Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 7.1 Ottawa River/Tenmile Creek watershed, Ohio
(
www.partnersforcleanstreams.org
). These watersheds are within the Maumee Area
of Concern designated by the International Joint Commission and US Environmen-
tal Protection Area in 1987 as a priority area to address serious and persistent water
quality concerns (MRAC
1990
). The desire to complete this inventory arose from
the realization that the conversion of land to agriculture, residential, commercial
and industrial development has negatively impacted the physical, chemical and
biological properties of the aquatic ecosystems within the two watersheds (Mannik
and Smith and Hull Associates
2009
). The identification of priority wetland,
riparian and stream restoration sites within these watersheds will allow for
improvements to habitat conditions, ecosystem health, and related water quality
through the implementation of standard restoration techniques for such ecosystems
following approaches developed by NRCS (
2003
), ODNR (
no date
), and ODNR
(
2008
).
The Ottawa River/Tenmile Creek watershed encompasses approximately
221 square miles in portions of Lucas and Fulton Counties, Ohio and Lenawee
and Monroe Counties, Michigan (Fig.
7.1
). Its average gradient is 4 ft per mile
and many miles of smaller streams and ditches drain into the main stem rivers
within this watershed. More prominent tributaries include, from downstream to
upstream, Sibley Creek, Heldman Ditch, Hill Ditch, North Tenmile Creek,
Prairie Ditch, Zinc Ditch, Wiregrass Ditch, Roberts Ditch and Schmitz Ditch
