Currents July 2020

Did you know that the Great Lakes are the biggest freshwater source in the world? Lake Erie is the most productive for fishing of all the Great Lakes. Your support helps make our streams clean, clear and healthy so they can support this complex ecosystem. By donating to PCS, you help us reach our goals of restoring rivers that lead to Lake Erie beaches that promote fishable and swimmable conditions for generations.

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July

GLO LogoWe are excitedly waiting for the water levels to drop so we can GLO! Last year we were only able to conduct a single Get the Lead Out (GLO) program due to unusually high water most of the summer. This year, with the health and safety of our volunteers in mind, we are still planning to conduct a number of GLO events in small groups. Please stay tuned to our social media platforms to see when programs will be held. 

Get the Lead Out (GLO) is similar to our Clean Your Streams (CYS) 365 program; you walk along waterways looking for marine debris but what you are putting in your trash bag is different. This marine debris is more specific and people doing CYS 365 often miss it due to its inconspicuous nature. You are searching for fishing line! 

When anglers snag their lines on tree branches or logs, they sometimes simply cut the line and leave the tangled section behind. This incredibly thin but strong, clear or white line can entangle (harm or kill) fish, birds, and other wildlife, and the associated hook, lure, and/or lead sinker can cause further damage to the animal.

At PCS, we go a step further than simply throwing it away after our volunteers clean it out of our streams. Once collected, PCS volunteers clean and untangle the fishing line, which is then sent to our partners at Berkley Conservation Institute who recycle and repurpose the fishing line into spawning habitats for fish! Through this careful work, the line that could have harmed fish actually ends up helping them!

SustainableAs we get into the full swing of summer, there are some actions we can take to preserve our streams and rivers. We have collected a few tips from our community partners on how to keep our waters flowing strong and clean this summer:  

Reduce Marine Debris 

Plastics are the #1 offender in our running list of marine debris types. Derelict fishing nets, ropes, line, or other fishing gear, packing bands, rubber bands, balloons, six-pack beverage rings, and a variety of other plastic items can entangle, choke, and kill wildlife. Whether we like it or not, plastics are heavily incorporated in our everyday life. The good news is there are steps we can take to reduce the amount of plastic we do use. Check out NOAA’s Marine Debris How to Help webpage to get informed and reduce your impacts. 

Preserve our Drinking Water

Saving water is important for the drier summer months. While we are very fortunate to have the Maumee River and Lake Erie in our backyard, freshwater is a finite resource. Learn more about the importance of freshwater and actions we can take to preserve this resource here: Watering Tips | WaterSense | US EPA

Prevent Contamination

Fertilizing our lawns can be a great way to speed its growth, but we must keep in mind the amount of fertilizer being used and when it is applied. Water that flows off of our lawns does not get treated; it flows directly or indirectly to our rivers, streams, and lakes. Learn about the impacts of fertilizer on freshwater ecosystems and ways to prevent its flow into our waterways at  Clear Choices Clean Water.

SDMApplyMedallion 2With your help, our storm drains are going to look a little different this year; some drains are earning a medallion! Like many of our programs this year, we are making Storm Drain Marking easy for small groups to do safely. A huge thank you to the City of Toledo; because of their support we are able to provide supplies and information so that local families and youth can work on marking our storm drains with informational medallions in groups of ten or less. These medallions alert the community to the harm of dumping waste/pollutants in our storm drains and the program provides an educational experience for the youth in Toledo.  

Our storm drains are a network of underground pipes that transport rainwater, snowmelt, and other water runoff from urban areas straight to local water bodies. Unlike a sanitary sewer, which transports wastewater to a treatment facility for cleaning before releasing it to a waterbody, water that enters a storm drain does not receive treatment (cleaning) before being discharged to the environment. In order to educate the community on this process and discourage dumping into our storm sewers, we mark drains to remind would-be dumpers and passers-by that dumping could harm wildlife and pollute the water that becomes our drinking water. In years past, storm drains were generally marked with spray paint and stencils, but this year, to make the process more manageable for smaller groups, the drains will be marked with a durable medallion; simply glue it in place and move on to the next drain!

Learn more about our program here and check out other ways to help keep our drainage systems clean at Clear Choices Clean Water.

Shop until you drop and feel so good about it. When you link your Amazon Account or your Kroger Plus card to Partners for Cleans Streams, we receive a percentage of the proceeds at no cost to you. It’s never been easier to help your waterways.  

Amazon now has AmazonSmile available on the mobile app. By tapping the menu button at the upper left corner of your screen and scrolling down to settings you will see AmazonSmile. From here you simply turn on AmazonSmile, select Partners for Clean Streams, and start shopping to donate!

Linking your Kroger Plus Card is a very simple process that gives back to PCS in big ways; click here for instructions on how to link your card: Kroger

Currents: July 2020


Your donation, no matter how small, can make a huge difference in the long run. Every penny goes a long way in protecting your water.

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Ottawa Hills Compost Bin & Rain Barrel Sale


Bob Neubert

President of the Board
Lucas Co. Engineers

Andrew Curran
Vice President
Assistant Scout Executive,
Boy Scouts of America

Joan King
Treasurer
First Solar

Kyle Spicer
Secretary
Private Citizen

Denise Fonner
Board Member
Private Citizen

Chris Smalley
Board Member
Park Services Supervisor
Metroparks of the Toledo Area

Bill Hoefflin
Board Member
Private Citizen

Bill Buri
Board Member
Pexco Packaging

 

Partners for Clean Streams Inc. is striving for abundant open space and a high quality natural environment; adequate floodwater storage capacities and flourishing wildlife; stakeholders who take local ownership in their resources; and rivers, streams and lakes that are clean, clear and safe