We will be holding a pond clinic at Pattison Park just outside Owensville on September 20th at 5:30 pm.
This is the first event in a few years. We will be returning to our normal April event in 2023.
This years’ event will meet at the shelter house and you will be rotating to speakers in small groups around the pond. Please bring your own chairs if you like. Topics to include: Ponds 101, Aeration, Pond weed control, and a naturalist talk. Discussions will be based on questions you bring. If inclement weather is predicted, we will be indoors at lodge across from shelter house. Parking will be on both sides of US 50. Jones Fish Hatchery and Clermont County Parks will also be presenting. Clermont Co. Park District- Pattison Park 2228 US Highway 50, Batavia OH
There is no cost, but registration is recommended for event setup. To register or additional information contact Connie Miller at (513) 732-7075 ext 2 or cmiller@clermontcountyohio.gov
In Ohio there is not a specific agency that oversees and manages all of the water resources in Ohio. Water is typically abundant and often times taken for granted. The laws and managing agencies can be very confusing and oftentimes non-existent because drainage laws are often left as civil issues to be decided by the courts.
Here are some of the most common calls we handle in our office. Drainage Our staff assists landowners with advice on their water issues. This includes excess standing water, stream bank erosion, and improving water flow through the property. Any building permits, questions or complaints should be directed first to our county building department. Our office can help with solutions to
problems that landowners are willing to fix on their own or with their neighbors. Our office is not regulatory.
Agriculture
Our office works closely with federal and state programs to help agriculture operations address environmental concerns including cropland drainage, farm lot water management, stream protection, among other projects and programs.
Ponds
We provide educational services to help maintain existing ponds and storm water basins, as well as guidance in placement of new ponds.
Storm Water
Storm structures throughout the county are maintained by many different agencies and private landowners. Typically the municipality who owns the road, maintains the right-of way
(ROW) structures (not including driveway culverts). Those structures outside the ROW and on private property are mostly the responsibility of individual landowners or home
owner associations. If you have a problem on your street, call your township or municipality for service. Our office maintains the GIS maps for the public storm water structures.
Our office does not address the following water issues you may have.
– Public water pipes and leaks- call your local provider on water bill.
– Landowner dispute resolutions, however, we can provide guidance and recommendations.
– Water testing for cisterns and ponds. If for home drinking water contact the General Health District
Join the Clermont SWCD along with the Ohio Division of Wildlife, Ohio Division of Watercraft, Ohio Division of Parks, National Wild Turkey Federation, Clermont County Park District, The NWTF River Valley Longbeards and others during the Natural Resources Day which will be held Tuesday, July 26 at the Clermont County Fair in the Lykins Pavilion from Noon – 6:00 p.m.
Archery, BB-guns, reptiles, and other hands on exhibits will be on display. Meet with representatives from local conservation clubs, Ohio Trappers Association, local sportsmen clubs and SWCD. Representatives will be available to discuss natural resource related issues and how you can improve habitat on your land.
If you’re not able to visit during Natural Resources Day, please visit the Clermont SWCD booth in the Commercial Building or give us a call at (513) 732-7075.
Once again, it’s been a long, cold winter, but spring is approaching and thoughts are turning to gardening. If you are planning some new landscaping around the house this year, you may want to consider a rain garden, which can be an attractive feature that also helps manage storm water runoff.
Rain gardens look like any other flower garden, but they are built in a shallow depression that is designed to collect rain water and slowly filter it into the ground over a period of a day or two. A typical rain garden planted with native wildflowers, shrubs or trees can soak up to 30% more water than a conventional lawn. Rain gardens also help to remove pollutants in storm water that are picked up from our lawns, rooftops, driveways and parking lots. In addition to the water quality benefits, rain gardens providing important habitat and food sources for birds, butterflies, and other wildlife.
Anyone can build a rain garden on their own. Creating one requires nothing more high tech than a shovel. To aid landowners in their quest to build their own garden, we have collaborated with local organizations to create the Greater Cincinnati Master Rain Gardener Course. The first session is already full, but you can add your name to the waitlist for future classes at www.cincyraingardener.org or join the Facebook group Greater Cincinnati Master Rain Gardeners for great ideas from fellow gardeners. Plenty of tips are also available on our web site at www.clermontswcd.org/rain-gardens-barrels/. And if you run in to problems – don’t give up. Just give us a call or shoot us an email and we’ll help you through it.
The annual Spring Litter Clean-up event will be held at multiple locations throughout Clermont County on Saturday, April 23, 2022. Event organizers, including the Clermont Soil and Water Conservation District and the Valley View Foundation, are currently recruiting volunteers to help clear trash and unsightly debris at several parks, waterways and other shared open spaces across the county. Families, individuals, scout groups, and other organizations are encouraged to participate!
Several of the staging events planned for this event include East Fork State Park, Stonelick State Park, City of Milford, Miami Township, Village of Bethel, Village of Williamsburg, and Pierce Township. All volunteers will be provided with materials for their clean-up activities, including protective gloves, trash bags and litter grabbers. Individuals that request litter cleanup materials will be sent details for supply pick-up in their communities.
Please visit the Spring Litter Clean-up website for more information or register: www.springlittercleanup.com
Additional inquires can be directed to Connie Miller at (513) 732-7075 ext. 2 or cmiller@clermontcountyohio.gov
Christmas tree recycling is a great gift to the environment after the holiday season ends.
“Treecycling” not only keeps cut trees out of the landfill, but it helps support other ecosystems. Best of all, it’s FREE and easy! There are several locations in Clermont County for you to dispose of your cut Christmas tree and have it chipped:
• Village of Batavia: Village residents can place your tree (cleared of all decorations) at the curb for pick-up throughout the month of January for chipping.
• City of Loveland: City residents can place trees (cleared of all decorations) at the curb for pick-up from January 4th through January 14th for chipping.
• Miami Township: Residents can bring Christmas trees (cleared of all decorations) to either Paxton Ramsey Park or Miami Meadows for chipping. Trees can be dropped off seven days a week during daylight hours from December 26 through January 31 for chipping.
• Pierce Township: Pierce Township residents can bring trees (cleared of all decorations) to the Pierce Township Service Garage at 950 Locust Corner Road December 26 through January 8 for chipping. The drop-off area is located near the baseball fields and will be clearly marked.
• Pattison Park (Stonelick Twp/Owensville area): trees (cleared of all decorations) can be dropped off at the lake side part of at Pattison Park, near the playground, from December 26 through January 12 for chipping. The drop-off area will be clearly marked.
• Union Township: Union Township residents can drop off trees (cleared of all decorations) behind the Police Department at 4312 Glen Este-Withamsville Road for chipping from January 1 through January 31. The drop-off area will be clearly marked.
• All other residents: BZAK landscaping, located at 931 Round Bottom Road, will allow any Clermont County resident to dispose of trees (cleared of all decorations) for chipping during regular business hours. Please call (513) 831-0907 for information.
Please note, this Treecycling program is only for live cut trees. Artificial trees cannot be recycled and must be disposed of as household trash. Before you take your cut tree to a collection site or haul it to the curb for pick-up, please be sure to remove all lights, tinsel, and decorations. Your old or broken strings of holiday lights can also be recycled at several locations around Clermont County: visit www.oeq.net/holidaylights for a completelist of holiday light drop-off locations.
For more information regarding Christmas tree recycling, holiday light recycling, or any other service provided by the Solid Waste District, call (513) 732-7744 or email dsnyder@ClermontCountyOhio.gov
Tina Vuyancih, an eigth grade teacher at Williamsburg Middle School, and Kim Lewis, a school counselor previously at Marr/Cook Elementary, were awarded the Educator of the Year award at our Annual Meeting held in September. Tina teaches English Language Arts and is the advisor for Williamsburg’s student council. She works with students to promote sustainability and foster engagement in waste reduction strategies. Now with Loveland High School, Kim coordinated several sustainability inititatives throughout the school from evaluating paper waste in the main office to food waste in the cafeteria. Both Tina and Kim served as their school’s Waste Reduction Program Coordinators and held an end-of-school year recycling event. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, they were able to divert tons of recyclable material from the landfill. In addition, they were able to collect almost 270 pounds of usable school supplies which were donated to the Eastgate Boys & Girls Club. We are very pleased to honor Tina Vuyancih and Kim Lewis in their conservation efforts. If you are interested in learning more about the services we have to offer to
support schools in their waste reduction efforts, please visit https://oeq.net/school-waste-reduction-program/ and complete the form found on the site. If you have any questions about the program, contact Hannah Lubbers at hlubbers@clermontcountyohio.gov or 513-732-7894.
Jennifer Ebbing, operator of Hayware Homestead in Tate Township, was awarded the Cooperator of the Year award at our Annual Meeting held in September. Her five acre operation includes goats, horses, chickens, eggs, and vegetables for farmers markets. The farm does not use any chemicals in their garden. She has worked with NRCS to implement conservation projects such as a heavy use pad, barn gutters and downspouts, a high tunnel, and drainage improvements around her lots. Jennifer has future plans to improve her pasture. These conservation projects will minimize erosion, provide healthier conditions for her animals, lengthen the growing season, and create a more sustainable operation as a whole. We commend Jennifer for her stewardship efforts, and for protecting the land and valuable natural resources of the county.
The Master Rain Gardener (MRG) Course is a 5 day course that takes place over 6 weeks. During the course, students are guided through the rain garden design and installation process by experienced regional professionals.
Course Dates and Time
9:00 am – 1:00pm
March 4, 11, 18, 25
April 8
First 25 participants FREE!
$50 deposit to reserve your place, reimbursed with course completion.
For additional information and to register visit www.cincyraingardener.org
In the election held September 14, Todd Winemiller was re-elected for a fourth term and Joe Glassmeyer was re-elected for a 13th term on the Soil and Water Conservation District’s Board of Supervisors. Their terms will begin January 1, 2022 and run through 2024. Congratulations Todd and Joe, and thank you for serving your conservation district!
