Are you AWARE?

Do you know your watershed address?

As children our street address is forever engrained in our minds and we still remember it when we move away from home.  We grow up writing our address on EVERYTHNG- envelopes, school forms, job applications, medical forms, bills, etc.  But there is a little known secondary address most people do not know and that is their watershed address. Click here to find out what your watershed address is.

A watershed is an area of land that drains all the water to one common body of water such as a stream, river, lake, or ocean. Watersheds are defined by topography, or the lands' hills and ridges. 

Illustration courtesy of www.miseagrant.umich.edu

No matter where you are, you are in a watershed!


The Delaware Nature Society surveyed walkers on the Christina Riverwalk about their knowledge of a watershed in the video,  Does your water shed?.

Green Scene by the Green Team

AWARE serves our watershed communities with excellent, specialized resource educators, all whom make AWARE a diverse group. The Green Team is one of the many great resource educators for residents and children of Mahoning County.  The summer edition of the Green Scene spotlights the hazards posed by balloon launches, Green Team composting seminars, watershed action planning and much more! Take a look inside the latest edition of the Green Scene to read and become familiar with the Green side of the county!

Harmful Algal Blooms

Watershed Action Plans- A conscience effort for combating Harmful Algal Blooms

Image from: savelakeerie.com

Summer time is in full swing and summer algae season (not to be confused with allergy season) is well underway.  It is not unusual to see a layer of algae on the surface of our region’s lakes, ponds, and streams and some algae is good.  However, in recent years harmful types of algae have become more prevalent and toxic to our nation’s surface waters.  Last year, the City of Toledo, issued a “do not drink” advisory for nearly half a million residents who relied on treated water from Lake Erie.  The advisory was a result of a harmful algal bloom (HAB) containing high levels of microcystis, a cyanobacteria.  

State Endorsement of Yellow Creek's Watershed Action Plan

Yellow Creek Watershed Action Plan Receives State Endorsement!

On May 18, 2015 the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and Ohio EPA fully endorsed the Yellow Creek Watershed Action Plan.  This plan is the first for Eastgate and its Environmental staff and is one that has set the desire to complete other plans for the region.  The Yellow Creek Watershed plan includes many useful items to help improve water quality and protect our surface waters from non point sources of pollution.  Stay tuned for another watershed plan under construction for Meander Creek!