VIRB

This note is for ALL of you who helped the successful outcome of Earth Day 2008, in one way or another! The river thanks you from its bottom!
Because of almost 200 volunteers the Maumee River has the following improvements! YOU have:


Installed 3,000 sq/ft of erosion control mats called Geo-Jute. It's made from coconut shavings and allows seed to grow through the mesh and the seed we planted will be held down in case of a major rain event.
Planted 100 lbs of blended seed -Virginia Wild Rice, Switch Grass, Indian Grass and mixed riparian drought AND flood tolerant species. All these seeds are mixed with Annual Rye that will root and sprout quickly allowing the riparian seed to hold better. ALL seeds are native to Indiana and are pre-approved by the Department of Natural Resources. If we can get these grasses to hold for 5 years, seed like Indian Grass, will root up to 10 ft into the ground that will then live through flood or drought!
Planted 200 Cottonwood Tree "poles" that are not the ideal tree for the riverbanks but will serve the purpose of;
A. Creating a buffer strip area to help slow runoff
B. "Drink" water quickly - so volunteers planted them in standing water areas to help with "West Nile" stagnant water puddles
C. Erosion/Sedimentation is the #1 pollutant in our watershed, holding down the soil with roots so it is not washed away
D. Help with flooding because the shore line
Planted 100 Tulip Trees (aka Poplar Trees) which is the Indiana State Tree donated by Matt Jones & Allen County Partnership of Water Quality
1-2 tons of garbage were removed from the riverbanks according to the nice Solid Waste man that picked up the 30 yard garbage container! Weirdest things we removed...
A. 4ft long steel cable "pre-form"
B. Inflated plastic globe of Earth
C. Muddy KISS CD in its original case
D. 2 dead fish / 3 animal skulls
E. Booster child seat
F. Rubber duckie
G. Empty 3 Gallon Tank of Industrial Fertilizer Spreader


WE STILL NEED PICKED UP / COULDN'T GET OUT steel drums and barrels on the south side of Maumee Riverbank, downstream less than a mile from the Hosy Dam - on down the Railroad Tracks - Thanks Patrick for finding them!
Save Maumee is requesting an official sign for littering and ONLY non-motorized vehicles on the Greenway!
Save Maumee is requesting the city waives the fee for next year's Earth Day!

This year Save Maumee was very proud we have raised enough money in 2007 to buy 3,000 sq/ft Soil Erosion Control Mats called Geo-Jute. It is made from coconut or bamboo shavings and allows seed to grow through the mesh and be held down in case of a rain event.
Check it out...seed and erosion control mats is where your hard earned money will go for Earth Day 2009!

People I do not even know have inspired me to continue on to Save the Maumee River! I hope in your lifetime you are able to feel a source of accomplishment of bringing people together for the common good and are inspired by those beautiful souls! Here are some comments:


Why will planting trees and grasses help river water quality?
Plantings today will aid in combating erosion/sedimentation, which is the #1 pollutant in our watershed.
The grasses will help to settle out suspended sediment in the water and trees will help to hold down the soil that could be washed away because there is nothing to hold down the barren soil when the water comes rushing from the dam when it rains.
Riparian projects like these will eventually will help with flooding too, it will allow a "rain-garden" type area so plants will drink it rather than just runoff into the river!
Plants produce enzymes, absorbing bacteria and "eating" bacteria out of water.
85% of wetlands in Indiana no longer exist, these restoration practices will aid in replenishing wetland species right here!
Eliminate standing pools of stagnant water left over when the river water recedes - thus controlling West Nile and replacing pooling with grasses and trees to drink the standing water! (West Nile is spread by mosquitoes that hatch in standing, pollution ridden water)

What is in the river that makes it so polluted?
E. Coli. and bacteria from combined sewer overflows, geese, cattle and pig farms.
PBC's heavy metals from large corporations, and factories stemming all the way from the rust belt time of 1920's 30's 40's and 50's and the Maumee continues to be a dump site in 2008.
There are 249 active NPDES permitted discharges and 44 CSO discharge points in the St. Joseph/Maumee watershed. Additionally there are illegal point source discharges such as tiles discharging septic tank effluent that exist in our watershed.
According to Joe E. Johnson there has been 49 potential CSO discharges between July 2007-April 2008. Research shows the EPA will allow 5/year.
Dissolved Oxygen (DO) problems present in the Maumee will reflect on the wildlife also! DO is simply the content of oxygen in the water is so low that native wildlife cannot exist in it!

Where does the water come from?
The St. Joseph River originates in Michigan and flows through Ohio before turning into northeastern Indiana . St Joseph converges with the St. Mary's River to form the Maumee River, so really it is 2 rivers that flow into one, The Maumee.
What will all this pollution eventually do?

What impact has this had already on your family?
Non-recreational river....No Three Rivers Festival Raft Race, no swimming, no
canoeing, no enjoyment in our beautiful resource.
Increased cost as consumers pay to heavily treat city water.
Health of future generations who will lack the cleanliness of our renewable natural resource.

What can I do to help clean up Fort Wayne 's Three Rivers

Write to City /County/ State and National Officials and tell them you will not vote for them in the next election unless they do something to move forward with all of our concerns.
Begin your own campaign within your circle of friends to sign a petition.
Have river clean up days where you get your family and friends to join the fun.
Don't pour anything but water down the storm drains and be careful not to litter.
Support Save Maumee and other organizations that share your concerns. Joining in will help to bring forth successful restoration efforts in our watershed.

Special THANK YOU from Save Maumee to the following people who helped bring all of us together this year!

Home Depot (Steve) - Shovels, Rakes, Gloves, Water, Root Stimulator
Top Notch Tree Service (Kenny& Becki) - Cottonwood Pole-Cutting Service Heartland Restoration /Earth Source, Huntertown (Eric) - Seed
Old Crown Coffee (Mike & Jen) - Coffee
Health Food Shoppe on N. Anthony (Jan) - Snacks
Camp Potowatamie - Tent
Citizens Action Coalition - Printed Material, long-distance calls, endless paper
Save Maumee Grassroots Org - Erosion Control Mats / T-Shirts
Craig Thorne - Purchased the Permit for a "Public Assembly" for Earth Day 2008
Mary Brady - Face Paint for the Children
Hall's Triangle Park - gloves, garbage bags, ice, 5 gallon buckets
Brad Frost & Associates - Technical Consultation
American Rivers - Cool Garbage Bags

Heartland Communities Inc. 501 ©(3) - Gracious Fiscal Sponsorship for tax deductible contributions
City Utilities Solid Waste Dept (Matt) 30 yard dumpster
Allen County Fire Department - First aid and a presence in the water
Allen County Library - Eric & Eugene
Dave P., Carol Dean & Will on drums for live entertainment!
Davis King sponsored Secretary Derek Reuter to attend the National River Network Rally in Ohio .
Kristina Schott - Graphic Design Artist Extraordinaire (and my cousin) created our official Copyrighted Logo
Larry from the Grateful Groove gave back massages to volunteers - he was highly requested from last year!
Geraldine Lee-McKnight King gave approximately 60 packages of flowers and garden vegetable seeds we planted in the sun
Bruce Allen, Masters in Earth Science and member of the Naturalist Society was on hand for foliage questions.
...AND ALL OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHO HELP EVERYDAY!

Next Year Looking For Someone to Buy:
T-Shirts
Eco-friendly trash bags
MORE SEED = $50/40lbs of native riparian seed
Erosion Control Mats = $90 / 900sq/ft.
A Save Maumee.org Banner!

Things Save Maumee wants you to know the larger plan for our organization in 2008/2009.

Save Maumee Grassroots Organization was formed to create awareness about the conditions of the Three Rivers in Fort Wayne , IN , while facilitation the ecosystem restoration projects to help the entire Great Lakes Watershed. Ultimately, we are repairing and improving the St. Joe, St. Mary, and the Maumee Rivers to help reverse years of pollution. Revitalizing the St. Joe/Maumee Watershed will protect and restore the environment, while improving the economic, aesthetic and recreational value. We are organizing projects that place a high priority on monitoring, developing and restoring rivers with a positive environmental impact.

Ø Save Maumee & Heartland Communities have joined forces to officially adopt the Upper Maumee Watershed through city, state and national support, grants and fundraising. No other watershed group has stepped up to protect and rehabilitate the Upper Maumee Watershed that is recognized by Indiana of Environmental Management until now. We are in the process of applying for a 319(h) grant from EPA / IDEM to create a Watershed Management Plan "comprehensive plan of the watershed," and do a land/water inventory of the entire Upper Maumee watershed. If you would like to read our grant, just ask!

Ø New Haven Parks & Recreation Dept. Manager Ken Wilkinson has stopped another straight pipe discharging into the Maumee River : The pipe was straight from a local citizen's washing machine!

Ø The water in the Maumee has the worst quality between the Fort Wayne Water Treatment Facility (where the St. Joseph and the St. Mary's conjoin to make the Maumee River ) and passed New Haven downstream. Save Maumee would like you to know that we all are at fault and liable when it comes to the conditions of our rivers and are seeking or have formed partnerships with Allen County, City of Fort Wayne & New Haven, Mayor Tom Henry, City Council, County Commissioners, City Utilities, County Surveyors, Department of Health, Soil and Water Conservation District of Allen County, Natural Resource Conservation Services, Department of Natural Resources, Indiana Department of Environmental Management, Maumee River Basin Commission, St. Joseph River Watershed Initiative, St. Marys River Watershed Initiative: to begin the long process of cleaning up this stretch of River and ensure accountability by providing leadership in the future.

Ø Ideas to do so would include supporting Save Maumee in creating a Watershed Management Plan and conduct and inventory on the rivers and their conditions and then continue to support the work as we move to implement that plan when finished.

Ø Save Maumee is interested in promoting growth of the city and economic development but not at the expense of your natural resources. A balance can be met. If Fort Wayne cleaned up their natural resource it would increase property value and promote recreation. We will help them be able to offer a better quality of life for Fort Wayne inhabitants. Preserved areas offer beauty and a healthy habitat for wildlife. Sediment control improves fisheries and prevents flooding.

Ø We have perked the ears of the Army Core of Engineers to After May Save Maumee is planning to monitor and inventory the Maumee River and tributaries routinely and send results to the EPA and Hoosier Riverwatch Program to report their conditions and work with City Utilities so we can detect and eliminate improper or illegal discharges.

Ø Save Maumee has put together educational programs aimed toward educating Middle School, High School and College Students about, wetland degradation, pollution conditions, and ways you can contribute to river restoration and benefits of environmental safeguards. If you would like a presentation or know someone who would, let us know!

For more information about the effort, visit savemaumee.org