GLIN==> Kick-Off /Stakeholder Meeting for the Tiffin River Watershed Modeling Project

To: Tiffin River Watershed Stakeholders and Interested Parties
From: LimnoTech, Ecology & Environment, and the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers-Buffalo District
Subject: A Kick-Off /Stakeholder Meeting for the Tiffin River
Watershed Modeling Project
Date: September 22, 2011 

We are pleased to invite you (or your representative) to
participate in the first of two stakeholder meetings -- a
kick-off/stakeholder meeting -- for the Tiffin River Watershed
modeling project. The purpose of the meeting is to introduce you
to the project, to present the model development and application
approach planned for the project, to get your feedback on various
elements of the project, and to facilitate information sharing
between modelers and stakeholders.  The meeting is scheduled for
Thursday, September 22, 2011 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm EDT, at the
office of LimnoTech in Ann Arbor, Michigan. A future stakeholder
meeting will be held following model development and calibration
to discuss specific model scenarios to be run for evaluating
watershed conservation alternatives.


Soil erosion and nonpoint source pollution have adverse
environmental and economic impacts and are one of the priority
issues facing the Great Lakes. Sediment loading reduces water
depths in harbors and shipping channels and results in the need
for costly dredging efforts. Nutrient loading can increase the
occurrence of algal blooms and dead zones in the Lakes. The Tiffin
River watershed, a subbasin in the Maumee River Basin, was
selected as a priority for the development of a detailed,
agriculturally-based watershed model to address water quality
issues related to sediment and nutrient loading. The work is
funded by the USACE-Buffalo District under the 516(e) program of
the WRDA of 1996. LimnoTech and Ecology & Environment are
providing technical and administrative support to the
USACE-Buffalo District on this important initiative. The overall
objective of this project is to develop a tool that can be used to
evaluate various land management scenarios to assist local land
managers and decision makers in targeting local "on the ground"
land management practices that will serve to improve water quality
by minimizing sediment erosion and nutrient loading problems in
the watershed.

 

Before any model development is started we are convening a
watershed stakeholder group with representatives from groups
representing soil and water conservation, Remedial Action Plans
(RAPs), navigation, municipal and county planning agencies, state
and federal resource agencies, universities, and non-governmental
organizations. The stakeholders participating in the meeting will
help define the scope and focus for the model to meet individual
watershed needs.

 

The purpose of this project kick-off/stakeholder meeting will be
to: 

 

.         Provide an overview of the project and information on
watershed characteristics and impairments;

.         Discuss proposed modeling activities, including options
for the most appropriate model, and planned technical transfer
activities; and

.         Identify sources of data that could be used to support
the model development.


Feel free to share this letter and meeting information with other
parties you feel may be interested in participating. There is no
registration fee for meeting, and lunch will be provided; however,
space will be limited and you must pre-register to attend. In the
event that you are not able to travel to the meeting, we will have
a conference phone and WebEx option for you to join the meeting
remotely.

Please confirm your attendance by contacting Amanda Flynn by phone
at 734-332-1200 or email at aflynn at limno.com no later than
Thursday, September 15th, 2011.

We look forward to seeing you or your representative on September
22.

What: Kick-Off/Stakeholder Meeting for the Tiffin River Watershed
Modeling Project

Where: LimnoTech, 501 Avis Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48108,
734-332-1200

When: Thursday, September 22, 2011 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm EDT

Directions to the Location: http://www.limno.com/locations.html or
see detailed directions listed below

 

 

More information on the 516(e) Program:

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Buffalo District, through
participation in the Western Lake Erie Basin Partnership and
responsibility for the WRDA 516(e) and 204 programs and Operations
and Maintenance of the Maumee Federal Navigation Channel, has been
working within the Maumee Basin to reduce the loading of solids
and nutrients to the Maumee River and the western basin of Lake
Erie. Tributary and watershed models are being developed to
quantify sediment and nutrient loading from watersheds in the
Maumee Basin, to estimate potential benefits of alternative land
conservation and management actions, and to support broader
modeling efforts of the lower Maumee River and Maumee Bay. For
more information, please visit the Great Lakes Tributary Modeling
Program web site: www.glc.org/tributary.

 

 

Directions to LimnoTech:

LimnoTech's home office is located in a campus-like setting just
south of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Our office building is in the Avis
Farms Business Park, conveniently located near the Ann Arbor
Airport and the University of Michigan.

 

>From the west: take I-94 eastbound and exit at State Street. Drive
south (turn right) on State for approximately 1-1/3 miles. The
Avis Farms office complex is on the right side of the road. Turn
right on Avis Drive. Turn left immediately into the first drive,
the entrance to LimnoTech's parking area.

 

>From the east: (Detroit or the airport): take westbound I-94 and
exit at State Street. Drive south (turn left) on State for
approximately 1-1/3 miles. The Avis Farms office complex is on the
right side of the road. Turn right on Avis Drive. Turn left
immediately into the first drive, the entrance to LimnoTech's
parking area.

 

>From the south: take US-23 north to west I-94 (to Chicago) and
exit at State Street. Drive south (turn left) on State for
approximately 1-1/3 miles. The Avis Farms office complex is on the
right side of the road. Turn right on Avis Drive. Turn left
immediately into the first drive, the entrance to LimnoTech's
parking area.

 

>From the north: take US-23 south to westbound I-94 (to Chicago)
and exit at State Street. Drive south (turn left) on State for
approximately 1-1/3 miles. The Avis Farms office complex is on the
right side of the road. Turn right on Avis Drive. Turn left
immediately into the first drive, the entrance to LimnoTech's
parking area.

 

Ample free parking is available at our office for visitors, and
several hotels and restaurants are within a 15-minute drive.

__________________________________________________

 

Amanda Flynn              mailto:aflynn at limno.com 
Project Scientist

LimnoTech                      http://www.limno.com
501 Avis Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48108

Phone: (734) 332-1200       Fax: (734) 332-1212

Water | Environment | Scientists | Engineers
----------------------
Michael H.Schneider
Program Specialist
Great Lakes Commission
Eisenhower Corporate Par
2805 South Industrial Hwy.
Suite # 100
Ann Arbor, MI  48104-6791
Phone: 734-971-9135 ex. 129
Fax: 734-971-9150 
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