Solon Hawthorne Creek Restoration

In 2014, the City of Solon received an Ohio EPA Nonpoint Source Implementation grant for $105,000 to complete a stream restoration of Hawthorne Creek, a tributary to Tinker’s Creek in the Cuyahoga River watershed.  Tinker’s Creek is the largest tributary to the Cuyahoga River and a recognized National Heritage River.  Hawthorne Creek is within the subwatershed of Beaver Meadow Run, which drains an area of 8.05 square miles.  Twenty-eight percent of the Beaver Meadow Run subwatershed is composed of either urban or impervious land cover, and the Ohio EPA determined in 2007 that Hawthorne Creek was in non-attainment of its warmwater habitat (WWH) water quality standards due to increased erosion and sedimentation from impervious cover and suburban development.

 

The City of Solon provided a $70,440 cash match commitment to the project, and CRWP assisted the City with project reporting, plan review, construction oversight, and project outreach.  CRWP also coordinated with Tinker’s Creek Watershed Partners on education and outreach deliverables and watershed information.  The project was completed in spring of 2016 and restored 430 linear feet of severely eroding streambank and an acre of riparian habitat and reduced approximately 118 pounds/year of nitrogen, 59 pounds/year of phosphorus, and 59 tons/year of sediment from entering Hawthorne Creek, bringing it significantly closer to achieving attainment of WWH water quality standards. Projects like these illustrate the importance of maintaining healthy riparian cover and protecting streamside habitat, which help to stabilize streambanks, minimize erosion, and reduce the harmful effects of urban stormwater runoff and pollution.