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Visit the LMI Scenic River & Trail Center in Loveland OH |
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View a New CET Video Presentation
on LMI and the Ohio Scenic Rivers Program Double Click on the PLAY button on the CET Connect Media Player (left). |
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Visit the LMI Scenic River & Trail Center in Loveland OH |
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View a New CET Video Presentation
on LMI and the Ohio Scenic Rivers Program Double Click on the PLAY button on the CET Connect Media Player (left). |
National and State Wild & Scenic River Acts Celebrate 40 Year Milestones in 2008 %20and%20Aaron%20Rourke%20(Little%20Miami%20supporter).JPG) October 2nd was a glorious day to
be in a canoe floating down the Little Miami Wild & Scenic River, for
more reasons than one! The sun was shining on a crisp fall day under a
clear blue sky. The river was flowing clear and cool. Great Blue Herons
and Ospreys circled overhead. And it was time to celebrate the 40th
anniversaries of both the National and the State Scenic
River Programs.(LEFT: ODNR Director Sean Logan (front) and Aaron Rourke enjoy a beautiful paddle on the Little Miami north of Loveland) MORE....
Grand Canyon Adventure OMNIMAX Film Shows National Desire to Protect Our River Heritage CLICK ON PHOTO (Left) TO PRINT A DISCOUNT COUPON TO FILM'S SHOWING AT CINCINNATI MUSEUM CENTER THRU FEBRUARY 12, 2009.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ON THIS FILM. Two Day Rains Reminds Us of Floodplains "That's why they call
it a floodplain. The 100 year floodplain is the area of land along a river or stream which will flood with a 1 percent chance of occurring each and every year. "One per cent doesn't seem like much, but its a lot better odds than winning the lottery. Some people mistakenly believe that the 100-year flood will only come once every one hundred years, but they can be in for a big surprise," Partee warned. Development throughout the Little Miami's 1755 square mile watershed in Southwest Ohio has increased "impervious surface" like roads, roofs, and parking lots. The rain doesn't seep into the ground, but runs off at much higher rates, overloading local streams.
This flood 'small potatoes' "This flood is "small potatoes" compared to the 100-year flood," Partee said. At Loveland's Nisbet Park the 100-year flood would likely be 10 feet higher than river levels reached on the afternoon of March 19th (see pix left and right). In 1978 FEMA conducted a flood study for Loveland and marked out the limits and the height of the 100 year flood (see pic from 1978 report below). This report was updated several years ago and projected yet higher flood levels.
Wetlands and "rain gardens" help absorb rain and keep the rain drop where it falls. Floodplains also help store water during high water events. Filling in wetlands and floodplains reduces this valuable storage function. In the aerial photo below stream flow and
floodwaters are stored and filtered through LMI's Beaver Creek Wetland
Preserve in Greene County.
You can help LMI acquire riverfront and
floodplain forest lands by joining LMI as a member. Log on to
www.littlemiami.org and click
For more information on rain gardens, log on to Rain Garden Info at the Green Acres Foundation
Plan Update to Benefit Little Miami's
Committee Information Link
Researcher's "dire
warnings" Coming True for Mussels
Hoggarth went back to the Little Miami recently and looked at the mussels and this latest study confirms these earlier dire warnings. The mussel faunas of the Little Miami and three of its major tributaries have declined. The most significant recommendations made in this report are to fix the sedimentation issues in Todd’s Fork and improve water quality throughout the system. The midsection of the mainstem was unsuitable for mussels in 1990/91 and it still is today. Improving water quality will give the mussels in the lower reach of the mainstem access to reaches in the upper watershed as well as the tributary streams. Providing connectivity among the mussels and fish will improve both resources. On a positive note, two species of mussels thought to be extirpated from the system (Hoggarth, 1992) were found alive in the mainstem (Megalonaias nervosa and Actinonaias ligamentina). The former species is an Ohio Endangered Species. In addition, Quadrula nodulata (Ohio Endangered Species and pictured above) was found in the mainstem and the East Fork. In addition to these discoveries, some reaches of the mainstem and the East Fork have retained their mussel diversity and either scored as well or better on the Mussel-IBI than they did in 1990/91. Hoggarth's recent mussel study was co-funded by the ODNR
Division of Wildlife and Little Miami Inc. |
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OEPA: Peters Cartridge facility "currently is not causing impairment" to the Little Miami National Wild & Scenic River  A 3.5 mile segment of the Little Miami National & State Scenic River is in full attainment of the Exceptional Warmwater Habitat (EWH) aquatic life use criteria, according to an OEPA report released Nov 1, 2007. This achievement reflects a high level of biological integrity, and meets the biological goals of the Clean Water Act, the OEPA report states, "Biological communities have improved in the Little Miami River study segment since 1998. River sediments were tested for heavy metals, and results were within acceptable ecological levels. Biological community results from this study documented that the Peters Cartridge facility currently is not causing impairment to the Little Miami River." LMI had joined with the County and Township officials in requesting the OEPA study. CLICK for full report.
USEPA releases draft Gulf Hypoxia
Action Plan to Control Nutrients in Mississippi, Ohio River Basins
Click for info "We're all committed to improving
water quality and reducing nutrient pollution in America's largest
watershed. This science-driven action plan is a roadmap for real
progress through cooperative conservation, interstate collaboration and
local innovation," said Benjamin H. Grumbles, EPA's assistant
administrator for water.
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Camp Kern Riverfront Gets New Protection
Camp Kern officials recently signed a conservation easement protecting their riverfront forest lands in Warren County along three-quarters of a mile of the Little Miami Scenic River. The conservation easement will be jointly administered by Little Miami Inc. and the Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District.Funding for the purchase was provided by ODNR and LMI. Pictured left are (LtoR) Camp Kern officials, Dave McElroy, Eric Partee and Bruce McGary. Enjoy 98 Scenic River Pix ! Are you a riverfront landowner who would like to preserve their riverfront forest lands? Please check out this Conservation Easement !
ODNR Director Praises
LMI for 40 Years
Mason OH Sean D. Logan, newly appointed
Director of the Ohio Department of Natural
Resources praised Little Miami Inc as the keynote speaker at the 40th
Anniversary |
 Eric B. Partee, Executive Director of Little Miami Inc., a conservation group, stands in a riverbed with effluent from the Sycamore Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant gushing out behind him in Indian Hill. |
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Groups Seek to Prevent Damage to Little Miami National Wild & Scenic
River; File suit against DOT, FHWA in Federal Court
(October 17, 2006 - Cincinnati) - Three leading environmental groups filed suit today over the proposed Eastern Corridor transportation project against the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for failure to adequately address impacts of the project on the Little Miami River, a nationally designated Wild and Scenic River. Rivers Unlimited, Little Miami, Inc (LMI) and Sierra Club filed the suit, anticipating it to be one of the most important environmental battles in the Little Miami River’s history. The Little Miami runs through the Eastern Corridor, a transportation planning area in eastern Hamilton County. “The Eastern Corridor bridge and highway will drive out wildlife, pollute the air with thousands of trucks and cars a day, bring noise and lights 24/7 and pollute the river.” said Mike Fremont, President Emeritus of Rivers Unlimited and long time canoeist on the Little Miami River. “It’s where we fish, swim, paddle, hike and picnic. The National Park Service’s charter is to leave parks “unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations. The Little Miami is Southwestern Ohio’s "Central Park." "We want to do everything we can to make sure that the National Wild and Scenic Little Miami River is kept wild and scenic and that we invest now in transportation choices that are clean and are part of the solution to global warming,” said Enid Nagel, Ohio Sierra Club Chapter Chair. ""We are seeking a solution that preserves the outstanding qualities of the Little Miami National Wild & Scenic River and addresses transportation needs in the area” said Eric B. Partee, Little Miami Inc. Executive Director, “It is regrettable that this process has had to find its way into the courts, but we are left with no alternative. Thousands of people have worked diligently since 1967 to preserve this beautiful river corridor and we will continue that effort to protect this irreplaceable natural gem." The Little Miami National Wild and Scenic River is a local treasure valued for its wildlife, beauty and family recreation. Over 100,000 canoeist and 350,000 hikers and bikers enjoy annually what is effectively our region’s longest park. The Little Miami is ranked as the State's largest example of "exceptional warmwater habitat" placing it in the top 10% of Ohio’s river ecosystems. The Lower Little Miami was designated into the National Wild & Scenic Rivers System in 1980 after years of clean up and restoration work by local conservation-minded citizens. National Park Service says Agency comments "ignored" "The National designation aims to protect and restore the outstanding natural character that is an irreplaceable asset to the region," said Partee, “The National Park Service (NPS) has acted professionally in urging FHWA and DOT to find alternative transportation projects that do not damage the Little Miami. In June 2006, DOT Administrator Dennis A. Decker cut off discussions with the NPS and issued a "Record of Decision" aimed at moving ahead with the new bridge crossing. We share the NPS's disappointment for this abrupt and dismissive action by DOT and the FHWA. The Little Miami and its conservation supporters deserve better, much better." "The NPS finds it equally frustrating to have cooperating Agency comments ignored, only to read an ODOT press release touting the NPS support for the project." stated Ernest Quintana, NPS Regional Director. (see copy of NPS June 28, 2006, link below) Little Miami, Inc. owns over 50 nature preserves along the river. LMI and other agencies have permanently protected close to 50% of the critical riparian forests along the Little Miami which can be enjoyed by the public for generations to come.
Link here to copy of
press release here May 1, 2006 Echoing the 35-year long opposition by Little Miami Inc. and others to a new bridge crossing over the Little Miami National Wild & Scenic River, the US Department of the Interior told the Federal Highway Administration in an April 18, 2005 15 page letter that the Eastern Corridor project touted by highway promoters does affect the Little Miami. (for detailed NPS comments see this link)
see full Outdoor Recreation Economy report . More than three out of every four Americans participate in active outdoor recreation each year. Americans spend money, create jobs, and support local communities when they get outdoors. Simple, healthy outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, camping, or wildlife viewing generate enormous economic power and fuel a far-reaching ripple effect that touches many of the nation’s major economic sectors.
THE RECREATION ECONOMY: • Contributes $730 billion annually to the U.S. economy • Supports nearly 6.5 million jobs across the U.S. • Generates $88 billion in annual state and national tax revenue • Provides sustainable growth in rural communities • Generates $289 billion annually in retail sales and services across the U.S. • Touches over 8 percent of America’s personal consumption expenditures—more
than 1 in every 12 dollars circulating in the economy.
Scenic Trail Extends South Five Miles Scenic River Supporters Gather at 2006 LMI Annual Meeting May 23rd in Loveland Ohio  LMI
President Michael T. Schueler welcomed over 100 river conservation
supporters who attended the Little Miami Inc. Annual Scenic River
Conservation Dinner Meeting at The Works restaurant in Historic Downtown
Loveland on May 23rd. New LMI nature preserves and other river
protection steps taken over the past year were highlighted. Several
people were honored for their conservation work. A walking tour of the new
LMI Scenic River & Trail Center along the Little Miami bike trail followed
the dinner program.  Photo
(above) The Little Miami Scenic River & Trail Center is located at 211
Railroad Avenue in Loveland Ohio next to Little Miami Scenic Trail (aka
Loveland Bike Trail). LMI Treasuer Dave Case (right) presents an award
of appreciation to Upper River Fund Chairman Irv Bieser (center of photo)
and Dane Mutter (left) for their funding support for 2 new nature preserves
on the North Fork in Clark County. |
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LMI Terrell Park Clean Up yields dumpsters of
trash from LM Scenic River Corridor Fifty hearty volunteers came to Terrell Park
Preserve at MIlford on April 29th to start a major clean up effort along the
Little Miami Scenic River. The Little Miami had "given back" a wealth of
debris and trash that people had dumped into the river and its tributaries,
ranging from pop bottles, to tires, to an occasional refrigerator. A dock
(see pic left) had been washed downstream by the river's force. LMI
recommends that riverfront landowners refrain from trying to place docks/steps
along the
riverbank since they invariably wash downstream to litter other riverfront
lands.
LMI Director of Conservation Andy Dickerson added, "It was a great clean up, we
picked up two large dumpsters of trash, 10 propane tanks, 3 refrigerators and
over 100 tires, and theirs a lot more we haven't gotten to yet!"Thanks to all the volunteers, people from the Public Allie group, the City of Milford for the dumpsters, and to Sam for his power equipment. The job has just begun at Terrell Park and we look forward to seeing the clean up continue. VOLUNTEER FOR A FUTURE LMI CLEAN UP! Email partee@littlemiami.com
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300 Brave Cool Temps,Celebrate
Little Miami Preservation Milestone - 25th Anniversary  Little
Miami Inc., Sierra Club, and Greenacres Foundation hosted a Celebration
at Nisbet Park on October 8, 2005 in Loveland to celebrate the 25th
Anniversary of the Lower Little Miami's designation into as a National
Wild and Scenic River.
(see more) |
Little
Miami Supporters Celebrate
National Wild & Scenic Designation at LMI Annual Meeting
 May 12, 2005
Mason OH Over 100 river
conservation supporters attended the Little Miami Inc. Annual Meeting last
night to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Little Miami's National Wild &
Scenic River designation in 1980. Paul Labovitz, National Park Service Midwest
Director for Rivers & Trails, was keynote speaker.
(see more) |
Dept. of Interior
Warns State, Local Officials that Little Miami is "a designated wild and
scenic river" and Cannot Be Degraded per Federal Law Sten Hedeen and LMI Trustee Don Hopkins observe some of the 255 bird species found at and near the proposed Eastern Corridor bridge crossing. Several years ago LMI purchased lands at the site and eastablished the Horseshoe Bend Nature Preserve.
Echoing the 35-year long opposition by Little Miami Inc. and others to a
new bridge crossing over the Little Miami National Wild & Scenic River,
the US Department of the Interior told the Federal Highway
Administration in an April 18, 2005 15 page letter that the Eastern
Corridor project touted by highway promoters does affect the Little
Miami. |
Senate Approves New Incentives
for Donated Conservation Easements
In November 2005, the U.S. Senate passed a tax bill that did not include the ill-advised reforms affecting land conservation organizations that were suggested by the Joint Committee on Taxation in its January 2005 report. Instead, the bill includes expanded tax incentives for donated conservation easements. It extends the period during which deductions can be used from 6 to 16 years and raises the ceiling for deductions from 30 percent of the donor’s adjusted gross income (AGI) to 100 percent of AGI for farmers and ranchers and 50 percent for other donors. (courtesy of the American Farmland Trust)
American Rivers
Names Little Miami to
Top 10 Most Endangered Rivers in Nation
Ten Rivers Reaching the Crossroads
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Park Service on bridge: 'Reconsider'
Feds oppose proposed span crossing Little Miami River Wednesday, December 8, 2004 Cincinnati Enquirer The National Park Service
criticized a recently released environmental study that concluded a new
bridge over the Little Miami River would create no environmental harm to the
waterway, which is a National Wild and Scenic River.
Eastern bridge report criticized
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Americans
Vote for Conservation - Again!
Despite
their obvious political differences, Americans have once voted "yes" for a
cause that
unites them--creating parks and protecting land in their communities. In
both red and blue states,
voters reached into their pockets for conservation, passing 74 percent of
conservation finance
measures on state and local ballots--a rate of passage that has remained
relatively stable over
the last few years. Voters in 120 communities in 26 states passed measures
that included
$3.25 billion to conserve land. TPL's
Conservation Finance
Program
assists states and communities
in planning and mounting conservation ballot measures and maintains TPL's
online
LandVote database
of measure results since 1998.
Read More
courtesy of the Land Trust Alliance.
Check out the ODNR
Division of Wildlife Fish Information Web Site!
for all your info on
fish !
Urbanization Impacts on the Little Miami Scenic River
The LMI Smysor Nature Preserve
Horner Run Valley
Healthy Riparian Forests
Key to a Healthy Little Miami National & State Scenic
River !
more...
BUILD A BAT HOUSE (courtesy of NPCA ! )
Get a FREE Little Miami IBA Color Poster (855kb) !
2004
Ohio Sport Fish Consumption Advisory - Statewide Advisory
Students Plant More Trees at
Horseshoe Bend Nature Preserve
University of Cincinnati students and Spark
People Services joined LMI members and
staff along
the Little Miami on April 24th to help bring a greater diversity of tree
species to the
LMI nature preserve south of Fairfax. 100 native
floodplain trees were planted with smiles
and a hope for the future of this
scenic tranquil setting. You can help preserve and restore
natural areas along the
Little Miami by calling 513/965-9344 or email
partee@littlemiami.com
and volunteering for the LMI "Trees for
the River" crew.|
USGS
Finds Pesticides in Southwest Ohio Streams
Morning Glory at Horseshoe Bend
- Little Miami National & State Scenic River, Hamilton County, OH
255 bird species have been documented here and elsewhere along the Little
Miami Scenic River IBA.
The ideal of beauty is simplicity and tranquility. - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
10 Things you can do to save the Little Miami
click pic for LMI's recent efforts
Scenic River Scenes
The beautiful Luna Moth found
along the Little Miami Scenic River
LMI
photos courtesy Ronald G. Levi
%20web%20LMI.jpg)
Look closely for the
Copes Gray Tree Frog
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Winter Blanket at the LMI Smysor Nature Preserve on Horner Run |
ODNR's Randy Sanders tells of the
` importance of
Sycamores
and
riparian benefits.
WildOhioLink
COYOTE Native American folklore is filled with tales of the coyote. This animal is either revered for its intelligence and ability to resolve a conflict or threat to its life, or it is frowned upon for being a cunning and deceiving manipulator. The coyote is not believed to be native to Ohio, but it is now common throughout the state. Love it or hate it, the coyote has the ability to make the best of any situation in order to survive and even prosper. The coyote is usually associated with the open, dry lands of the West. Its presence in Ohio, however, shows that this versatile animal can make a home most anywhere. The coyote is currently found throughout the U.S. Only small pockets and sparse populations were found east of the Mississippi. The coyote made its initial appearance in Ohio in 1919 and today, it can be found in all 88 counties. Historically, coyotes have shown a preference for more open habitats. But here in Ohio, they seem to prefer making their homes in hilly farmland mixed with wooded areas.
For more information about this elusive and interesting member of Ohio's wildlife, check out these websites: http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/Resources/wildnotes/pub376.htm http://www.ngpc.state.ne.us/wildlife/coyote.asp
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/nature/wild/mammals/coyote.htm BEAVER
The opossum is North America’s only marsupial-- a mammal that carries its underdeveloped young in a pouch until they are capable of living independently. It is also one of the most primitive species of mammals in North America. This animal is little changed from its ancestors of 70 million years ago. They are found in every part of the state and can inhabit farmland, small woods, suburbs, and cities. An adult opossum is about the size of a large house cat, with coarse grizzled grayish fur. It has a long, scaly tail, ears without fur, and a long, pointed snout that ends in a pink nose. The opossum’s best known behavior is that of “playing ‘possum.” When threatened, the opossum may hiss and bare its teeth. More likely, though, it will roll over and lay motionless, appearing to be dead. When the danger is past, the possum “revives” and resumes its activities. This behavior is a great example of animal adaptations that aid in their survival. If you like what you see, and you aren't already on the list, subscribe to WildOhioLink by sending your e-mail address to WildOhioLink@dnr.state.oh.us with "subscribe" as the subject heading. |
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Voters
Approve $2.9 Billion for Land Conservation |
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Are you a riverfront landowner who would like to preserve their riverfront forest lands? Then check out LMI's Conservation Easement ! Some environmental stories on this web site are selected from news sources around the country and the world. They do not necessarily reflect official LMI positions or the opinions of LMI staff. |
The Virtual Little Miami
using iPIX technology to immerse the view in a 3D world of photography along the
Little Miami Scenic River
Click on the above IPIX icon or text, then Click on the DOWNLOAD button to install
the iPIX Plug-In which
will allow you to view the LMI iPIX 360 x 360 immersive
photography listed
below:
LMI Smysor Nature Preserve IPIX 001
NOTICE: References to agencies, events or other activities on this web site does not necessarily constitute LMI endorsement.
The
skies opened up on the Little Miami Watershed and much of the Midwest on
March 18th and 19th, and visions of Noah's Ark came to mind with
2 to 4 inches or more of rain not
uncommon throughout most of the watershed. Low lying floodplain
roads were flooded at over a dozen locations along the Little Miami .
In the upper watershed Valley Road was under water (see photo left).
Other roads closed with high water included Corwin Road at Waynesville,
Waynesville Road (above the covered bridge), Mason Morrow Millgrove Road
at Morrow and South Lebanon, and streets near the river in Loveland, to
name a few. Moisture "trained" over the Midwest over the 48 hour period
It does indeed flood, even though we tend to forget
that after a prolonged dry spell," said LMI Executive Director Eric B.
Partee. "Decades ago the federal government created the flood
insurance program to help existing floodplain residents ease the
financial loss of flooding to their homes. Along with this 'carrot' was
a requirement that local governments adopt 'flood damage reduction
regulations' to discourage future development in the 100-year
floodplain."
In
Loveland's downtown, Nisbet Park was flooded from the effects of the
Little Miami and a major tributary, O'Bannon Creek which was lapping at
the underside of the steel girders holding up the Little Miami (aka
Loveland) Bike Trail (see photos left and right). Flood waters
were roaring through the trees that line the park's riverfront.
"Without these riverfront trees, the riverbanks would be washed away and
all that flood debris washing
down the river would wind up in Nisbet Park for an expensive clean up
after river levels subside," Partee noted.
In
1992 Dr. Michael Hoggarth of Otterbein College (
The
Gulf Hypoxia Task Force, chaired by EPA, released its 2008 revised
Gulf Hypoxia Action Plan on November 9th that identifies efforts to
track progress, update the science and adapt actions to reduce nutrients
flowing from 31 states into the Mississippi River. Those excess
nutrients impair waterways throughout the states and result in an annual
"dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico. 
Meet
the $730 Billion U.S. 
Ohio
Governor Robert Taft cut the green ribbon on June 10th officially opening a
new section of the Little Miami Scenic Trail at the Avoca Park trailhead
west of Terrace Park OH. The Governor thanked the Hamilton County Park
District and his Department of Natural Resources for installing the trail
and trailhead parking areas. He applauded LMI for its "dedication and
vision" for protecting the Little Miami and acquiring the riverfront lands
at Avoca Park and Bass Island. LMI's timely actions protected these critical
properties from development until the Hamilton County Park District could
proceed with their plans for the bike trail and nature preserve plans.
Taft's praise was echoed by HCPD Director Jack Sutton who recognized the
vital work of LMI over the past 39 years.
The coyote is generally a slender animal, very similar in appearance to a
medium-sized dog. They stand about one and a half to two feet tall and are
41-53 inches in length. Males are typically larger than females and either
sex can range between 20 and 50 pounds. 
The
beaver is one of nature’s greatest architects. They alter existing habitat
to suit their needs by constructing elaborate and effective dams of sticks
and mud, pooling stream water, and allowing them to build lodges in the
newly formed ponds or lakes. An average beaver dam is three to four feet
tall and can be 50 to 200 feet long. Beavers will spend the winter in their
lodges, in colonies, with stores of branches and other food staples hidden
under the water. Beavers are most recognizable by their broad, hairless
tail and large, protruding incisor teeth. They also have rich, chestnut
brown fur whose warmth is enjoyed in blankets and rugs. Amazing beaver
adaptations include valves on their nose and ears which seal water out,
oversized lungs that allow it to hold its breath for 10 to 15 minutes, and
small eyes that remain open under water. This mammal, the largest rodent
found in North America, has a thriving population in Ohio today and serves
as a popular furbearer for Ohio’s trappers.
VIRGINIA
OPOSSUM