Kokosing River Sparkles by Jeff Lewis (Ohio EPA) and Heather Doherty (BFEC) was originally published in the BFEC Newsletter, Vol. 12/No. 3, Summer 2008.
Bluebreast darters, northern pike, redside dace, stoneflies and mayflies are just a few of the creatures living in the Kokosing River and its tributary streams.
These fish and bugs may not sound familiar, but they are “biological indicators” that the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) looks for to determine the overall health of rivers. It just so happens that these animals indicate a healthy river, and one of them, the bluebreast darter, is on Ohio’s Threatened Species list.
Along with cool stream temperatures, swift waters and protected stream-side areas, streams in the Kokosing watershed are among the highest quality in Ohio, according to an Ohio EPA study.
Ohio EPA began a comprehensive study in 2007, examining more than 60 sites on the river and tributary streams such as North Branch, Dry Creek, Big Run, Schenck Creek, and Jelloway Creek. They closely studied stream biology (fish and stream insects), water chemistry and physical characteristics to determine the river’s overall health.
While the data are still being analyzed, Ohio EPA’s preliminary results show many of the sites have exceptional fish and stream insect communities, clean high quality water and outstanding habitat features.
Some sites studied, however, showed problems characterized by poor biological, chemical and physical conditions. These sites are considered impaired and will be addressed by a restoration plan called a “TMDL,” or Total Maximum Daily Load.
Probable causes of problems identified by Ohio EPA include excessive sedimentation from agricultural activities, elevated nutrients from municipal waste water treatment plants and agricultural crop production, habitat modification and high bacteria levels from livestock activities and failing home sewage treatment systems.
Ohio EPA plans to release the results of the 2007 study in spring of 2009 and continue restoration efforts through public involvement, where strategies will be developed to address poorly performing streams.
Having a pretty stream is nice, but when it comes down to it, does it really matter? If you’re asking yourself this question, here are a few things to consider:
Although virtually all of Knox County gets its drinking water from the ground, aquifers and rivers are connected. Sometimes water can be absorbed through river beds into ground water, were potential pollutants could contaminate water supplies.
Part of what’s working in the river’s favor is also working for us: stream side forests. Aside from being an integral part of a river’s ecosystem, conserving these lands gives the river space to spread out and diffuse flood waters before they endanger people. While flood waters slow down over floodplains, they also drop extra mud they’re carrying, instead of depositing the mud in the stream channel where is suffocates (literally) river wildlife.
All the elements that make great biodiversity in the river also create great fishing. According to local guides, the Kokosing River is one of the premier smallmouth bass flying streams in the state. Many residents also enjoy canoeing or riding bikes along the Kokosing Gap Trail. Visitors do to, which is great news for local businesses and restaurants.
Nope, not that little building that hides the well pump; a watershed is the area of land that drains into a particular body of water. If it rains anywhere within the 485 square mile Kokosing watershed shown here, runoff will eventually make it to the Kokosing.
Because of this connection, everything we do on the land affects how, where and when water gets to the river and its condition when it arrives. Stay tuned for future tips on keeping the river in good shape!