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| BRANDYWINE CREEK is located in Northeast Ohio's Summit County, and drains an area of land into the Cuyahoga River from the east. From its headwaters in Hudson it flows westward and joins the Cuyahoga in Sagamore Hills within the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, so that what happens upstream can have serious effects on what is currently one of the highest quality stretches of the Cuyahoga River's main stem.
This watershed is experiencing ever-increasing rates of urbanization - approximately 10% per year - as population sprawls south from Cuyahoga County and brings with it shopping and commercial development. Some of the region's busiest transportation routes pass through the Brandywine Creek watershed as well. Development of the Route 8/I-271/1-80 (turnpike) corridors places stress on the existing natural systems. The change from rolling hills to paved parking lots, the possible construction of a regional sports complex, and plans for new commercial developments will further reduce the natural infrastructure's ability to manage stormwater and water quality.
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| LOCATION: |
Northeast Ohio, Summit County, including the communities of
Boston Heights Village, Boston Township, Hudson, Macedonia, Northfield Center Township, Sagamore Hills Township and Twinsburg Township, and a small portion of Oakwood Village in Cuyahoga County. |
| CHARACTERISTICS |
| Drainage: |
Approximately 26 square miles |
| Length: |
11 miles, beginning in Hudson and joining the main stem of the Cuyahoga River in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park |
| Gradient: |
Drops from 1072 feet to 662 feet, falling 410ft over its course, which includes the 65-foot-high Brandywine Falls. |
| Land Cover: |
Measurements taken in 2001, showed:
Urbanized Generally Impervious- 22.14%
Barren & Misc.- 1.49%
Grass & Agriculture- 38.09%
Shrub & Scrub Cover- 4.46%
Wooded- 37.99%
Streams & Surface Water- 0.68%
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| WATERSHED-SPECIFIC CHALLENGES TO HEALTH AND FUNCTION |
Suburban development, and the related polluted runoff and stream encroachment, has impacted the headwater streams and biological community. The creek downstream of Hudson has been channelized to move water from the community more quickly. Results of removing meanders and riffle/pool sequences creates faster flow, more erosion and sedimentation, and degrades aquatic habitat in the upper reaches. Further downstream, in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, the stream suffers from heavy sediment loads and bank erosion.
The vegetated protection that the CVNP provides to the last stretch where the creek joins the Cuyahoga has allowed the creek to maintain good water quality, the first Full Attainment Ohio EPA has recorded in Brandywine Creek. The character of this stream segment must be protected from serious threats upstream.
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| GEOLOGY
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The most attractive geologic formation in the watershed is Brandywine Falls. This 65-foot waterfall drops over bedrock comprised of erosion resistant Berea Sandstone, which settled upon a deep deposit of red Bedford Shale close to 360 million years ago.
The glacial action that dug Lake Erie also had a role in the type of soil deposits in the watershed. Brandywine Creek, along with other streams in the region, flow over loose glacial till and carve many of the spectacular valleys we see today.
The glacial deposits, primarily of silt and clay, are characterized by slow permeability and seasonal wetness, which can present problems for homes that rely on septic systems and can cause basement flooding.
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| AQUATIC LIFE AND HABITAT |
Brandywine Creek is designated a Warm Water Habitat (WWH). This designation means that Brandywine Creek should be able to support a well-balanced population of fish and aquatic insects. By far the majority of Brandywine Creek does not meet Ohio EPA’s water quality standards, but the creek steadily improves as it flows into the Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP).
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| WATERSHED HYDROLOGY |
The level of urbanization -– that is, the amount of generally impervious surfaces such as pavement, roofs and hard-packed lawns – has increased significantly over the past 15 years. In 2001 the watershed contained approximately 22% of this impervious surface, and that amount is growing at an alarming rate.
As impervious surface coverage grows, the volume and velocity of storm water entering the stream increases. This accelerates the rate of erosion and flooding downstream, impacting aquatic life, public infrastructure and private property.
Attempts to accommodate built environments, such as channelizing or straightening the stream and lining it with concrete, has increased erosion and added sediment to the waterway downstream. Shortening of the stream’s route leave it less room to handle more water.
The watershed is home to many natural water storage sites, including many wetlands, which store and release water into the system at a proper rate. As urbanization increases, wetlands are drained and built on, removing important pieces of the natural infrastructure. |
| WATER QUALITY |
Brandywine Creek has decent water quality now that Hudson's waste water is tied into the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District. However, phosphorous levels just downstream of Hudson remain high, possibly due to fertilizer runoff from lawns, failing septic systems and nutrient-laden lakes in the area. |
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The Cuyahoga River Community Planning Organization (CRCPO)
is host to the Cuyahoga River Remedial Action Plan (RAP) and
the Cuyahoga American Heritage River Initiative.
We work with partners, stakeholders and communities
in five Northeast Ohio counties to restore and revitalize the
Cuyahoga River Watershed and Areas Of Concern, and
to improve water quality in the watershed and Lake Erie.
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