VermilionSRStudy

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Vermilion Scenic River Designation Study 1

Vermilion Scenic RiverDesignation Study

A study of the Vermilion River forinclusion into Ohios Scenic Rivers System

Prepared byTim Kwiatkowski

Vermilion River ManagerNorthwest Ohio Scenic Rivers

January 2010

Ohio Department of Natural ResourcesDivision of Watercraft &

Division of Natural Areas and Preserves


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Vermilion Scenic River Designation Study2

Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................3Introduction ..................................................................................................................5Executive Summary ....................................................................................................... 7

Criteria or Wild, Scenic and Recreational River Designation ........................................ 8Scenic River Designation Process ...................................................................................10General Description o the Vermilion River...................................................................11Natural Features o the Vermilion River Corridor

Geology ...............................................................................................................25Plants ..................................................................................................................25Invertebrates ........................................................................................................25Molluscs ..............................................................................................................27Fish ..................................................................................................................... 27Amphibians .........................................................................................................29Reptiles ...............................................................................................................30Birds.................................................................................................................... 30Mammals ............................................................................................................33

Cultural History o the Vermilion River Watershed .......................................................35Land and Water Resources ............................................................................................ 39Vermilion River Corridor Protection .............................................................................43Stream Biological Diversity and Water Quality .............................................................. 46

Present and Potential Treats ......................................................................................... 52Conservation E orts ..................................................................................................... 55Designation Criteria and Findings .................................................................................58

Appendix Literature Citations .......................................................................................................63Ohio Scenic River Law .................................................................................................. 64Resolutions o Support ................................................................................................. 67

Table of Contents


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Acknowledgements

On behal o the Ohio Department o Natural Resources (ODNR), Division o Watercra t, I wish to thank theollowing individuals and groups or their time and assistance. Teir commitment to the designation o the

Vermilion River made this study possible.

Yetty Alley, ODNR, O ce of Coastal Management Ted Conlin, Ohio EPA, Division of Surface Water Eric Dodrill, Erie Soil and Water Conservation District Robert Ford, ODNR, Division of Wildlife Mary Garvin, Oberlin College Mike Hallfrisch, ODNR Division of Soil & Water Resources Sarah Hazzard, OSU Museum of Natural History Breann Hohman, Firelands Coastal Tributaries Steve Lewis, ODNR, O ce of Coastal Management Robert McCall, OSU Extension Katie McKibben, Ohio EPA, Division of Surface Water Tom Moes, Moes Marina

Dana Oleskiewicz, OSU Extension Robert Sasalla, Friends of Vermilion Carrie Sowden, Great Lakes Historical Society Steve Tuckerman, Ohio EPA, Division of Surface Water

I also appreciate the help and support received by my colleagues at ODNRs divisions o Natural Areas andPreserves and Watercraft. Natural Areas sta include: Heidi Hetzel-Evans, public information o cer; MMoser, Natural Heritage ecologist; and Gary Obermiller, North Regional Preserves manager. Watercraftinclude: Pam Dillon, chief; Bill McGarity; deputy chief; Bob Gable, Scenic Rivers Program manager;Northwest Ohio Scenic Rivers manager; Anne Coburn-Gri s, Northwest Ohio SQM coordinator; ButchGrieszmer, eco-analyst; Matthew Smith, Northeast Ohio Assistant Scenic Rivers manager; Natalie Pirvu,Ohio Scenic Rivers manager; Steve Roloson, Northeast Ohio Scenic Rivers manager; and John Wolary,Ohio Scenic Rivers manager. A note o appreciation to Matt Adkins, program coordinator, rom ODNRsDivision o Soil and Water Resources or his contributions.

is designation study was funded through a grant from ODNRs O ce of Coastal Management (OCMdivision appreciates the support of John Watkins, OCM chief and Lynnette Berkey, OCM grants coord

Te support o this study in Erie and Lorain counties led to the designation process. Resolutions o support werepassed by the boards o commissioners in Erie and Lorain counties, as well as the Vermilion city council, villageof Kipton, and Brownhelm, Camden and Henrietta townships. Other agencies in support of the studythe Erie Soil and Water Conservation District, Erie Regional Planning Commission and the metropolitan park districts o Erie and Lorain counties.

Timothy J. KwiatkowskiVermilion River ManagerOhio Department o Natural ResourcesDivision o Watercra t


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Tis report was prepared by Ohio Department o Natural Resources divisions o Natural Areas and Preservesand Watercra t under awards NA08NOS4190434 and NA06NOS4190185 rom the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce through the Ohio Department of NaturalResources O ce of Coastal Management. e statements, ndings, conclusions and recommendations are tho the author(s) and do not necessarily re ect the views o the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,U.S. Department of Commerce through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources O ce of CoastalManagement.


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Ohio pioneered the river preservation movement withthe enactment o Senate bill 345 by the 107th General Assembly on February 28, 1968. Te Ohio Wild,Scenic and Recreational River Act was the rst of its

kind and predated the National Wild and Scenic River Act. Te purpose o establishing scenic rivers is to helpprotect and preserve the few remaining high-qualitynatural rivers in the state.

Until July 2009, the Ohio Scenic Rivers Program wasadministered by the Ohio Department o NaturalResources (ODNR), Division o Natural Areas andPreserves; it is now managed by ODNRs Divisiono Watercra t. Tis report was nearly complete atthe time of the program transfer; both divisions were instrumental in the designation process o the

Vermilion River.

Te mission o the Ohio Scenic Rivers Program is to work cooperatively with local governments, businesses,landowners, non-pro t organizations and other stateand federal agencies to protect the aquatic resourcesand terrestrial communities dependent on healthy riparian corridors. Te states Scenic River Act (see page64) provides or three categories o designation.

Wild rivers are those which are generally inaccessible,the oodplain is undeveloped, the river is ree owingand 75 percent o the adjacent corridor is orested to adepth o at least 300 eet.

Scenic river designation is representative o a waterway which still retains much o its natural character orthe majority o its length. Shorelines are or the mostpart undeveloped, but the river may exhibit signs o disturbance by human activities. Te adjacent corridormust be orested to a minimum depth o 300 eet or25 percent o the streams length.

Recreational rivers are those rivers which do not possessthe same degree of natural quality found in Wild orScenic rivers, yet warrant protection due to uniquecultural and/or important historical attributes. Tein uence o human activities is much more apparenton rivers with this classi cation.

Ohio currently has 14 designated Wild, Scenic and/or Recreational rivers comprising 25 stream segments.

Introduction

About 800 river miles are protected in Ohios scenicrivers system. Tree state designated streams, theBig and Little Darby Creek, Little Beaver Creek andLittle Miami River are also designated as NationalScenic rivers.

ODNR recognizes that partnerships and localcooperation are key to e ective river preservatione orts. Rivers are studied or possible designation only a ter receiving resolutions o support rom a majority othe local governments adjacent to the river. Designationstudies incorporate extensive eld investigations and

data review with the assistance and input o numerouslocal organizations and individuals.

Upon designation of a river as Wild, Scenic orRecreational, the director o ODNR appoints avolunteer Scenic River Advisory Council whichrepresents local interests within the watershed.Members often include private citizens, localgovernment o cials, conservation organizations

Te Little Miami State and National Scenic River was the rst river to join Ohios scenic river system. oday, there are14 state scenic rivers in the program.


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and property owners. Scenic River advisory councilsadvise ODNR on local areas o concern related to thepreservation o a designated river.

Designation as a Wild, Scenic or Recreational riveris not a river restoration tool designed to restore adegraded stream to an improved natural condition. Itis much more e ective as a means of recognizing theunique characteristics of a stream and coordinatingriver preservation activities among diverse state

and local government agencies, organizations andindividuals. When combined with the statutory authority to review and approve publicly undedprojects on designated rivers, this designation helpsensure that decisions and activities which may impact ariver are conducted in an environmentally sensitive andresponsible manner.

To best understand the context of the informationprovided in this report, it is important to recognizethat the role o Ohios Scenic River Act is to identi y and protect those rivers and streams possessingcharacteristics of state signi cance. e Ohio ScenicRivers Program seeks to identi y and designate the ew remaining river systems which have retained their mostnatural characteristics.

Te purpose o this examination o the VermilionRiver watershed is to determine whether the VermilionRiver meets state Wild, Scenic or Recreational riverdesignation criteria. Additionally, this report representsa recommendation related to whether any o the watershed should be recognized as a component ofOhios scenic rivers system.

Vermilion River

Introduction continued


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Criteria for Wild, Scenic and RecreationalRiver Designation

Te ollowing criteria (under authority o Ohio RevisedCode 1547.81) is used to determine whether a streammeets the standards or Wild, Scenic or RecreationalRiver Designation.

To obtain Wild River Designation , the ollowingcriteria must be met:

1. Te proposed Wild river segment must be 100percent ree owing (i.e. existing or owing in a naturalchannel condition without impoundments, diversions,straightening or other modi cations of the riverchannel).

2. Roads are permissible within 300 eet o the river,but may not comprise more than 10 percent o the

Wild river segment. Limited access highway crossingsare permitted but no more than one crossing per15 miles o river. No more than an average o tworesidential dwellings are permitted within 300 eet o the river per mile o river length.

3. For maximum bene t, the total length of thedesignated section o the Wild river segment may be noless than 15 continuous river miles.

4. No commercial or industrial development ispermitted within 300 eet o the stream or withinthe visual corridor, whichever is less. No more than5 percent o the rivers watershed may be covered

with impervious sur aces upstream o the Wild riversegment.

5. Te area adjacent to at least 75 percent o thestream length, considering both banks, shall be innative orest or wetland outward rom the river to adepth o 300 eet or greater. In addition, 50 percento the remaining corridor shall be in native orest or

wetland outward rom the river to a depth o 120 eetor greater.

6. All of the Wild river segment must equal or excethe Ohio EPAs exceptional warmwater or coldwaterhabitat standards unless natural conditions (i.e.gradient or ow) within the river segment limit thestreams ability to attain these standards. Te streamsegment, however, must be per orming to its highestpotential with regard to biological diversity and waterquality given the naturally occurring limitations. Ifthe quality of the waters at any time falls below these


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Scenic River Designation Process

Step 1: Determine if the river proposed fordesignation meets the minimum length and widthrequirements.

Te proposed portions o the Vermilion River mainstem and East Fork exceed the minimum length o 5miles and also have a mean sur ace width greater than10 eet.

Step 2: Obtain resolutions of support for thedesignation study from at least 50 percent of thelocal political subdivisions located within 1,000 feet of the area proposed for designation.

In 2007, the ODNR Division o Natural Areas andPreserves received a grant from ODNRs O ce ofCoastal Management to develop a watershed actionplan or the Vermilion River and provide unding or aVermilion Scenic River Designation study.

Resolutions o support were passed by the ollowinggovernments: the boards o commissioners o Erie andLorain counties; city of Vermilion; village of Kipton;Brownhelm, Camden and Henrietta townships;Erie and Lorain County metropolitan park districts;Erie Soil and Water Conservation District; and ErieRegional Planning Commission.

Step 3: Collect background and resourceinformation on the natural and cultural history of the watershed.

Topographic maps were obtained from ODNRsDivision o Geological Survey. River mile maps romthe Ohio EPA were used as re erences or this study.Maps were created by Watercra t sta and ODNRsO ce of Coastal Management.

Biological studies were acquired from the Ohio EPA

and the Ohio Natural Heritage Database. Cultural data was collected rom the Great Lakes Historical Society,Vermilion Public Library, Wakeman Public Library,Inland Seas Maritime Museum and the Internet.

Several public meetings and private interviews wereheld to discuss the Ohio Scenic Rivers Program,scenic river designation process and provide additionalinformation as requested locally.

Step 4: Conduct a river inventory to document theexisting condition of the rivers corridor within 300feet of the river.

Scenic Rivers sta completed several canoe trips on theriver, as well as hiked adjacent river lands includingthose held by the Lorain County Metropolitan Park District and where landowner permission was granted.Digital photographs were taken to document speci careas and satellite imaging was used to veri y ripariancorridor measurements.

Step 5: Complete the designation study report and submit recommendation to the Director of ODNR.

Pertinent information from the research and eld work phases was compiled into this designationstudy. Based on eld surveys and supporting data, itis recommended that the ollowing portions o theVermilion River be designated:

Vermilion River main stem rom the ErieCounty line at river mile 19.7 to the Vermilion Harborat river mile 1.8. Te total distance recommended orScenic River designation on the Vermilion River mainstem is 17.9 miles.

East Fork from the Kipton Reservoir at rivermile 7.4 to the Vermilion River main stem at river mile0.0. Te total distance recommended or Scenic Riverdesignation on the East Fork is 7.4 river miles.

A total o 25.3 miles o the Vermilion River, includingthe main stem and East Fork, quali es for and isrecommended or designation as an Ohio Scenic River.

Step 6: e Director of ODNR may then declarehis intent to designate a river as Wild, Scenicor Recreational by placing a legal notice in the

principal county newspaper and by informing applicable public o cials in writing.

Step 7: After 30 days have elapsed and a publichearing has been conducted, the Director shall makethe designation o cial by making an entry into his journal.


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General Description of theVermilion Watershed

OverviewLocated in north central Ohio, the Vermilion River

watershed encompasses 264 square miles throughportions of ve counties. e river is divided into10 di erent hydrological units, or sub watersheds,consisting o tributaries which drain into the river.

Te Vermilion River begins at an elevation o 1,053 eetabove sea level and ows in a northeasterly directionthrough Ashland, Erie, Huron and Lorain counties where it eventually reaches Lake Erie in the city o Vermilion. By then the river has dropped 459 eet withan average gradient o 7.17 eet per river mile to anelevation o 594 eet above sea level.

Te headwaters o the Vermilion are located in thevillage o Bailey Lakes. Te river begins at Bailey Lake,a small, shallow, spring-fed lake which is privatelyowned. A ew homes are located along the southwestcorner o the lake and one individual home is locatedon the northeast corner o the lake. Te Bailey Lakes wastewater treatment plant is located near thenorthwest corner, just o Lake Road. Te lake itsel

is scattered with lily pads and other rooted aquaticvegetation and provides habitat or an abundance o

water owl.

Te ollowing description o the Vermilion Rivermain stem and East Fork tributary was developedusing 2008 eld inspections. Ohio Scenic Rivers stcanoed and hiked as much o the area described aspossible, beginning at the headwaters o each streamand progressing downstream. Te location descriptionsare based on river miles, which are measured upstream

rom the mouth o any river or stream. For example,river mile 2.5 is 2.5 miles upstream rom the moutho the river. River mileage numbers correspond withriver mileage maps developed by the Ohio EPA. Teterminology, river le t and river right, re er to theleft-hand or right-hand side of the river channel wh

acing downstream.

A key component of this study is the width and qo the riparian bu er which encompasses the areadirectly adjacent to the river channel throughout thestudy area. Riparian means adjacent to water. Intact,


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Stream Segments of the Vermilion Riverrecommended for Scenic River Designation


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General Description continued

Te next landmark is the County Road 500 Bridgeat river mile 60.2. Excellent orested bu er borderseach side o the stream until river mile 60.1. At thispoint on river right, row crops line the riparian bu er,

which ranges rom a ew eet to 60 eet in some places.

Although the bu er is thin in this section, the riverhas access to its oodplain. Downstream the woodedriparian bu er ranges rom 120 to more than 300 eetuntil river mile 59.65 where the stream ows underthe State Route 250 bridge again. At this point thebu er has been cut away and row crops align the bu er,

which consists o no more than 20 trees in one area.Te oodplain remains open with grassy vegetation to a

width o 60 eet on river right and 25 eet on river le t.Te streams substrate consists o some cobble, graveland sand.

Downstream, rom river mile 59.65 to river mile 59.0,a wooded riparian bu er measures up to 60 eet wide.Local land use is primarily agricultural consisting o hay

elds and row crops. A deep wooded riparian bu erbegins on river right at river mile 59.0. Tis heavily

wooded corridor continues to river mile 56.2 whereState Route 224 crosses the river. Te area in exceptionis river mile 56.8 downstream to river mile 56.7 wherethe bu er narrows to 50 eet on river right and 110 eeton river le t. Row crops exist outside this narrow bu er.Te substrate through this section consists o some

cobble, gravel and sand.

From river mile 56.2 to river mile 56.1, the riparianbu er ranges in width from 80-160 feet on river right;

with a residential dwelling at the edge o this bu er.On river le t, the riparian bu er widens out to 220 eet

with another residence adjacent to it. Downstream,the bu er expands beyond 300 eet wide on both sideso the stream until river mile 55.5 where State Route250 comes within 180 eet o the channel. Here theriver turns east with the riparian bu er on both sidesexceeding 300 eet. On river right at river mile 55.2,the bu er narrows to a width o 110 eet where anestablished farm eld with row crops is located.

Te riparian bu er is greatly reduced on the le t bank o the river rom river mile 54.9 to river mile 54.6 withrow cropping the predominant eature. An excellentbu er however continues on the right bank o theriver. At river mile 54.6, the riparian bu er exceeds300 eet in width on both sides o the river. Te bu er

beginning at river mile 54.2 to Township Road 126narrows to a width that ranges from 50-180 feet onboth banks o the river. Row cropping borders thesenarrow bu ers. Te substrate in these sections iscomprised o some cobble, gravel, sand and silt.

Te section o the stream rom river mile 53.95 to theBaltimore and Ohio Railroad Bridge at river mile 53.55is mostly agricultural; the river meanders through a wooded bu er ranging from 50-200 feet wide. Oncepast the railroad bridge, the riparian bu er opens up tomore than 300 eet. With such a narrow bu er in thebeginning o this section o stream, agricultural runo and erosion creates a substrate which is mostly sand andsilt, limiting biological diversity.

Downstream at river mile 53.5, Buck Creek enters thestream at river right, which increases in-stream water

ow and expands the channel. Again, a limited analysiso Buck Creek indicated that it would not meet thecriteria or Scenic river designation and thus it is notincluded in this study. Te riparian bu er on the rightexceeds 300 eet and is about 200 eet wide on thele t until river mile 52.8. At this point, agriculturalpractices have reduced the bu er to just a ew trees onriver left and about 50 feet on river right. Under high

ow conditions the river exceeds its banks and oodsthe surrounding elds, bringing large amounts ofsediment into the stream.

A riparian bu er, exceeding 300 eet, develops at rivermile 52.3 on the left; on the right a bu er begins at80 eet and widens to more than 300 eet until theTownline Road bridge at the Ashland-Huron countyline. A residential dwelling has been built on river right

which has reduced all cover to the rivers edge. Tesubstrate through this section o river is mostly sandand silt with some cobble.


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deep riparian orest. A well developed rife, pool, runcomplex exists in this stretch until the river settles intoa deep pool at river mile 43.3. On river left a eld onceagain encroaches to within 120 eet o the rivers edge.

Continuing downstream on river right the woodedcorridor remains more than 300 eet wide, however,on river left farm elds line the forest bu er and come

within 70 eet o the rivers edge at river mile 42.9and river mile 42.7. Beginning at river mile 42.5 andcontinuing downstream until the river ows under theProspect Road bridge at river mile 41.9, the riparianbu er exceeds 300 eet but then narrows to a width o 60-100 feet on both sides of the river. e river channelpossesses good substrate composition o cobble, sandand some silt.

Te river continues due north through a mostly narrow riparian bu er o 120 eet until river mile 40.8 whenthe bu er widens. Te river turns 90 degrees east atthis point and a residential dwelling is located within120 feet of the river on the left. Just beyond this poi

the riparian bu er exceeds 300 eet. Te bu er thennarrows to 120 eet on both sides o the river and isbordered by row crop elds. At river mile 40.0 theriparian bu er widens to a depth o 300 eet andcontinues until river mile 39.8 where it narrows to 120feet, again agricultural elds are located on both sides.

At river mile 38.9 the river turns north. On river rightthe riparian bu er has been eliminated except or a ew trees, however, on river le t the riparian bu er surpasses300 eet in depth to Cook Road at river mile 38.15.

Beyond the Cook Road bridge, an old bridge abutmentis located on the right bank within a small woodedlot, the river then bends east to river mile 37.8 wherean agricultural eld lies just beyond the 300 foot deep

wooded bu er. Indian Creek enters the river at rivermile 38.05 but is not included in this study as it wouldnot meet the criteria or possible designation.

On river le t a wooded oodplain greater than 300eet deep runs to river mile 37.8. Trough this section

the river has cut an oxbow running rom east to west.Oxbows provide critical habitat or certain species o

sh, amphibians and nursery areas for juvenile shes. At river mile 37.55 the riparian bu er on river le tnarrows considerably to a range of 40-60 feet with afarm eld just beyond. Once the river turns east at rivmile 37.45 the riparian bu er on the right increases tomore than 300 eet in depth.

Downstream rom this point the Vermilion meandersthrough several pools and runs with many sand/gravelbars on the inside bends o the river through rivermile 35.7. Te bu er maintains its 300 oot in depth

with the exception o river mile 37.1 to 36.7 on riverright and river mile 36.7 to 36.2 on river le t. In thesesections the bu ers narrow to 120 eet and are adjacentto agricultural elds.

Beyond river mile 35.7, the river turns north in a welde ned channel with a substrate consisting of somecobble, gravel, sand and silt. Te riparian bu er on the

Land use in the ollowing section o the river isgenerally agricultural, yet the river maintains highquality water characteristics because most of theriparian bu er averages about 120 eet or wider. Teriver channel has a mean width o 60 eet and possessesa substrate o cobble, sand and silt.

From river mile 41.9 downstream to river mile 41.1 a wide riparian bu er exists on river right. At river mile41.1 the bu er narrows to approximately 150 eetdeep with row crops beyond. Te bu er on river le tis considerably narrower through this stretch rangingfrom 10-50 feet in depth with row crops adjacent onthe outside edge until river mile 41.6 where the bu er

widens somewhat and then narrows again by rivermile 41.1.


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left is a narrow strip of trees ranging from 40-60 feet inan undeveloped oodplain that extends to the WentzRoad bridge at river mile 35.1. On river right theriparian bu er is more than 300 eet wide but narrowsto 150 feet as Jarvis Road encroaches and parallels the

river along the outside edge o this bu er. A residentialdwelling at river mile 35.2 is also located just beyond a60-foot deep riparian bu er.

From river mile 35.1 downstream to the Wheeling LakeErie Railroad bridge, excellent orest corridors bordereach side o the stream. Here the river turns south180 degrees be ore owing back to the east. A orest wetland is located on river right at this point. Beyondthe bridge, the riparian bu er on both sides o the riverranges rom 120 to 300 eet wide. As you enter thevillage of Clarks eld, there is an agricultural eld onriver le t and a residential dwelling is just beyond thebu er on river right at river mile 33.5. Te substrate iscomprised o cobble, gravel, sand and silt.

rough Clarks eld, the Vermilion has been levied onriver right. While levies can be e ective structures inlimiting the impacts o ooding on both agriculturaland urbanized landscapes their impacts on streamecosystems can be severe. Levies e ectively disconnectthe river rom its oodplain constricting ood ows toa narrower, deepened river channel. When rivers and

streams ood, the energy o the owing oodwaters isdissipated across the oodplain. When this ood ow iscon ned between levies this energy is also constrained which ultimately can lead to accelerated bank erosionon downstream properties, destabilization of the riverchannel, scouring o the stream bed which destroysin-stream habitat, as well as down cutting of the riverchannel.

Continuing downstream from Clarks eld, the riverpasses under the State Route 18 bridge at river mile33.2 and the State Route 60 bridge at river mile 33.1.Tere is little or no riparian bu er on river rightthrough this section, but there is a 120-300 foot bu eron river le t, and the river once again has access to the

ood plain.

Te river courses west with Zenobia Road, runningparallel to the narrow bu er of 10-20 feet on river rightand a much deeper bu er of 150-200 feet on river

le t. Te river turns north at river mile 32.85 whereit ows into a well-developed riparian forest on rivright. An agricultural eld borders the 120 foot buon river le t until the bu er widens to more than 300

eet starting at river mile 32.7. Te river ows through

this deep riparian orest downstream to river mile 31.4 where the riparian corridor narrows between river mile32.9 and river mile 32.6 with agricultural elds locbeyond the 120-foot-wide bu er.

From river mile 32.4 to the Chenango Road bridge atriver mile 29.9, the river ows through several woodlots ranging from 120-300 feet wide; agriculturallie beyond. Te riparian corridor is comprised o avariety o tree species including sycamore, cottonwoodand maple. ere is a well de ned channel and the

substrate is comprised o cobble, gravel, sand and silt.

Downstream to the Aster Road bridge at river mile29.1, there is a nice wooded bu er on river right, butonly an 80 foot bu er and agricultural eld on rivle t. Te rivers East Branch joins the main stem at rivermile 29.6. Te East Branch was not considered orScenic river designation because preliminary analysisindicated that it would not meet the minimum criterianecessary or Scenic river designation.

Once past the Aster Road bridge, the river is paralleledby Chenengo Road at a bend on the le t, where muchbank erosion has occurred. Concrete slabs have beenlaid on top o another or approximately 300 eet inan e ort to prevent urther erosion. Te river turnseast, with a riparian bu er which surpasses 300 eet in width. At river mile 28.2, the river ows into anotheroxbow and turns west. On river right the riparianbu er is only 120 feet wide and an agricultural e


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lies beyond, well within the oodplain. As the rivermeanders back to a northeastern direction througha deeper riparian bu er, the topography o the areabegins to change rom rolling hills to a deeper rivervalley with the channel lined by high steep banks. As

the river approaches the State Route 303 bridge atriver mile 26.2, the riparian bu er on both sides o the river narrows to about 120 eet with agricultural

elds beyond the bu ers. e river begins to noticeablydeepen at river mile 26.1.

From river mile 26.1 to river mile 23.6, there is a 2.5mile stretch o the Vermilion that is impounded dueto a low-head dam located in the village of Wakeman.

is 10-foot-high low-head dams original purpose wasto create a pool that could be utilized as a local watersupply. Today it has no functional purpose and causes water quality impairments and destroys aquatic habitat.

are located on the le t at river mile 24.1 within 180 eeto the channel. Te bank at this point is a blu risingup rom the river more than 100 eet high. Te riparianbu er on river right consists o a ew trees whereresidents have planted grass to the rivers edge and thearea unctions as a oodplain.

Just pass the dam at river mile 23.6, the stream owsunder the State Route 20 bridge and an old railroadtrestle. Tere is a small gravel parking lot just o thenorth side o State Route 20 which some paddlermay use to park and access the river below the bridge.Residences are adjacent to a narrow bu er on river le t,sitting on top o the steep banks. As the river continues

to meander downstream, it carves its way through highshale cli s and reddish clay soils, or which the river isnamed.

At river mile 23, the river continues northward; theriparian bu er narrows to 120 feet with hay eldsbeyond. Te river continues to ow through high,steep banks as it enters the Augusta-Anne Olsen StateNature Preserve at river mile 22.35. On river le t thesteep banks are higher than 100 eet, yielding to a welldeveloped oodplain on river right.

At river mile 21.8, the river ows adjacent to a100-feet-high shale cli on the right and a heavily

wooded oodplain on the le t. Te river bends westat river mile 21.4 where the riparian bu er narrows to120 eet with a residential dwelling and an agricultural

eld beyond it. e stream then ows north througha deep riparian bu er growing on high, steep banks.Te river turns east at river mile 20.1 and the bu er

Low-head dams can also be very hazardous torecreational paddlers, particularly during higher river

ows. During high ows these low-heads can becomevery di cult to see and dangerous swirling hydrauliccurrents can be created on the downstream side. Tesedams can capsize unsuspecting paddlers who could thenbecome trapped in the hydraulic on the downstreamside. For these reasons the Ohio Scenic Rivers Programstrongly advocates the removal of low-head dams thatno longer serve their original purpose in most cases.

Te river corridor through this section is borderedby a narrow bu er of 40-80 feet on both banks, withagricultural elds on river left. e bu er narrows asthe river approaches the village. Residential dwellings


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on river le t narrows to 150 eet with an agriculturaleld beyond it. e river turns north at river mile 19.7

where it enters Erie County. Te excellent substratethrough this section is comprised o boulders, cobble,gravel, shale and bedrock.

located on river right. Beyond this point the riversriparian bu er again expands to depths o up to mile.

At river mile 18.8, a 50-foot-wide path has been

cut through the riparian bu er, however, there is noapparent reason or the path and the river banks andsubstrate seem undisturbed. Te river continues to ow north; large boulders and steep shale cli s are onright as well as a deep riparian bu er until river mile17.3. On the le t, just a ew trees remain to act as bu erand, although not visible rom the river, a Christmastree arm is located just beyond the corridor. At rivermile 17.2 the stream turns northeast and once again

ows through a deeper riparian orest.

Te next landmark is the State Route 60 bridge atriver mile 16.1. Just before the bridge on the left,is a residential dwelling on the top o a stone cli overlooking the river. Downstream a levee has beenbuilt to protect a mobile home park located on the le t.

is levee could be used as an emergency take-outpaddlers. Te river continues to ow in a northeasterndirection with a riparian bu er ranging from 100-300 eet in depth. Beyond this point the riparianbu er along the river narrows and an adjacent grassy

eld provides the rivers oodplain downstream to tVermilions con uence with the East Fork at river mile

15.89. Downstream o the con uence, the riparianbu er narrows on the right to 75 eet with vertical shalecli s and a ew residential dwellings located beyondthis bu er. On river le t a wooded oodplain opens toa width of more than 300 feet until the Gar eld Rbridge at river mile 15.75.

Although the ull length o the main stem o theVermilion River meets all criteria or Scenic riverdesignation, there is little public support or thedesignation in Huron County. At this time, thedesignation o the main stem is not being pursued within Huron County due to the lack o local support.

Beginning at river mile 19.7, the river ows north

through a 300-foot-wide riparian corridor which isbounded by steep banks. Te stream substrate throughthis section supports a very diverse biological aquaticcommunity. At river mile 19.5 the riparian bu ernarrows on the le t bank to a depth o 120 eet withagricultural elds beyond it. Downstream the riverturns west at river mile 19.35 and a vertical shale cli islocated on river right.

Continuing downstream the bu er on river le t hasbeen cut back to 80 feet with an agricultural eldconsisting o row crops paralleling the narrow bu erdownstream to river mile 19. Here the stream owsnorth in a well-de ned channel with banks about 20

eet high. Te channel through this section contains a well-de ned ri e, pool, run complex with substratescomprised of cobble and gravel. e 300-foot-widebu er continues along both banks until river mile 18.4 where the river bends east a bit and the bu er narrowsto 200 eet on river le t. Tere is a residential dwelling

(Photo by Mike Mainhart)


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east and enters the Vermilion River Reservation whichis comprised of two parksMill Hollow and Bacon Woodslying on opposite sides of the river fromanother. Both sites are managed by the Lorain County Metropolitan Park District.

Te Mill Hollow Reservation stretches rom river mile7.0 downstream to the North Ridge Road bridge, agalvanized steel double Warren truss which is 160long and was built in 1996, at river mile 6.3. Tis alsomarks the beginning of the Vermilion-Lorain WaterTrail. ere is plenty of parking and easy acess to27-mile water trail.

ere is also a U.S. Geological Survey gagingstation located at the North Ridge Road bridge. Tereservation has narrow bu ers that range from 50-200 eet as the river wraps around it on the le t. Steepshale cli s line the channel on the right. Tese cli sare topped by a narrow bu er which ranges up to 50

eet in depth. North Ridge Road parallels this stretcho river. Te reservation contains paved parking lotsthat come within 200 eet o the channel and a wideopen mowed meadow is maintained around them. Tesubstrate through this reach is comprised o bedrock with boulders, cobble and shale.

Just downstream of the gaging station in Mill Holl

at river mile 6.3 is a set o rifes. On the right is ariparian corridor o 50 eet which opens up into thereservation; the left side of the river is bounded byhigh shale cli . As the stream runs through river mile6.1 it settles into a deeper pool. Te riparian corridor widens to several hundred eet on river right with largesycamores and oaks providing cover.

Continuing downstream the river is lined by woodedoodplains and high shale cli s as it meanders in a

northeastern direction. An island divides the river atriver mile 10.5 and the riparian bu er on river le t

narrows to 75 feet, with an agricultural eld beyondit. Just past river mile 10.2, a large gravel bar hasdeveloped as shale and gravel sediment has beendeposited along this bend. Te riparian corridor onboth sides o the channel returns to 300 eet or deeperuntil it narrows at river mile 9.8 to 150 wide on topo the shale cli s. Te river then turns south, runningthrough a wide bu er until being orced to turn againdue to the high cli s on river right to river mile 8.75.

At this point the riparian bu er narrows on the le t to150 eet until just past river mile 8.5. Te river owsthrough rifes along this section as a result o the shale,cobble and bedrock substrate.

Shale cli s line the river channel downstream to rivermile 8.1 where they begin to recede. Here the riparianbu er is wide along the steep banks on river le tuntil narrowing at river mile 7.4 to 50-200 feet withagricultural elds beyond. e riparian bu er on theright is still wider than 300 eet through this reach. Stillbounded by the shale cli s on the le t the river turns


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At river mile 6.0 the river takes a hard turn east and asmall water all ows rom the shale cli s. A set o rifesdevelop in this section o the river. Here the high shalecli s recede and leave a steep slope lled with sycamore,ash and oak trees. From this point the river turns eastcreating shale and sand bars on the right side o theriver. Te river once again ows into a deeper pool atriver mile 5.9 and our tall sycamores hang over theriver providing shade and stream habitat. Beyond thispoint the rivers pool gives way to a long run or thenext .3 mile.

orested bu er exists on both banks. At the State Route2 bridge crossing the riparian orest narrows on theright to 200 eet at river mile 3.15.

From river mile 3.1 to 1.8, the riparian bu er on riverright ranges rom 120 to more than 300 eet in depth.Vermilion Road runs along the length o this stretch.

As the river enters the city o Vermilion it ows into adeep pool. Here a ew residential dwellings are located

within 180 eet o the channel on the le t at river mile2.6. Te riparian orest begins to narrow considerably as it reaches the rst marina at river mile 1.8.

From this point the river undergoes a dramatic change.From river mile 1.8 to its mouth at Lake Erie (rivermile 0.0) the channel has been drastically altered toaccommodate the many marinas which dock more than8,500 boats, including a public boat launch at rivermile 0.5.

Te city o Vermilions wastewater treatment acility empties into the river at river mile 1.0. Most o thevegetation has been removed and the river harbor hasbeen dredged, leaving little or no biological habitat le tto sustain a native riverine community. For that reason,this section o the river will not be included in therecommendation or state Scenic river designation.

O the main stems 17.9 miles, only river miles

19.7 to 1.8 are under consideration or designation.Troughout this stretch, 74.1 percent o the rivers

wooded bu er is greater than 300 eet on both sidesand 90.1 percent o the corridor is orested to a deptho at least 120 eet.

Vermilion River - East Fork

Te East Fork tributary o the Vermilion River beginsin Camden Township, which is located in LorainCounty. e river ows downstream into the KiptonReservoir at river mile 9.7, surrounded by orest. As theriver exits the reservoir at river mile 9.3 it passes underthe State Route 511 bridge and continues in a northerly direction under the State Route 20 bridge.

e East Fork enters the village of Kipton, meanderingthrough a shallow riparian bu er. In Kipton the river

ows under the old PennCentral Railroad bridge stillbounded by shallow riparian bu ers and then under the

Te river bends west at river mile 5.5 and then back toward the east at river mile 5.3. An island divides theriver at river mile 5.2. A large cottonwood stands outon river left just above a ri e and a well-developedcobble bar runs the right side o the river or .1 mile.Downstream o this rife a series o log jams restrictthe rivers stream ow at river mile 5.1. Here the riverbegins to meander east and west, back and orth orapproximately .5 mile, leaving shale cobble and sandbars on the inside bends. Te adjacent riparian orest iscomprised o many sycamore and white oak trees.

A large log jam diverts the stream at river mile 4.9,resulting in a new channel on river right. Te riverthen settles into a pool with high banks and a heavily

wooded riparian orest be ore turning west at river mile4.7. At river mile 4.5, a residential dwelling sits about250 eet rom the bank on river le t.

With steep shale cli s on the right, the river turns eastat river mile 4.0. with a developed gravel/shale bar onthe le t. Te river then turns north and ows past cli son the le t rom river mile 3.7 to 3.0. On the oppositeside the river has access to its oodplain and a deep


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State Route 511 bridge at river mile 7.4. Because o several impairments upstream o this point, thissection o the river is not being considered or Scenicriver designation.

Downstream o river mile 7.4, the river meandersthrough a narrow riparian bu er which ranges from 80-120 feet deep with agricultural elds lying just beyond.Te substrate is primarily sand and silt.

Te river is joined by an unnamed tributary at rivermile 7.1 where the stream enters a wider riparian orestbu er. Continuing in a northwesterly direction until itturns west at river mile 6.35 the river is bordered by anarrow riparian bu er o about 120 eet with adjacent

elds of row crops. A residential dwelling is also located150 eet rom the river on the right.

Past the Baird Road bridge at river mile 5.8, a smallbusiness is located on river le t. Here the stream beginsto ow into a wide riparian corridor until turningnorth where the bu er narrows to 200 eet. Te rivercontinues owing in a northerly direction through a wide riparian bu er, adjacent to agricultural elds onboth sides to river mile 4.5 at the Gore-OrphanageRoad bridge. Te substrate consists o some cobble,gravel, sand and silt.

e 453-acre Firelands Reservation and the 324-acre Camp Timberlane, owned by the Girl Scouts ofNortheast Ohio, are located at river mile 4.5. Herethe stream bisects both acilities with riparian bu ersexceeding 300 eet as the river ows northwest.

At river mile 3.24, Frankenburg Creek ows into theEast Fork on the le t as the riparian bu er narrows when the river approaches Green Road. A ew residential dwellings are located just o o Green Roadon the le t at river mile 2.75. Te bu er through thissection ranges from 100-200 feet in depth. On thele t, the narrow bu er continues downstream until theriver ows under the Green Road Bridge and into ErieCounty at river mile 2.25.

From river mile 2.25 to the con uence o the EastFork with the Vermilion River, the riparian bu erexceeds 300 eet on both sides o the river channel.Te exception is river mile 1.95 on the le t and rivermile 1.5 on the right where agricultural elds narrothe bu ers to 150 and 200 eet. Te substrate throughthis section is also exceptional consisting o boulders,cobble, gravel and sand.

Te East Fork o the Vermilion River rom river mile7.4 to the con uence o the rivers main stem is beingincluded in the recommendation or Scenic riverdesignation. A total o 74.7 percent o the ripariancorridor is wooded to a depth o 300 eet or more and88.5 percent is wooded to a depth o at least 120 eet.



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Geology of the Vermilion River Watershed


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Natural Features of theVermilion River Corridor

GeologyTe Vermilion River watershed is located in north

central Ohio. Te river originates in Ashland County and ows downstream through portions o Richland,Huron, Erie and Lorain counties. Te two streamsunder study drain approximately 268 square miles or171,520 acres. Te largest municipalities located in the watershed include Greenwich, New London, Savannahand the city o Vermilion at the mouth o the river onLake Erie.

Te upper portion o the Vermilion River and itstributaries originates in the Erie-Ontario Drift andLake Plain Eco-region, which is characterized by lowrolling hills and end moraines blanketed with low linedri t and lacustrine deposits. Soils are less ertile than inother Ohio eco-regions, but they still support a numbero agricultural activities, such as raising livestock andproducing corn and soybeans.

Te middle section o the Vermilion River, locatedin Erie, Huron and Lorain counties, ows throughthe Eastern Corn Belt Plains Eco-region, which ischaracterized by rolling till plains and end moraines.Rich and well-drained glacial deposits of the

Wisconsinan age support extensive livestock, corn andsoybean production.

Te lower portion o the Vermilion River watershedis located in the same eco-region as the upper reaches.However, in contrast to the upper watershed, this areais characterized by nearly level coastal lacustrine land with beach ridges and swales. Te lacustrine depositsand lake-e ect climate support the production of fruit,vegetables and nursery crops.

Land use in the Vermilion River basin is nearly 73percent agricultural, ollowed by 25.3 percent woodedlots. Te remaining 1.9 percent o the land is occupiedby wetlands, open water and urban areas.

PlantsTe Vermilion River watershed is home to anabundance o native plant species and more than twodozen plant communities. Native plant communities,

also known as native habitats, are classi ed anddescribed according to vegetation, hydrology,land orms and soils.

Te ollowing is a list o plant community types oundin the watershed.

Beech-sugar maple forest Buttonbush shrub swamp Hemlock-hardwood forest Maple-ash-oak swamp Mixed emergent marsh Oak-maple forest

A list o woodland species ound in the VermilionRiver watershed, located on the next page, wascompiled by e Ohio State Universitys Departmento Horticulture.

Invertebrates

MacroinvertebratesBenthic acquatic macroinvertebrates are organismsthat lack a backbone (invertebrate) and are largeenough to view with the naked eye (macro). Tey are


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Natural Features continued

Trees

Size from 50-100 feet Acer nigrum(black maple) Acer rubrum(red maple)

Acer saccharinum(silver maple) Acer saccharum(sugar maple)Carya cordi ormis (bitternut hickory)Carya ovata(shagbark hickory)Celtis occidentalis (common hackberry)Fagus grandi olia(American beech)Fraxinus americana(white ash)Fraxinus nigra(black ash)Fraxinus pennsylvanica(red or green ash)Fraxinus pro unda(pumpkin ash)Gleditsia triacanthos (thornless honeylocust) Juglans cinerea(butternut) Juglans nigra(black walnut)Liriodendron tulipi era(tuliptree) Morus rubra(red mulberry)Platanus occidentalis (sycamore)Populus deltoides (Eastern cottonwood)Populus grandidentata(bigtooth aspen)Prunus serotina(wild black cherry)Quercus alba(white oak)Quercus bicolor (swamp white oak)Quercus macrocarpa(bur oak)Quercus palustris (pin oak)

Quercus rubra(red oak)Quercus velutina(black oak)ilia americana(basswood)

Size from 30-50 feet Acer negundo(boxelder) Aesculus glabra(Ohio buckeye)

Quercus imbricaria(shingle oak)Salix nigra(black willow)

Size from 15-40 feet Asimina triloba(common pawpaw) Amelanchier laevis (Allegheny serviceberrry or juneberry)Carpinus caroliniana(American hornbeam)Cornus orida( owering dogwood)Crataegus punctata(thicket hawthorn)Euonymus atropurpureus (Eastern wahoo)

Malus coronaria(American crabapple)Ostrya virginiana(American hophornbeam orironwood)Prunus virginiana(common chokecherry)Rhus glabra(smooth sumac)Rhus typhina(staghorn sumac)Salix discolor (pussy willow)Sambucus canadensis (common elder)Viburnum lentago(nannyberry viburnum)Viburnum pruni olium(blackhaw viburnum)

Shrubs Aronia melanocarpa (black chokeberry)Cephalanthus occidentalis (buttonbush)Cornus amomum(silky dogwood)Cornus racemosa(gray dogwood)

Corylus americana(American lbert)Ilex verticillata(common winterberry)Lindera benzoin(spicebush)Physocarpus opuli olius (common ninebark)Rosa carolina(Carolina rose)Rosa palustris (swamp rose)Rosa setigera(prairie rose)Staphylea tri olia(American bladdernut)

Conifers Juniperus virginiana(Eastern red cedar)

suga canadensis (Eastern hemlock)

Vines and GroundcoverClematis virginiana(virgins bower)Parthenocissus quinque olia(Virginia creeper)

oxicodendron radicans (poison ivy)Vitis riparia(riverbank grape)


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Juglans cinerea(butternut -PT ) Juniperus communis (ground juniper -E)Lechea intermedia(round-fruited pinweed -PT ) Melampyrum lineare (cow-wheat -T)

Panicum lindheimeri (Lindheimer's panic grass -T)Poa languida (weak spear grass -PT )Rosa blanda (smooth rose -E)Sagittaria platyphylla(elliptic-leaved arrowhead - X )Shepherdia canadensis (Canada bu alo-berry -PT )Spiranthes lucida(shining ladies'-tresses -PT )Symphyotrichum dumosum(bushy aster -E)

riphora trianthophora (three-birds orchid -PT )riplasis purpurea (purple sand grass -PT )

Ulmus thomasii (rock elm -T)

UnionidaeAnodontiane Alasmidonta marginata(elktoe)Lasmigona compressa(creek heelsplitter)Lasmigona costata( uted shell)Pyganodon grandis grandis (giant oater)Strophitus undulatus undulatus (creeper)AstacoideaVillosa iris iris (rainbow shell)

Chalcidoidearuncilla donaci ormis ( awns oot)

Uniomerus tetralasmus (pondhorn)JaniroideaSphaerium striatinum (striated ngernailclam)LampsilinaeLampsilis radiata luteola( atmucket)Potamilus alatus (pink heelspliter)Ptychobranchus asciolaris (kidneyshell)Lampsilis ventricosa(pocketbook)ParatanaoideaPleurobema sintoxia(round pigtoe)PleurobeminaeElliptio dilatata (lady nger)UnionideaFusconaia ava(pigtoe)Obovaria subrotunda (round hickorynut -E)Pleurobema clava(clubshell -E/FE)E - State endangeredFE - Federally endangered

ound on the stream bottom (benthic) and live at leastpart of their life cycle in the water (aquatic). Both theOhio EPA and the Ohio Scenic Rivers Program samplebenthic aquatic macroinvertebrates as indicators of water quality. e presence or absence of certain speciesindicate recent changes in water quality. ODNR uses the data to track water quality trends in Ohiosscenic rivers.

Molloscs (Unionidae)Freshwater mussels are bivalve molloscs like theirmarine cousins, the clams, scallops and oysters. Teseaquatic creatures consist of living soft tissue encasedin two mineralized shell halves which are joined by aligament. Te table to the right details the unionidae

ound in the Vermilion River by Te Ohio StateUniversitys Museum of Biological Diversity in 2008.

Fish A number of common species of sh, such as rainbow

darters, stonerollers and game species like large mouthbass, may be ound in the streams draining into LakeErie. In addition to providing a home or numerousspecies, the Vermilion River provides spring spawninghabitat or many species that reside in Lake Erie, suchas white bass and rainbow trout.

Te list on the next page was compiled using datacollected by the ODNR, Division o Wildli e (Hubbs,2007).

Apocynum sibiricum(clasping-leaved dogbane -PT )Cakile edentula (inland sea rocket -PT )Carex atlantica ssp. capillacea(Howe's sedge -PT )Carex lupuli ormis (false hop sedge -PT )

Carex projecta(necklace sedge -T)Carex straminea (straw sedge -PT )Castanea dentata (American chestnut -PT )Clintonia umbellulata (speckled wood-lily -T)Corallorhiza maculata(spotted coral-root -PT )Cornus rugosa(round-leaved dogwood -PT )Cyperus diandrus (low umbrella-sedge -PT )Equisetum sylvaticum(woodland horsetail -T)Gentianopsis procera(small fringed gentian -PT )

Rare Plants of the Vermilion Watershed

T - State threatenedPT - State potentially threatenedE - State endangered


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PetromyzontidaeIchthyomyzon unicuspis (silver lamprey)

LepisosteidaeLepisosteas osseus (longnose gar)

Clupeidae Alosa pseudoharengus (alewi e)Dorosoma cepedianum(gizzard shad)

SalmonidaeOncorhynchus kisutch(coho salmon)Salmo gairdneri (rainbow trout)Salmo trutta(brown trout)

UmbidaeUmbra limi (central mudminnow)

EsocidaeEsox americanus americanus (red n pickerel)

CyprinidaeCampostoma anomalum(stoneroller minnow)Carassius auratus (gold sh)Cyprinus carpio(common carp)Ericymba baccata(silerjaw minnow)Hybopsis amblops (Northern bigeye chub)Nocomis biguttaus (hornyhead chub)Nocomis micropogan(river chub)Notemigonus crysoleucas (golden shiner)Notropis atherinoides (emerald shiner)Notropis buchanani (ghost shiner)Notropis chrysocephalus (striped shiner)Notropis cornatus (common shiner)Notropis husdonius (spottail shiner)Notropis photogenis (silver shiner)Notropis rubellus (rosy ace shiner)Notropis spilopterus (spot n shiner)Notropis stramineus (sand shiner)Notropis umbratilis N.(red n shiner)Notropis volucellus N.(mimic shiner)

Pimephales notatus (bluntnose minnow)Pomephales promelas N.( athead minnow)Rhinichthys atratulus (blacknose dace)Semotilis atromaculatas (creek chub)

CatostomidaeCarpiodes cyperinus (quillback carpsucker)Catostomus commersoni (white sucker)Hypentelium nigricans (hog sucker)Ictiobus bubalus (smallmouth bu alo)

Ictiobus cyprinellus (bigmouth bu alo) Minytrema melanops (spotted sucker) Moxostoma anisurum(silver redhorse) Moxostoma duquesnei (black redhorse) Moxostoma erythurum(golden redhorse) Moxostoma macrolepidotum(shortheadredhorse)

IctaluridaeIctalurus melas (black bullhead)Ictalurus natalis (yellow bullhead)Ictalurus nebulosus (brown bullhead)Ictalurus punctatus (channel cat sh)Noturus avus (stonecat madtom)

PercopsidaePercopsis omiscomaycus (troat-perch)

AtherinidaeLabidesthes sicculus (brook silverside)

Moronidae Morone americana(white perch) Morone chrysops (white bass)

Centrarchidae Ambloplites rupestris (rock bass)Lepomis cyanellus (green sun sh)Lepomis gibbosus (pumpkinseed sun sh)Lepomis humilis (orangespotted sun sh)Lepomis macrochirus (bluegill sun sh) Micropterus dolomieui (smallmouth bass) Micropterus salmoides (largemouth bass)Pomoxis annularis (white crappie)Pomoxis nigromaculatus (black crappie)

PercidaeEtheostoma blennioides (greenside darter)Etheostoma caeruleum(rainbow darter)Etheostoma abellare ( antail darter)Etheostoma nigrum(Johnny darter)Perca avescens (yellow perch)Percina caprodes (logperch)Percina maeulata(blackside darter)Sander vitreus vitreus (walleye)

Sciaenidae Aplodinotus grunniens ( reshwater drum)

CottidaeCottus bairdi (mottled sculpin)

Fish of the Vermilion River


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Birds of the Vermilion River Watershed

Actitis macularia(spotted sandpiper) Agelaius phoeniceus (red-winged blackbird) Aix sponsa(wood duck) Ammodramus savannarum(grasshopper sparrow) Anas discors (blue-winged teal) Anas platyrhynchos (mallard) Accipiter cooperii (Coopers hawk) Archilochus colubris (ruby-throated hummingbird) Ardea herodias (great blue heron)Bartramia longicauda(upland sandpiper)Bombycilla cedrorum(cedar waxwing)Bubo virginianus (great horned owl)Butorides striatus (green-backed heron)Buteo lineatus (red-shouldered hawk)

Buteo platypterus (broad-winged hawk)Buteo jamaicensis (red-tailed hawk)Branta canadensis (Canada goose)Cardinalis cardinalis (Northern cardinal)Carduelis tristis (American gold nch)Carpodacus mexicanus (house nch)Catharus guttatus (hermit thrush)Ceryle alcyon(belted king sher)Chaetura pelagica(chimney swi t)Charadrius voci erous (killdeer)Cistothorus palustris (marsh wren)Coccyzus erythropthalmus (black-billed cuckoo)Coccyzus americanus (yellow-billed cuckoo)Colaptes auratus (Northern icker)Columba livia(rock dove)Contopus verens (Eastern wood-pewee)Corvus brachyrhynchos (American crow)Cyanocitta cristata(blue jay)Dendroica cerulean(cerulean warbler)Dendroica magnolia(magnolia warbler)Dendroica petechia(yellow warbler)Dolichonyx oryzivorus (bobolink)Dryocopus pileatus (pileated woodpecker)

Dumetella caroliniensis (grey catbird)Empidonax minimus (least ycatcher)Empidonax traillii (willow ycatcher)Empidonax virescens (acadian ycatcher)Eremophila alpestris (horned lark)Falco sparverius (American kestrel)Geothlypis trichas (common yellowthroat)Haliaeetus leucocephalus (bald eagle)

Hirundo pyrrhonato(cli swallow)Hirundo rustica(barn swallow)Hylocichla mustelina(wood thrush)Icteria verens (yellow-breasted chat)Icterus galbula(Northern oriole)Icterus spurious (orchard oriole)Ixobrychus exilis (least bittern) Melanerpes carolinus (red-bellied woodpecker) Melanerpes erythrocephalus (red-headed woodpecker) Melospiza georgiana(swamp sparrow) Melospiza melodia(song sparrow) Molothrus ater (brown-headed cowbird) Myiarchus crinitus (great crested ycatcher)Otus asio (Eastern screech-owl)

Parus atricapillus (black-capped chickadee)Parus bicolor (tu ted titmouse)Parus caroliniensis (Carolina chickadee)Passer domesticus (house sparrow)Passerculus sandwichensis (savannah sparrow)Passerina cyanea(indigo bunting)Phasianus colchicus (red-necked pheasant)Pheucticus ludovicianus (rose-breasted grosbeak)Picoides pubescens (downy woodpecker)Picoides villosus (hairy woodpecker)Pipilo erythrophthalmus (rufous-sided towhee)Piranga olivacea(scarlet tanager)Polioptila caerulea(blue-gray gnatcatcher)Pooecetes gramineus (vesper sparrow)Porzana carolina(sora)Progne subis (purple martin)Protonotaria citrea(prothonotary warbler)Quiscalus quiscula(common grackle)Riparia riparia(bank swallow)Sayornis phoebe (Eastern phoebe)Scolopax minor (American woodcock)Seiurus aurocapillus (ovenbird)Seiurus motacilla(Louisiana waterthrush)

Setophaga ruticilla(American redstart)Sialia sialis (Eastern bluebird)Sitta caroliniensis (white-breasted nuthatch)Spizella passerine (chipping sparrow)Spizella pusilla( eld sparrow)Stelgidoptertx serripennis

(Northern rough-winged swallow)Strix varia(barred owl)


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common yellowthroat

red-bellied woodpecker

Birds continued

Sturnella magna(Eastern meadowlark)Sturnus vulgaris (European starling)

achycineta bicolor (tree swallow)

oxostoma ru um(brown thrasher)roglodytes aedon(house wren)urdus migratorius (American robin)yrannus tyrannus (Eastern kingbird)

Vermivora chrysoptera(golden-winged warbler -E)

Vermivora pinus (blue-winged warbler)Vireo avi rons (yellow-throated vireo)Vireo gilvus (warbling vireo)

Vireo olivaceus (red-eyed vireo)Vireo solitarius (solitary vireo -E)Wilsonia canadensis (Canada warbler)Wilsonia citrine (hooded warbler) Zenaida macroura(mourning dove)

E - Endangered


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MammalsTe Vermilion River watershed is home to more than40 di erent species o mammals. Te rivers densely wooded corridor provides nests, dens and burrow sites


as well as an abundance o ood. Te ollowing list wascompiled using data collected by ODNRs Division o Wildli e.

Myotis septentrionalis (Northern long-eared bat)Napaeozapus insignis (woodland jumping mouse)Nycticeius humeralis (evening bat)Odocoileus virginianus (white-tailed deer)Ondatra zibethicus (muskrat)Parascalops breweri (hairy-tailed mole)Peromyscus leucopus (white-footed mouse)Peromyscus maniculatus (deer mouse)Pipistrellus sub avus (Eastern pipistrelle bat)Procyon lotor (raccoon)Rattus norvegieus (Norway rat)Reithrodontomys humulis (Eastern harvest mouse)Scalopus aquaticus (Eastern mole)Sciurus caroliniensis (Eastern grey squirrel)Sciurus niger (fox squirrel)Sorex hoyi (pygmy shrew)Spermophilus tridecemlineatus (thirteen-linedsquirrel)Syvilagus oridanus (Eastern cottontail rabbit)

amias stiatus (Eastern chipmunk)amiasciurus hudsonicus (red squirrel)

Urocyon cinereoargenteus (grey squirrel)Vulpes vulpes (red ox)

Mammals of the Vermilion River Watershed

Blarina brevicauda (Northern short-tailed shrew)Canis latrans (coyote)Castor canadensis (beaver)Clethrionimys gapperi (Southern red-backed vole)Condylura cristata(star-nosed mole)Cryptotis parva(least shrew)Didelphis virginiana(Virginia opossum)Eptesicus uscus (big brown bat)Glaucomys vilans (southern ying squirrel)Lasionycteris noctivagans (Silver-haired bat)Lasiurus borealis (Eastern red bat)Lasiurus cinereus (hoary bat)Lontra canadensis (river otter) Marmota monax (groundhog/woodchuck) Mephitis mephitis (striped skunk) Microtus ochrogaster (prairie vole) Microtus pensylvanicus (meadow mole) Mus musculus (house mouse) Mustela erminea (short-tailed weasel)

Mustela renata(long-tailed weasel) Mustela nivalis (least weasel) Mustela vison(mink) Myotis luci ugus (little brown bat)


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Ambystoma tigrinum(tiger salamander -E)Catharus guttatus (hermit thrush -T)Cyclonaias tuberculata(purple wartyback -SC)Dendroica magnolia(magnolia warbler -SI)Haliaeetus leucocephalus (bald eagle -FT)Hemidactylium scutatum

(four-toed salamander -SC)Ichthyomyzon unicuspis (silver lamprey -E)Lampsilis asciola(wavy-rayed lampmussel -SC)Ligumia recta (black sandshell -T)Notropis amblops (bigeye chub -E)

runcilla donaci ormis (fawnsfoot -T)runcilla truncata (deertoe -SC)

Uniomerus tetralasmus (pondhorn -T)Vermivora chrysoptera(golden-winged warbler -E)Vireo solitarius (solitary vireo -E)Wilsonia canadensis (Canada warbler -SI)

Key:E - Endangered T - reatened SC - Species of ConcernSI - Species of Interest

Endangered Animals


bald eagle (photo by Mike Mainhart)


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Cultural History of theVermilion River Watershed

In 1899, the Vermilion River received its o cial namefrom the United States Board on Geographic names.Its name is derived rom an old French word or red,vermilion, due in part to the reddish clay which is thepredominant local soil type along the rivers valley.

e area was rst inhabited by the Erie Indians alongthe south shore o Lake Erie until their extinction wasbrought about in 1655 by warring Iroquois. By the18th century, the Ottawa, Wyandotte and Chippewatribes gradually moved into the area to trade urs. Tesevarious tribes inhabited the highlands adjacent to theVermilion River where sh and game were plentiful

rom local woods and wetlands. By 1800, the Native American inhabitants had been pushed out by settlers.

European settlement in the region can be traced back to be ore the Revolutionary War. A ter the war o 1651, Connecticut Governor John Winthrop andhis son John Winthrop, who was the governor ofMassachusetts, prepared a charter and presented it toKing Charles II of England. e charter, which theking signed, gave Connecticut part o New Englandbounded on the east by the Narragansett River tothe Narragansett Bay, bounded on the north by theMassachusetts Plantation, on the south by the sea and

in longitude as the line o the Massachusetts Colony ran rom the east to the south sea on the west. At thattime, the south sea was the name used for the Paci cOcean and it was believed that the south sea couldbe seen rom the western hills o the colony. HadConnecticut been able to hold these lands based on thischarter it would have stretched some 3,000 miles to the west, rather than a ew hundred miles.

With their poor understanding o the continentsgeography, English kings granted charters to othercolonies which overlapped portions o the westernlands o the Connecticut grant. Tis gave rise toviolent disputes over these lands, although they weretemporarily put aside during the Revolutionary War. A ter the war, land disputes broke out again, but were nally settled when the colonies ceded theirdisputed western lands back to the general government.However, Connecticut reserved a tract o land, thesame width o the state, that extended west rom the

western Pennsylvania border 120 miles. Tis tractbecame known as New Connecticut or the Western Reserve.

During the Revolutionary War, British orces raidedand destroyed many towns along the Atlantic coast.

e citizens who lost their property as a result ofthese raids petitioned the Connecticut legislature orcompensation. Te state had no cash to give so they were deeded 500,000 acres o the Western Reserve. Tisland became known as the Firelands and included thearea which now comprises Erie and Huron counties,

as well as Ruggles Township in Ashland County anDanbury Township in Ottawa County.

From about 1808 to 1811 settlers began nding the way to the Firelands, which had been surveyed by Almon Ruggles. e rst township in the area wasVermilion Township; by 1820 its population totalled520 citizens.

Te village o Vermilion was incorporated in 1837.Tis small harbor community was comprised o 43landowners and several shops. Te most prominentproprietor was Burton Goodsell and his shipyards, which were located at the mouth o the VermilionRiver.

Ship building became the main industry o the village.Te small schooners that were built there were ideal ortraversing the lake shore and bringing in supplies romother ports. Tese schooners were built as large as the

Vermilion Harbor


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river could accommodate and had enough cargo spaceto meet the needs o early settlers. Tese vessels wereinstrumental in opening up the vast Great Lakes.

Shipbuilding began in 1840 with the completion o two piers at the mouth o the river, which providedenough depth to take larger crafts to sea. Forty-eightschooners were constructed over the next 36 years.By 1847 Vermilion had become such a busy port thatthe U.S. Congress funded the construction of theVermilion Lighthouse to aid navigation on Lake Erie.

Probably the most notable ship built in Vermilion wasthe Indiana, a screw schrooner which disappeared o the coast of Marquette, Michigan on Lake Superior in June 1858. e loss of this ship was a mystery until theSmithsonian Institute raised the Indiana in 1979. Te

ships engine boiler, propeller and other parts are onexhibit at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. Tisdisplay, designated the Vermilion Display due to theIndianas port of origin, represents the nest example ofearly marine vessel stream equipment in the country.

e shing industry also played a large role in the localeconomy of the area. With an abundance of sh inboth Lake Erie and the Vermilion River, commercial

shing became a lucrative livelihood for many. Fromsmall boats and seine nets to gill-nets and trap-nets,

Cultural History continued

shing techniques changed over the years. As thedemand for sh grew, the steam tug and its powerednet puller became the most e cient and pro table

shing method in Lake Erie.

Another key industry that developed in the area wastimbering and the production o lumber and woodproducts. Prior to 1861, a large quantity of forestproducts, such as ships timber, rewood and furniture,

was shipped rom this area. During the 1860s and1870s, however, a shortage o suitable timber developedin the immediate area surrounding Vermilion.Tis resulted in the need to import raw material.

roughout this period large quantities of lumber wereshipped into the port in schooners rom the upper lakesto be manu actured into doors, blinds, molding, sidingand a variety of other products. Fisher & Company w

the largest manu acturer and dealer o such products with a steam mill located at the corner o Sandusky andLiberty streets. Te company also operated two scows(old schooners) which were utilized to move productsand materials. In 1876, Fisher & Company leased thelumber mill to J.C. Gilchrist & Company.

In the 1860s and 1870s, considerable quantities ofsandstone were also shipped out o the harbor inschooners or on barges. Two quarries, Brownhelm andBerlin Heights, shipped stone by rail to town wheresteam derricks trans erred the stone rom rail cars toships along the docks running from Exchange to ToledoStreet. Prominent quarry operators of the period wereOrange A. Leonard & Company, Summers & Harteepand Worthington & Sons. A great deal of the stoneshipped rom the area at the time was used to rebuildChicago after the big re in 1871.

Vermilions yachting industry began to thrive in theearly 1900s, taking advantage o the prime location o the river and harbor. Most available Lake Erie harbors

were used or commercial purposes and there ore lackeddocking acilities or pleasure boats. Te one exception

was Vermilion harbor with its 60 acres o broad beachand marshland ronting Lake Erie.

e picturesque and navigable Vermilion River wasideal or development. In 1928 the area attracted Louis

A. Wells, a Cleveland contractor. Wells envisioned acommunity o summer homes on the water. Te marsh

was dredged and our lagoons were cut eastward romShip building in Vermilion


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Cultural History continued

the Vermilion River. Te community was care ully designed. e average price of a 50-foot lot was $2,200 when the rst home was built in 1931.

Mr. Wells donated a site at the end o Anchorage Way,on the river, or the establishment o a yacht club with the provision that no alcoholic beverages couldbe consumed or sold on the premises. In 1933, 12members of the Cleveland Yachting Club, seeking amore secluded anchorage, ounded the Vermilion Yacht Club.

Te Vermilion River and surrounding communitieshave seen their share o destruction due to local

ooding. It was not until 1950 that the U.S. GeologicalSociety erected an o cial ood gage on the river.Before o cial records, historians say the worst ood

occurred in March 1913. Spring rains caused the ice tomelt; the rivers mouth became jammed with ice andthe Vermilion rose to more than 10 eet above normal.Te pressure o the river cut a new channel into thelake. Tis rush o water took with it pleasure boats and

shing crafts, along with a number of houses, sometorn rom their oundations.

e next big ood was in January 1959 when ice wasagain to blame. Nearly 500 residents were evacuated by local police and remen. Although water rose to2 eet deep in the streets, most o the damage waslimited to basements and 2-feet-thick ice slabs strewnacross lawns.

Te worst Vermilion River ood was created by unprecedented rain all. A severe thunderstorm movedthrough the area on July 4, 1969, which brought7 inches o rain to the area causing the river to risequickly. e U.S. Coast Guard evacuated citizens byhelicopter while the river nally crested at 17 feet abovenormal. More than 100 homes were damaged, along with 200 boats and countless cars, trailers, docks andpicnic tables. Like in 1913, the river cut a new channel just west o the west pier.

In 1953 the Great Lakes Historical Society openedthe Inland Seas Maritime Museum in the ormer Wake eld Mansion. A local non-pro t group, Friendso Harbourtown, actively promotes tourism and thehistorical connection to Vermilions roots as a maritimecommunity, using the slogan Harbourtown 1834.

Today, the Vermilion River harbor is home to some8,500 yachts, small boats and cabin cruisers.Te tiny harbor community merged with thenearby village of Vermilion-on-the-Lake in 1960,and Vermilion became a city surpassing the criticalpopulation level o 5,000.

Today, sandy beaches and recreational watercraft ado

the Vermilion harbor. On summer nights, residentsand visitors congregate on the large deck at Main StreetBeach to watch boats sail back and orth in ront o the Lake Erie sunset and watch the Mystic Belle , a smallpaddle wheeler, o ering rides on the Vermilion River.

Outside o the city o Vermilion, the watershed remainslargely undeveloped and in an agricultural land use.Troughout the early history o the area the VermilionRiver watershed provided the timber and lumberused in the lucrative milling, woodworking and shipbuilding industries that developed in Vermilion. Oncecleared, the orested lands o the watershed yield richsoils which provide excellent agricultural use. Row crops (corn and soybeans) and livestock prodution arethe primary agricutural products being produced in theVermilion River watershed.

(All photos in this chapter are courtesy o Te Clarence S. Metcal Great Lakes Maritime Research Library - Great Lakes Historical Society.)

Te Vermilion ood o 1913.


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Vermilion River Watershed Land Cover


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Land and Water Resources

Land UseDue to the hydrologic cycle o the river (the movement,distribution and e ects o water on the Earthssur ace, soil, underlying rocks, sur ace water andliving organisms), stream water quality and biologicaldiversity are inherently dependent upon the conditiono the land and land use within the watershed. Temore natural and less disturbed the sur ace o the landis in a river or streams watershed, the higher the waterquality and biological diversity.

One o the best ways to estimate the health o a river orstream is to study the amount o impervious sur aces inits watershed. Urban impervious surfaces, such as rooftops, parking lots and roadways, do not allow water to

in ltrate into the soil as forests, meadows, wetlands andother natural landscapes do. Tis increases the amounto water that runs o the land, thereby increasing

ooding and stream channel instability. is run-oalso picks up a variety o various contaminants, suchas metals, nutrients, sediments, pathogens and debris,associated with impervious land use.

e reduced in ltration rate caused by imperviousnesscan also a ect the rate o groundwater recharge. Asimpervious surfaces increase in an urbanizing area morerain results in runs-o as compared to the amount that

in ltrates back into the ground. is can result inreduced groundwater resource availability, which cannegatively a ect stream ow by reducing the streamsgroundwater recharge. Ultimately this can result inunnatural uctuations in stream ow with high owsduring rainy periods and very low ows during dry conditions. Tis altered ow regime negatively impacts water quality and biological diversity.

High ows increase channel erosion and sedimentationand stream bed scour which can be detrimental toaquatic macroinvertebrates and sh eggs in the streamsubstrate. Low ows during dry periods typically occurin the heat of the summer, which stresses aquatic lifeby warming water temperatures resulting in lowereddissolved oxygen concentrations and increased algalgrowth. Lower ows also reduce a streams ability to dilute pollutants, which can result in higherconcentrations.

Analyzing land use patterns has shown that a relatilow amount o impervious sur aces and associatedurban land use can begin to degrade water quality.Biological communities have been ound to becomeimpaired when as little as 8-10 percent of a stream watershed has impervious sur aces (Miltner, White and Yoder, 2004).

Te map on page 38 illustrates that land use in theVermilion River watershed is still predominantly agriculture with 52 percent in row crop, 8 percentin pasture and hay, and 1 percent in grassland andherbaceous plant communities. Te map also indicatesthat up to 9 percent o the watershed is in some ormo development or urban land use. Tis could indicatethat the Vermilion may be on the verge o becomingnegatively impacted by impervious sur aces as indicatedabove (Miltner, White and Yoder, 2004). However,a substantial portion o this urban landscape includesthe city o Vermilion, which is on the downstream


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end (below the proposed limits o the Scenic riverdesignation) o the watershed, and thus has little i any impact on the Vermilion River. Tese urban landuse categories also encompass more area than just theimpervious sur aces within developed areas.

Other major land uses within the Vermilion watershedinclude:

Forest (all types) approximately 16 percent Wetlands (all types) approximately 7 percentOpen water 5 percentBarren land 1 percent

Although emphasis is placed on the impacts o urbanization and the direct correlations betweenthe amount o impervious cover and stream health,

agricultural land use can also have severe negativeimpacts on aquatic ecosystems. Negative impactsassociated with agricultural land use include streamchannelization, riparian forest removal, unrestrictedlivestock access, levee construction and tiling of elds.Field tiling unctions similarly to an impervious sur aceby reducing the amount of water in ltrating back intothe ground by taking it directly to the stream. Runo

rom agricultural land use contains sediments, nutrientsand possibly pesticides (Peterjohn and Correll, 1984).Generally speaking, however, agricultural land use

within a watershed will be more protective than urban

land use, especially i agricultural best managementpractices are widely employed.

Land and Water Resources continued

Groundwater ResourcesGroundwater resources in the Vermilion watershedrange rom very limited in the lower reaches o the

watershed to good in the headwaters in Huron County.Te ollowing narrative, detailing the various geologicdeposits and their respective groundwater yields, isillustrated on the Groundwater Resources map, whichis on page 42.

Tick glacial deposits, in the southeastern part o Huron County just north o the Ashland County line,are the best source o groundwater in the watershed.Tese deposits usually contain one or more layers o sand and gravel and may yield between 25-100 gallonsper minute. Properly designed and constructed wells

that encounter the thickest parts o the sand and gravelmay provide enough groundwater or industrial oragricultural and irrigation use.

Deposits yielding between 5-25 gallons per minuteare ound just east o the Vermillion River in HuronCounty, along the river in Ashland County, and in thenortheast corner o Richland County. Te deposits inHuron and Ashland counties consist o sand and gravellayers within clay-rich till. ese areas commonly yield10 to 25 gallons per minute, which should be su cien

or domestic or small arm use, rom properly screenedand developed wells. In Richland County, the aquifer isandstone and shale bedrock, which generally producesfrom 5-25 gallons per minute. Wells which yield in thupper part o this range provide enough water or small

arms or light industries.

Aquifers in most of the remainder of the upper reacheo the watershed provide lower yields, generally inthe 3-10 gallons per minute range, su cient only

or household use. Wells drilled in these areas may encounter either sand and gravel or sandy shalebedrock. Where the glacial deposits are thick, wellsare usually developed in thin, discontinuous sand andgravel deposits within the clay-rich glacial till. If thicksand and gravel is encountered, wells may sometimesyield up to 20 gallons per minute. I no sand and gravelis encountered, the shale bedrock below the thick till

usually yields less than 3 gallons per minute. Where theglacial deposits are relatively thin, wells are developedin the sandy shale bedrock. Wells drilled deeper than100 eet into the bedrock in the southern parts o themapped area may encounter salt water or gas.

Finally, the poorest groundwater resources (yieldso less than 3 gallons per minute) occur in the mostdownstream reaches o the watershed, and in someo the upland areas in Ashland and southern Huroncounties. In areas where very limited quantities ofgroundwater are obtained, the water usually comes

rom thin, sand and gravel deposits or the shalebedrock. Homes that rely on wells in these areasmay require additional storage tanks to meet typicalhousehold water requirements. Dry wells are notuncommon. Occasionally, wells in these areas may encounter salty or oily water.


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Groundwater Resourcesof the Vermilion River Watershed


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Vermilion River Corridor Protection

Riparian forest bufferse high water quality and diverse wildlife habitats

present on the Vermilion River are due to a complexinteraction o a number o contributing actors. Temost important o these actors is the presence o anintact system o deciduous riparian orest bu ers alongthe river corridor. Tere ore, protecting the maximumamount o riparian corridor along the Vermilion Rivershould be one o the highest priorities.

Preserving riparian orest bu ers results in a number o bene ts to water quality. ese bu ers help protect theriver rom the e ects o nonpoint source pollution. Tetrees and understory shrubs absorb nonpoint pollutants

rom overland runo and rom the near sur acegroundwater zone.

Two of the major nonpoint pollutants which areremoved by orest bu ers are nitrogen and phosphorus.I too much o these nutrients are allowed to enterthe river, they will cause excessive algae growth. It isimportant to avoid an overabundance o algae becauseit reduces light penetration which causes submergedaquatic vegetation to die. ese plants are essential tothe survival of sh and other aquatic organisms. eproblem is compounded by the use o nearly all o the available oxygen during the subsequent de-

composition process o the algae. Fish kills usually result in these situations.

Extensive studies have determined that in relatively atareas with slopes o 4 percent or less, a bu er strip asnarrow as 50 eet can remove the majority o nitrogenand phosphorous rom sur ace and subsur ace runo .Tis should be considered the minimum width needed

or small tributary streams.

Forest bu ers with a minimum width o 120 eetare needed on steeper slopes and or rivers, like theVermilion, which have a drainage area o more than20 square miles. is 120-foot distancemeasured oneach river bank in a hor

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