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Public Interest Center Protecting and Restoring the Deer Creek and Lower Scioto River Watersheds



Protecting and Restoring the Deer Creek and Lower Scioto River Watersheds

Ohio EPA appreciates your interest in covering the Agency's studies of the Deer Creek and lower Scioto River watersheds. To facilitate your reporting, we have created this online media kit. If you need more information or would like to schedule an interview to speak with a staff member about the project, please contact Erin Strouse by e-mail or phone at (614) 644-2160.

Associated Materials

 

Deer Creek and Lower Scioto River Watersheds
Photos and Captions

Please feel free to use the graphics on this page with your articles. We have provided captions for each. The thumbnail images on this page are low resolution graphics.
Please click on the desired image to download a high resolution copy. If you have problems downloading the files, please contact Erin Strouse by e-mail or phone at (614) 644-2160 or e-mail the Webmaster.
Deer Creek Map A map of the Deer Creek watershed Ohio EPA is monitoring this year. Deer Creek primarily flows through Madison, Pickaway and Ross counties.
Deer Creek
 This stretch of Deer Creek in Ross County near the confluence of the Scioto River is designated as a superior high quality water. Deer Creek flows into the Scioto River north of Chillicothe in Ross County.
bluebreast darters
 So far in 2011, Ohio EPA has found many more bluebreast darters (a threatened species) in Deer Creek than it did in 1997 (the last time the Agency sampled Deer Creek). Bluebreast darters are an indicator of good water quality and stream habitat. At one time they had become quite rare in Ohio. However, as a result of improved water quality they have made an impressive come back into much of their historical range in the state. These are photos of both  male (above) and female (below) bluebreast darters. Photo/info courtesy of ODNR.
Lower Scioto Map
 A map of the lower Scioto River watershed. Ohio EPA is studying the lower portion of the river's mainstem and its tributaries this year, beginning in Pickaway and Fairfield counties and continuing in Ross, Pike and Scioto counties.
Scioto River

Scioto River near the confluence of Deer Creek. The Scioto flows into the Ohio River near Portsmouth. This year's Ohio EPA studies of Deer Creek and the lower Scioto are part of the Agency's continuous effort to monitor and report on the quality of rivers and streams throughout Ohio.
Ross County farm

Ohio EPA teamed up with a local farmer to highlight farm conservation practices that are important to adopt to protect water quality. This event was held on a Ross County farm where approximately 190 of the 340 acres are enrolled in the Scioto River Basin Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). CREP offers farmers economic incentives for conservation practices such as planting streamside buffers that reduce agricultural runoff into local waterways.
data collection
 Ohio EPA collects data from fish, aquatic insects and other macroinvertebrates. This includes the practice of electrofishing (during which fish are caught, measured and then released).
water quality monitoring
 Ohio EPA has one of the most advanced water quality monitoring programs in the nation, determining the health of rivers and streams by sampling aquatic biology and habitat in addition to water chemistry. Biology and habitat show long-term trends in water quality rather than just snapshots in time.

 
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Contact the Public Interest Center
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1049, Columbus, OH 43216-1049
Street Address: 50 West Town Street, Suite 700 Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: (614) 644-2160 ~ Fax: (614) 644-2737 ~ E-mail
Emergency Response Hotline (800) 282-9378
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