This project restored a 1,800 foot portion of the Clinton Avenue Ditch by employing natural channel design techniques that allowed for the creation of a sinuous stream channel with 47 riffle/pool complexes and 6 floodplain wetlands. These restoration activities provide increased habitat, allow for natural stormwater detention, and reduce the amount of sediment, heavy metals, and nutrients entering the Black River and Lake Erie.
A secondary objective of the project is maximizing the available stormwater detention capabilities within the floodplains by storing up to 8.0 acres of water during the 5-year storm event and up to 13.6 acre-feet of water during the 100-year storm event. The floodplain areas are designed to allow for a slow release of floodwaters which not only supports 10 acres of wetland vegetation communities within the floodplains, but also positively impacts stormwater quantity and quality.
This project was funded in part by the Lorain County Storm Water Management District and through the Federal Clean Water Act Section 319 Grant administrated by the Ohio EPA.