MAHONING VALLEY Counties get grants for area watersheds

The local grants were part of more than $80,000 awarded statewide.
YOUNGSTOWN -- Mahoning and Trumbull counties both recently received state grants to help preserve area streams and tributaries.
David Brown, district program administrator at the Trumbull County Sewer and Water Conservation District, said the district received $2,731 from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for the Pymatuning/Shenango watershed.
A watershed is land that drains into one body of water. The Pymatuning/Shenango watershed, which runs from Kinsman to Hubbard and into Pennsylvania, drains into the Ohio River.
"The grant will be used to do some education programs, brochures and fliers," Brown said.
Amy Reeher, watershed coordinator for the Trumbull County SWCD, said she hopes to buy a watershed map with the grant similar to one owned by the Mahoning County Sewer and Water Conservation District. The map would allow children to see where they lived in the watershed.
Creeks: The Mahoning County SWCD received $4,100 for its watershed project at Mill, Yellow and Meander creeks. Watershed coordinator Heather Moser said the grant will be used for an ongoing monitoring of the creeks.
"We will be pairing with local businesses and, hopefully, local churches and youth organizations," Moser said. "The volunteers will be collecting data from the streams."
The results from the volunteer monitoring will be put in a database so the district knows what condition the streams are in and alert the community about what areas of the watershed are eligible for assistance.
Moser said people interested in volunteering with creek monitoring can contact her at the Mahoning County SWCD at (330) 533-2231.
Statewide: The ODNR awarded a total of $81,731 to 14 watershed programs throughout the state. The grants, which range from $1,747 to $10,000, are designed to help watershed coordinators with public outreach and participation.
The grants came from $109,571 the ODNR received as part of the Clean Water Act grant from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.