In 2018, Cleveland Metroparks was awarded an Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Section 319 (h) grant to restore Beecher’s Brook at the Wilson Mills trailhead with grant match provided by Cleveland Museum of Natural History Trout Club and Cleveland Metroparks. Additional project funding to support stream restoration and construction of a bridge and abutments is provided by the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District. As a project partner, Chagrin River Watershed Partners, Inc. is contributing to the grant education and outreach deliverables.
The Project will establish a foundation for ecological recovery in Beecher’s Brook by improving water quality, addressing bank erosion, and enabling fish passage to high-quality headwaters upstream of the project. Due to its undersized nature, the culvert that carries Beecher’s Brook under the all-purpose trail creates a steep drop-off that does not allow fish migration to the natural habitats upstream. This project will remove the deteriorating culvert and will replace it with a 60’ open span bridge and stabilize nearly 700 feet of streambank throughout the project area. In addition to removing the culvert, the project will establish natural aquatic habitats including riffles and pools to improve overall stream function. Some fish species expected to benefit from the project include rainbow darters and rainbow trout.
Construction will commence on May 10th and will continue into the fall of 2021. In order to provide safety for the public, the parking lot and trailhead at Wilson Mills will be closed for the duration of construction.