VOICE OF THE MILL CREEK

Page 1 Thirteenth Year Summer/Fall 2008

BOARD OF TRUSTEES MILL CREEK AND AMBERLEY VILLAGE

OFFICERS PARTNER ON RAIN GARDEN
MaryLynn Lodor, Chair The Mill Creek Watershed Council and Amberley Village received a $5,000 mini-
Christine Thompson, Vice-Chair grant from the Hamilton County Storm Water District (HCSWD) for partial funding of
the rain garden currently under construction at Ridge Road and Section Road in Amberley
Mark Policinski, Treasurer Village. The rain garden is a storm water management demonstration project that will
TRUSTEES improve water quality and reduce flooding potential from storm water runoff that flows
into Amberley Creek on the south side of Section
Frank Birkenhauer Road. The Village and Cincinnati Zoo and
Botanical Garden both received mini-grants from
Melanie Brokaw
the HCSWD program, which was created to
Jack Cameron promote education about storm water
management and pollution prevention. This
John Dowlin, Emeritus initiative is part of a larger effort by the EPA to
Richard Ellison protect waterways from contaminated storm water
runoff, a major source of pollution in 40% of the
Robert Harrison water resources that failed to meet water quality
John Hunter standards in the 2000 National Water Quality Inventory.
The rain garden concept was first proposed two years ago by the Beautification
Bruce Koehler Committee, chaired by Vice-Mayor Merrie Stillpass. In seeking the mini-grant, the Village
Bob Lentz partnered with the non-profit Mill Creek Watershed Council of Communities, which
Stillpass said provided invaluable assistance with the application process, and JF New for
Anne Lyon design oversight. Steve Rasfeld, Amberley’s Public Works Supervisor, worked closely with
Diantha Decker of the Council to choose plants and oversee construction of the rain
Melanie McNulty
garden. Rain gardens are becoming an increasingly popular and effective technique in the
Dr. Michael Miller effort to control the quality and flow rate of runoff resulting from rainstorms and snow
melt. They combine the use of native plants with extensive root systems that permit water
Cecil Osborn to seep deeper into the ground, filtering out pollutants, slowing the water rate and reducing
Tony Parrott flooding. “We hope residents will visit the rain garden and read the signs and other
educational materials that explain its function. This is also an excellent opportunity for
Kevin Reynolds students, landscapers, and people from other communities to learn the techniques and
Kimberley York principles of rain garden storm water management and apply them in problem areas
throughout Greater Cincinnati and beyond,” Stillpass said.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (This article originally appeared in the Summer 2008 edition of Amberley Village News.
Tara Maddock, Ph.D. Photos and story courtesy of Tracy McMullen.)
One North Commerce Park Drive
Suite 124 In This Issue:
Cincinnati, Ohio 45215
513.563.8800 (phone) • 2008 Carp Diem 5K, Page 2 • Celebrate the Creek, Page 3
513.563.8810 (fax) • Vote for a Clean Ohio, Page 2 • Springdale Rain Gardens, Page 3
tmaddock@millcreekwatershed.org
• Coney Island Rain Garden, Pg. 2 • Water Resources Grant, Page 4
(email)
www.millcreekwatershed.org

N EWSLETTER E DITOR: T ARA M ADDOCK, P H. D .

P age 2 Summer/Fall 2008

JOIN US FOR THE 4TH ANNUAL CARP DIEM

5K RUN/WALK ON SUNDAY, SEPT. 28
Seize the day at the 4th annual Carp Diem 5K Run/Walk at the Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum. Walk or
run with your family and friends or simply enjoy the beautiful and historic grounds of Spring Grove, formed in 1845 by the
Cincinnati Horticultural Society. All proceeds go to our organization and help support our ongoing efforts to improve the Mill
Creek Watershed, its communities, and the more than 450,000 watershed residents.
This fun event takes place on Sunday, September 28. Registration to walk or run begins at 7:30 a.m. with the
race/walk starting at 9:00 a.m. Individuals and teams may register. For additional details and advance registration, visit
www.millcreekwatershed.org or call 513-563-8800.

The crowd of Carp Diem runners ready at the

CDS Participants Gary Heitkamp, John Eisen-
start line last year.
mann (President), and his wife, Pat, enjoy the
2007 Carp Diem.

US BANK SPONSORS CONEY

VOTE TO PROTECT ISLAND RAIN GARDEN
OHIO’S RESOURCES Pictured at left: This
On November 4, voters in our community and all rain garden, which
across Ohio will have the opportunity to vote to protect is next to Moonlight
Gardens, was cre-
and preserve Ohio's quality of life through the renewal of
ated as a functional
the existing Clean Ohio Fund by voting Yes on Issue 2. It demonstration for
will ensure quality of life for all Ohioans by preserving the Spring Flower
natural areas and farmland and protecting waterways. It Show. Roof runoff
from Moonlight
will also help clean up polluted industrial sites, helping to Gardens is directed
stimulate economic development in urban areas creating to the garden and
high-quality jobs and investment. filtered on site.
Clean Ohio won't raise taxes. It will be paid with state
bonds and existing state revenue. Passage of Clean Ohio
will allow Ohio to receive matching federal funds, which
may be used by communities like ours for projects to pro-
Pictured at right: On April
tect and preserve the environment.
8th, 20 employees of US
Please join us in supporting Clean Ohio on November
Bank’s development Net-
4. Vote for Clean Ohio! For more information visit
work Board, along with
www.cleanohio.org.
the Council and Green
City Resources joined
forces to install Coney
Island's first rain garden.
Page 3 Summer/Fall 2008

SPRINGDALE CAPTURES
STORMWATER AND PROVIDES
BUTTERFLY HABITAT
B Y L E SL I E C O H EN , P R OG R A M M A N A G E R , M C W C C

Parking lots don’t seem to go along with water quality,

beautiful flowers and butterflies. But that is exactly what two
rain gardens installed by the City of Springdale are designed
to do—capture stormwater runoff and provide habitat for
beneficial wildlife including monarch butterflies, bees and
hummingbirds.
Cecil Osborn, a Mill Creek Watershed Council board mem-
ber and City Administrator for Springdale approached the Coun-
cil last fall for technical assistance and to host a training work-
shop in conjunction with the rain garden installation.
The Mill Creek Watershed Council and Springdale (with
sponsorship from CDS & Associates) held two rain garden
workshops. One on Friday, May 16 for a technical audience
and the second on Saturday, May 17 for master gardeners
and residents. A total of thirty-two participants attended the
workshops at Springdale’s Municipal Building. The Friday
workshop concluded with workshop participants planting one 720 East Pete Rose Way, Suite 420
of the rain gardens. (Saturday’s workshop was unable to Cincinnati, OH 45202
plant due to wet soil conditions). Phone: 513.621.6300
The workshops included presentations by Steve Foltz Fax: 513.621.9325
(Cincinnati Zoo); Tara Maddock, Leslie Cohen and Diantha TDD: 513.621.7063
Decker (Mill Creek Watershed Council); Brian Bohl Email: plan@oki.org
(Hamilton County
Website: www.oki.org
Soil and Water Con-
servation District);
Michelle Iannicca
(CDS Engineers) and
Leland Reilich
(Every Last Drop).
CELEBRATE THE CREEK!
“This is exactly the
type of project and
public education that Mill Creek Watershed Council of Communities
the Watershed Coun- Presents our Member Appreciation Event
cil was created to accomplish, improving the Mill Creek through
innovative public and private partnerships” said Tara Maddock,
Executive Director of the Mill Creek Watershed Council. Wednesday, September 10
The two rain gardens are located at Peach and Church 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Streets, just one block east of Springfield Pike/Route 4. The
Peach Street rain garden is 666 square feet and will filter and
retain nearly 6500 gallons of stormwater runoff during a one
Cincinnati Zoo and
inch rainfall event. The Church Street rain garden measures Botanical Garden in the
894 square feet and will treat 9700 gallons of runoff. Jeff Agri- Harold C. Schott
cola, Springdale’s Interim Public Works Superintendent, and Education Center
his staff were key to the success of the rain garden project .
“Jeff and his staff were great to work with. They oversaw the
excavation of the gardens, addition of the sand/soil/compost MCWCC Members $10
mix, and tilled the soil for planting” said Diantha Decker,
Program Assistant with the Mill Creek Watershed Council Non-Members $25
who managed the project.
While you may recognize many of the plants in the rain Registration information available at
gardens, you may not know that they are all local geno-type na- www.millcreekwatershed.org or contact
tive plants supplied from Keystone Flora, a local nursery special- Amy Ostigny at 513.403.0301 or
izing in native plants of southwest Ohio. Design assistance was aostigny@bizcinci.rr.com.
provided by Diana Boyd (also of Keystone Flora). The gardens have
been certified by the Monarch Waystation program for providing Deadline to register is September 5!
butterfly habitat. That’s not too bad for a new parking lot.

One North Commerce Park Drive
Suite 124
Cincinnati, Ohio 45215
www.millcreekwatershed.org
Our Mission: The Mill
Creek Watershed
Council of Communi-
ties enables Mill Creek
communities to pro-
tect and enhance the
value of the Mill Creek,
its tributaries, and
watershed. Through
collaborative action,
the Council strives to
make the Mill Creek
area a more desirable
place to live, work
and play.
GRANT AWARDED TO IMPROVE MILL CREEK WATER CONCERNS
Ohio’s Water Resource Restoration Sponsor Program recently
awarded a $1.7 million grant to the Mill Creek Watershed Council
of Communities (MCWCC) to restore a part of the Upper Mill
Creek.
“The 28-acre site, owned by the City of
Sharonville, has been identified as a critical
area for restoration and flood control,” said
Sharonville Mayor Virgil Lovitt. The site is
located where the Main Stem and East
Fork of the Mill Creek come together. “The
City is excited about the reality of this site
being used to reduce flooding along the
Mill Creek,” added Lovitt.
According to Ohio EPA reports, the Mill
Creek currently does not meet water quality
standards. The straightening of the stream, or
channelization over time, has made it difficult
for desired aquatic life to live.
The MCWCC will use the $1.7 million
to naturally restore the area by decreasing
the water’s velocity and changing the
stream into a meandering pattern.
“As a result, the project will improve
water quality, reduce flooding, prevent
erosion, provide a recreational area with trails and provide a wild-
life habitat”, said MCWCC Executive Director Dr. Tara Maddock.
Butler County Department of Environmental Services
(BCDES) and Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati
NON PROFIT ORG
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
CINCINNATI, OH
PERMIT NO. 5535
(MSD) are major sponsors of the project, with assistance from OKI
Regional Council of Governments and City of Sharonville. “This
project is a result of years of planning and collaboration among
local governments and land owners to improve
the health of the Mill Creek,” said MCWCC
Chair MaryLynn Lodor, also of Butler County
DES. Sharonville will be entering into a land
conservation easement to protect the project in
the future. The project is scheduled for design
and construction in 2009.
While the grant provides the funds for the
stream improvements, there are additional
plans to add a wetland and other beneficial,
natural features. The MCWCC is actively
seeking additional grantors who might be inter-
ested in providing moneys to reconstruct a
wetland that was once on the property.
“There are several benefits a wetland could
provide to the site and we are actively seeking
additional partners to help make the wetland
possible,” said Tara Maddock, of MCWCC.
The MCWCC enables Mill Creek commu-
nities to protect and enhance the value of the
Mill Creek, its tributaries, and watershed. The
MCWCC is a non-profit corporation representing all 36 political
jurisdictions in the Mill Creek watershed of which BCDES, the
City of Sharonville, the MSD of Greater Cincinnati and OKI are all
a part.
 Mill Creek Watershed
Council of Communities
Presents
~Celebrate the Creek~

Please join Mill Creek Watershed Council of Communities at the Cincinnati Zoo
for a happy hour highlighting the Mill Creek’s potential to be an asset to our
communities.

™ Networking and socializing with colleagues from local corporations,

municipalities, county & city agencies, engineering/ architecture/
landscape architecture firms, master gardeners, and nonprofit
organizations

™ Enjoy an evening in the garden (a rain garden of course!) with

appetizers and refreshments at the Silver LEED certified Schott
Education Center

™ Learn about the Council’s projects in flood reduction, stream

restoration, storm water management, and public outreach (including
what’s all the buzz about Green Infrastructure?)

™ We’ll show our appreciation for our fantastic members and get
together with old friends and new
DATE Wednesday, September 10, 2008

TIME 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm; 6:15 pm Awards & Recognition

Cincinnati Zoo Harold C. Schott Education Center (enter on Erkenbrecher Ave.)
3400 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH 45220 (513) 281-4700
LOCATION Ample on-site parking is available.

EVENT SPONSORS

COST & MCWCC Members $10 Non-Members $25

REGISTRATION LINKS Deadline to register is September 5, 2008
Questions? Please contact Amy Ostigny at (513) 403-0301
CONTACT or aostigny@bizcinci.rr.com
INFORMATION Please note: Please honor your reservation thank you!

OFFICERS
MaryLynn Lodor, Chair
Christine Thompson, Vice-Chair
Mark Policinski, Treasurer
MILL CREEK
TRUSTEES
BOARD Frank Birkenhauer, Melanie Brokaw, Jack Cameron, John Dowlin, Emeritus, Richard
Ellison, Robert Harrison, John Hunter , Bruce Koehler, Bob Lentz, Anne Lyon, Melanie
McNulty, Dr. Michael Miller, Cecil Osborn, Tony Parrott, Kevin Reynolds and
Kimberley York

Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati, Butler County Department of Environmental

Services, Butler County Storm Water District, City of Sharonville, City of Springdale, Village of
Thank You to Our Top Elmwood Place, Village of Evendale, Cognis, Duke Energy, CH2M Hill, Miami Corporation,
Financial Supporters CDS & Associates, MACTEC, CDP Engineers
 Your Membership Makes A Difference!

Join the Mill Creek Watershed Council of Communities

The Mill Creek Watershed Council of Communities is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Through collaborative action
and balancing environmental protection with economic development needs, the Council enables 36 Mill Creek
communities to enhance the value of the Mill Creek, its tributaries and watershed. Our water quality and community
programs are successful due to your continued support. With your help, we will continue to make even greater strides to
improve the Mill Creek and surrounding communities.
For more information about ongoing programs and resources, please visit our website www.millcreekwatershed.org or
contact Tara Maddock, Ph.D., Executive Director, of the Council at 513.563.8800 with any questions.
Thank you for your interest and support!

Annual Membership Categories
Suggested Levels (Please Circle Appropriate Level)

INDIVIDUAL/ ORGANIZATION SMALL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION

FAMILY (NON-PROFIT) BUSINESS
$35 $100 $200 $500 $500
TWO WAYS TO CONTRIBUTE:
1. 2008 MEMBERSHIP – IF YOU HAVE NOT JOINED FOR 2008 PLEASE SEND YOUR CONTRIBUTION NOW.
2008 Mill Creek Watershed Council of Communities membership of $__________ is included.
Check box if you would like a receipt for your tax-deductible contribution.

2. 2009 COMMITMENT - PLEASE CONSIDER MCWCC IN YOUR 2009 BUDGET PLANNING

I/We would like to pledge $_________ in 2009 to the Mill Creek Watershed Council.
I/We would like to speak with someone further about a Corporate or Community Sponsorship
Opportunity with the Mill Creek Watershed Council of Communities.
Check box if you would like to receive an invoice for your 2009 pledge.

First Name Last Name

Title/Position
Organization Name
Address
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Phone Fax
Email Website

Online Donations now available at:

http://www.millcreekwatershed.org/donate
Pay by Check:
Complete Form and return with your check payable to:
Mill Creek Watershed Council of Communities
One North Commerce Park Drive, Suite 124
Cincinnati, OH 45215