CRWP Home Page

Background/History
CRWP was formed by 16 cities, villages, townships, counties, and park districts in 1996 in response to increasing concerns about flooding, erosion, and water quality problems. Today CRWP’s 36 members represent 95% of the communities in the watershed and 95% of the land area in the watershed. CRWP provides technical assistance to members and develops cost effective solutions to minimize new, and address current water quality and quantity problems.

CRWP delivers beneficial services to local decision makers in the context of a watershed approach. CRWP supports these services with on-going studies of watershed functions, and shares and collaborates with organizations and communities facing similar issues statewide. CRWP is funded by annual dues payments from member communities, foundation grants, and grants from State and Federal agencies. Member dues are based on the amount of land in the watershed and the assessed value of the community. Since its formation, CRWP has been working closely with members in developing strategies to address flooding, erosion and water quality problems.

CRWP is working with local elected officials and their professional advisors to minimize the hydrologic and ecologic impacts of land use change. To achieve this CRWP recommends ALL COMMUNITIES have:
1. Comprehensive planning
2. Open space acquisition
3. Conservation development
4. Riparian and Wetland setbacks
5. Erosion and Sediment Control regulations
6. Storm water management regulations

Working in Partnership with Local Governments CRWP’s Programs Include:
Model code development, adoption, and implementation: CRWP staff work with interested members to adopt and implement a range of natural resource managment models. This assistance includes producing maps and other information necessary for code adoption; working with councils, planning and zoning commissions and boards of trustees to tailor these codes to each community; and assisting with variance requests and site plan reviews.

Stakeholder education: CRWP provides presentations to councils, planning and zoning commissions, and boards of trustees, as well as community gatherings, on watershed management issues and best management practices.

Landowner and developer assistance: CRWP partners with county soil and water conservation districts to assist landowners with stream bank erosion, flooding, and other storm water related issues. This assistance includes innovative techniques to stabilize stream banks. Through these partnerships, CRWP also works with interested developers to improve projects by incorporating emerging storm water management practices to control storm water closer to its source, such as the preservation of natural areas, the reduction of impervious cover, and the creation of bioretention areas. These practices reduce infrastructure costs and flooding, erosion, and water quality problems that can occur with new development.

Open space protection: CRWP works with the Western Reserve Land Conservancy, The Holden Arboretum, the Gates Mills Land Conservancy, local park districts, and other conservation organizations to assist member communities in protecting open space in the watershed.

October 26 2011 Dam Safety Meeting

Griswold Creek Summary

Healthy yard
Clean water

CRWP Annual Reports

Chagrin River's
real-time water level

Fishing the Chagrin

Paddling the Chagrin

Lake Erie Allegheny Partnership for Biodiversity

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