watch here.

USEPA | Advancing Watershed Protection Through Land Conservation*

Click here to read or download this new guide aimed at showing how land trusts can advance their watershed protection efforts.

Ohio Farm Bureau Federation | 2022 Water Quality Status Report*

Read here.

*WVP volunteers can submit supplemental hours in Volgistics under (S:L) Conference/Symposium/Workshop/Webinar/Tour by August 30.

**WVP volunteers can submit supplemental hours in Volgistics under (S:R/O) Watershed Partner Event Support by August 30.

V. boliviana -- the largest waterlily in the world -- produces various flowers throughout the year.

The flowers change color from white to pink.

[Photo Credit: Lucy Smith]

New Species of Giant Waterlily Is the Largest in the World | Read on

Cleveland Water Alliance Commentary: Let’s Responsibly Manage the Great Lakes’ Precious Water Economy | Read on

Historic Cincinnati Black Cemetery Tries to Uncover the Source of a Year-Long Sewage Problem | Read on

Researchers and Conservationists Use Logs and Branches to Protect Ohio’s Streams | Read on

TikTok Stunts Like ‘Frog Army’ Threaten Ecosystems | Read on

PhD Opportunity in Stream Restoration and Invasive Species  

Virginia Tech – Blacksburg, VA | Apply here Starting Date January 2023 

Civil/Agricultural Engineer - 2 Openings

Ohio NRCS - Chillicothe & Zanesville, OH | Apply here Closes 8/1/22

Postdoctoral Associate (Developing Climate Smart Invasive Species Management Strategies)

Cornell - Ithaca, NY |  Apply Here Due July 29

Invasive Species Fellow

University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA | Apply Here Due August 1

Ecological Restoration Technician

Enviroscience - Stow, OH |  Apply Here

Staff Environmental Scientist

Burns McDonnell - Columbus, OH |  Apply Here

Postdoctoral Scholar - Watershed And Water Quality Modeling

The Ohio State University - Columbus, OH  |  Apply Here Posted 7/12/22

Education Program Coordinator

Ohio River Foundation - Columbus, OH  | Apply Here 

Conservation And Parks Technician-Pt, Mitchell Memorial Forest

Great Parks of Hamilton County - Cleves, OH  |  Apply Here Posted 7/19

Wetland Scientist

CTL Engineering - Columbus, OH | Apply Here Posted 7/17/22

Water Resources Specialist  

Dauphin County Conservation District - Dauphin, PA | Apply here Open Until Filled 

Water Resources Engineering Project Manager  

Davey Tree - Gainesville, VA | Apply here Open Until Filled  

Environmental Technician 

Davey Tree - Cincinnati/Bethel, Ohio | Apply here Open Until Filled 

Stormwater Program Manager 

Licking Soil & Water Conservation District - Newark, OH | Apply here Open until filled

Conservation Educator 

Licking Soil & Water Conservation District - Newark, OH | Apply here Open until filled