Ottawa SWCD Administrator Mike Libben, right, talks about the restoration project on the Gargas Farms to a wagonful of guests pulled by Chad Gargas, center, on Sept. 10. (Photo by Sheri Trusty)

BY SHERI TRUSTY

GENOA – When Andrea Beard and her husband purchased a home along Packer Creek in Genoa, she knew that section of the creek wasn’t as healthy as it could be. Waterflow was partially impeded, invasive plant species were prevalent, and wildlife wasn’t well-supported. Thanks to a collaboration between the Ottawa Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) and Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), the Beard section of Packer Creek is now thriving.

The Packer Creek Stream & Riparian Restoration project was one of six restoration projects highlighted at the Healing Our Waters Great Lakes Coalition Bus Tour hosted by Ottawa SWCD at Gargas Farms in Genoa on Sept. 10. The purpose of the event was to raise awareness of the impact of federally funded restoration projects in the Great Lakes region to the public, elected officials, businesses, and community groups. Ottawa SWCD Administrator Mike Libben led the event along with Chad Gargas.

Tour participants look out the bus window at a large, 30-foot, two-stage shelf area that was part of the Packer Creek Stream Restoration project on the Ron Zeller property. Zeller was the first property owner to participate in the project. (Photo by Sheri Trusty)

“The differences you’re going to see in Packer Creek between (the project area) and the west side of town are amazing,” Libben said.

Since GLRI launched in 2010 with a goal to protect and restore the Great Lakes, five U.S. Areas of Concern (AOC) have been delisted and about 118 Beneficial Use Impairments (BUIs) – which are environmental impairments – have been removed.

Andrea Beard’s Genoa property was transformed by the Packer Creek Stream & Riparian Restoration project that was funded by a $524,529 grant from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. (Photo by Sheri Trusty)

The BUI addressed by the restoration project at the Beard property was the loss of fish and wildlife habitat. The project improvements included the creation of a two-acre wetland, invasive species management, and the planting of native vegetation.

“Much of Genoa is bedrock, so the property needed a boost to help wildlife,” Beard said. “They planted hundreds of trees, and a wooded area was enhanced to be more of a wooded wetland.”

Chad Gargas talks to participants of the Healing Our Waters Great Lakes Coalition Bus Tour at his farm in Genoa on Sept. 10. (Photo by Sheri Trusty)

Flooding on the property was addressed with the addition of a diversion stream.

“They added an offshoot stream. During heavy rains, water can go to the offshoot stream to help fight flooding,” Beard said.

Hydraulic cover stones were installed to manipulate water velocity and flow, and lunker structures, which are wooden frame boxes, were installed to provide artificial habitat for fish and macroinvertebrates.

The stream on Andrea Beard’s Genoa property is now healthy and supporting wildlife. (Submitted photo)

“The rocks form riffle pools that create energy in the water. It adds oxygen back into the water for fish,” Beard said.

The Beard property project was funded with a $524,529 AOC grant from GLRI, and it was one piece of the Packer Creek improvement plan that benefits the entire community and enhances the health of Lake Erie, the environment, and wildlife.

“The tradeoff is, we had to put the whole creek into a conservation easement to protect it,” Beard said.

The restoration project on the Gargas farms transformed the creek, benefiting the environment and helping to combat flooding. (Submitted photo)

Libben and Gargas led the Healing Our Water guests on a wagon tour to view Packer Creek riparian improvements on the Gargas farm, and then Libben took the group on a bus tour to view other restoration projects. The event highlighted six restoration projects, including the Sharlow Wetland Restoration project.

The Sharlow Wetland was former farmland owned by Wade and Jean Sharlow that was often unfarmable due to flooding. The Ottawa SWCD purchased 13 acres of the property and is restoring the land to a natural wetland, which will filter water before it reaches Lake Erie, thanks to a $302,500 GLRI grant. The enhanced area was named the Stiffler Wildlife Area.

The Hirzel Wetland Restoration project included enhancing a wetland area, installing a diversion stream from Pack Creek, and the installation of an Ag Runoff Treatment System (ARTs). (Submitted photo)