Wetland Matters Newsletter of Oxbow, Inc. Number 54, May-June 1995 Gaming Hearings Oxbow's president Norma L. Flannery and attorney Timothy G. Mara attended the hearings of the Indiana Gaming Commission. Oxbow's representatives were allowed a half hour for their presentation. The commissioners seemed concerned about environmental matters and they questioned applicants closely about the impact their plans would have on wetlands. Oxbow and its members have already had a significant effect on the permitting process. We succeeded in putting wetland conservation high on the IGC's agenda. Every gaming proposal discussed the Oxbow wetlands. The many letters sent by Oxbow members to the Commission and other government officials contributed substantially to Oxbow's influence. Thanks to your willingness to pick up a pen, Oxbow was able to deliver hundreds of letters to these officials. Argosy was awarded the license for Dearborn County. Argosy plans to develop most of its facilities inside the levee on the site of the Pierson-Hollowel lumber mill. The proposed docking facilities will destroy wetlands on the bank of the Ohio, and they plan to mitigate this loss by building new wetlands on the conservancy district property. The next step in the permitting process will be a hearing held by the Corps of Engineers. This hearing could take place as early as October. Argosy has provided Oxbow with their mitigation plan and asked for comments. We will continue to work with them to improve their plan. Other issues related to gaming development that concern Oxbow are the construction of billboards in the flood plain and the possible construction of an access road to the Argosy site along the Central Indiana Railroad. Wetland Matters will keep you informed about the dates and location of upcoming hearings concerning gaming development in the Oxbow area. Calendar Meetings July 11 (Tuesday) 7:30 P.M. Oxbow meeting at the Cincinnati Zoo Education Building. (Enter through the exit gate on Erkenbrecher Avenue.) Joe Schomaker will speak at the next two Oxbow meetings. His subject will be the cultural resources of the region and ongoing resource preservation projects in the Tri-State area. This is a subject of great importance and one on which many Oxbow members are not well informed. Oxbow, Inc. is very concerned about protecting the cultural resources of the Great Miami floodplain. Joe works for FERMCO and is responsible for managing cultural resources on the Fernald site. July 27 (Thursday) 7:30 P.M. Slide presentation at the Lawrenceburg Public Library. (From Cincinnati, Turn left off U.S. 50 onto Walnut Street. Turn right on High Street. The Library is on the right side of High Street.) As part of the ongoing series of programs from the Cincinnati Color Slide Club, Elvin Blasdel will present "The Best of the Smokies in 50 Years." The public is invited. An offering will be taken to benefit the Dearborn County Adult Center. August 8 (Tuesday) 7:30 P.M. Oxbow meeting at the Lawrenceburg Public Library Please see the July 11th program above. Joe will offer a similar program for Lawrenceburg members. Field Trips July 24 (Monday) 7 P.M. Oxbow field trip. Ned Keller will lead this evening walk into the Oxbow area. He'll be searching for birds and other wildlife. Expect good numbers of shorebirds and swallows. Meet Ned at 50's Root Beer. For more information, call him at (513)-941-6497. August 26 (Saturday) 8 A.M. Oxbow field trip. Meet Steve Wagner at the Shawnee Lookout boat ramp to tour the area looking for resident wildlife. You'll need a H.C.P.D. motor vehicle permit. Volunteer 8 July (Saturday) 9:00 AM to 12:00 Noon. Boat Ramp Cleanup, Shawnee Lookout Park. Employees of FERMCO (Fernald Environmental Restoration Management Corporation) and the Hamilton County Park District will clean up trash around the Shawnee Lookout boat ramp. Members of Oxbow, Inc. are invited to participate. If you'd like to help, show up at the boat ramp at 9:00. Gloves and garbage bags will be provided, as well as refreshments. Because of the closeness to the water, park rangers have asked that no children under age 10 accompany volunteers. For more information, call Meghan Farley at 648-4222. Birdathon Thank Yous Oxbow, Inc. is grateful to many people and organizations who contributed to Birdathon '95 and put in the work necessary to make it an enjoyable experience for the participants. We thank them all. The Hamilton County Park District donated the use of their Farbach-Werner facility for the Birdathon tally. Any place out of the rain would have satisfied the birders Saturday evening, but this facility provided the perfect atmosphere for the tally _ and all the necessary amenities. LaRosa's Pizza donated pizza to feed the masses. Can you imagine how much pizza a hall full of hungry birders can eat after 24 hours of subsisting on water, crackers and carrot sticks? This was the fourth year that LaRosa's came through with pizza aplenty for Birdathon. With respect to these generous corporate sponsors, Oxbow members should think politically. When you buy pizza, consider LaRosa's _ and thank them for donating to Oxbow's Birdathon. They've been very generous over the years. The H.C.P.D. benefits from public participation _ purchase their motor vehicle permit, patronize their parks and shops (they have good prices on good quality bird food, for example), and attend their programs (many of them are fascinating and appeal to the interests of Oxbow members). You can volunteer to help HPCD. In fact such an opportunity is mentioned in the CALENDAR section of this newsletter. Fritz Haas designed the Birdathon '95 T-shirt. It was an immediate hit with the many Oxbow members who have been so worried about the effects that riverboat gambling and billboards will have on the Oxbow area. If you haven't yet seen the design, simply frequent the birding hot-spots in the area and you're sure to encounter someone wearing the shirt. As an alternative, attend an Oxbow meeting _ there are still a few shirts (L and XL) available for $10.00. Ken Fulmer, Connie McNamee, Greg Mendell, and Anita Buck helped at the tally. They set up before the birders arrived, fetched the food and drink, and then cleaned up after most people were long gone. Greg and Connie were responsible for the efficient distribution of the T-shirts and for the collecting and reviewing the birder's lists at the tally. Norma L. Flannery and Paul X. Hellmann served as announcers and hosts at the tally. Finally, Oxbow thanks the Countless Donors and Dedicated Birders who pledged money and collected pledges for Birdathon '95. With the many threats to the Oxbow area, and wetlands in general, Oxbow will put to good use the funds that their generosity and enthusiasm have raised. Posting Oxbow Land The Board voted recently to post Oxbow's land with NO TRESPASSING signs advising people that no trespassing, hunting, fishing, digging, or dumping is allowed on Oxbow-owned land. Some members were concerned that this action represented an "anti-hunting" policy by the board. This is not the case. Oxbow's long-term land use plan for the area (see accompanying article) calls for the traditional uses of the floodplain (including farming, hunting and fishing) to continue. Posting is necessary because some people are abusing Oxbow's land. They hunt and trap without permission. They dump trash, damage farm roads and drive cars through the farmers' crops. In order to enlist the aid of law enforcement officials in ending these unauthorized activities, we must post the land. Wildlife officers can patrol and chase off unauthorized visitors only if the land is posted and a public notice is published in the local papers. They will apprehend offenders only if an Oxbow board member is present to sign a complaint. Once these technicalities of posting have been seen to, Oxbow will ask appropriate officials to begin watching the land. Does this mean Oxbow members will no longer be able to visit the land they've helped protect? Of course not! Traditionally, visitors making respectful use of the area have not been asked to leave. This will not change because the land has been posted. (You can be certain that wildlife officers and police have more important things to do than chase birdwatchers or people out for a law-abiding afternoon stroll.) Moreover, the Oxbow Board voted that all Oxbow members are considered to have permission to visit the land. Still, in visiting the area, we must be certain to respect the rights of Oxbow's neighbors and those farming the area. That means going on foot and staying out of the fields. The best way to visit the area is with one of the monthly field trips that Oxbow runs. BIRDATHON RESULTS This year's competition resulted in a tie for first place, although this fact wasn't discovered until several hours after the Birdathon tally. The Cincinnati Bird Club's team (Birds R Us) handed in a tally of 147, while one of Oxbow's teams (the No See 'Ums) reported a total of 145. No See 'Ums leader, Dave Styer, realized late in the evening that they had forgotten to check off two birds that they had actually seen. These birds, White-rumped Sandpiper and Bufflehead, brought their total to 147. When Dave brought this correction to the attention of the Bird Club team, they suggested, with characteristic sportsmanship and generosity, that the missing birds should be added to the No See 'Ums' list and the two teams be declared tied for first place. Oxbow's other teams also fared well. Joe Bens and Paul Wharton (The Fire and Brimstone Birder's Guild) came up with a total of 143, while the "Geriatric Gents and a Junior", organized by Karl Maslowski, and including George Laycock, Jerry Meyer, and John Oney found 96 species. Another tie was for the most birds found by a team in a single county. The "Bush Thrashers" and the "Finneytown Fabulous Flying Fortune Seekers" both brought in a total of 103 for Hamilton County. First-time Birdathon participant Bill Buskirk produced a total of 104 to take the one-county award for individuals. Bill actually found an impressive 116 species on his own in Franklin County, Indiana. According to Birdathon rules, his total was reduced by 12 species because he was 12 minutes late to the tally. He thus has the distinction of being the first birder in Birdathon history to lose birds under this rule. And he still won in his category! At $7.00 per bird, Jon Seymour again won the prize for the most pledges raised per species. Below is a listing of the teams, their members, and their totals, together with an indication of the award won by the team. Note that some teams were "non-competing" and therefore not in contention for a trophy. We congratulate all the participants on a job well done and thank each of them for their efforts on behalf of Oxbow, Inc. 1. "Birds R Us" 147 (GOLDEN STARLING) Jeff Hays, Ned Keller, Jay Stenger, Alan Walls 2. "No See 'Ums" 147 (GOLDEN STARLING) Joanne Olman(driver), Steve Pelikan, Charlie Saunders, Dave Styer 3. "Fire and Brimstone Birder's Guild" 143 Joe Bens, Paul Wharton 4. "Thrush Flushers CNC Team A" 119 Jim Berry, David Brinkman, Jon Seymour 5. "Bluegrass Buteos" 114 Joe Caminiti, Kathy Caminiti, Lee McNeely, Tommy Stephens 6. Dave Dister 113 7. "Cincinnati Nature Center Team B" 110 Jim Black, Bill Creasy, Don Kreisman, Jim Reid, Steve Sands 8. Bill Buskirk 104 (SOLO ONE COUNTY AWARD _ Franklin, IN) 9. "Bush Thrashers" 103 (ONE COUNTY AWARD _ Hamilton), OH Carol Mundy, Jim Mundy 10. "Finneytown Fabulous Flying Fortune Seekers'' 103 (ONE COUNTY AWARD _ Hamilton, OH) Erich Baumgardner, Jerry Lippert 11. Cincinnati Zoo Junior Zoologists 100 (FEARSOME FLEDGLING AWARD) Casey Cooper-Fenske, Kevin Cooper-Fenske, Stan Rullman, Siri Sell, Chris Wicks 12. "Geriatric Gents and a Junior" 96 George Laycock, Karl Maslowski, Jerry Meyer, John Ohne 13. Ross Road Runners 94 Holly Daltabuit, Jos, Daltabuit 14. "Eagle Eyes" 88 Sister Marty Dermody, Teddy Mechley 15. "Deaf as a Post" 79 Erick Armstrong, Hank Armstrong 16. Northwest High School Wildlife Club 75 Dan Jared, Tony King, John Meyer, Shawn Morneau, Randy Vayo, Chris Wheat, David Wheat. 17. Bill Bocklage 70 18. Gilmore Ponds 69 19. Birdus Eludeus 59 Barb Eckles, John Eckles (Member's names for some teams were unavailable, and will be published later.) Oxbow Memorials In memory of Donor Roland S. Corning Cecelia Falk Dr. Walter W. Lippert Baltazar G. Anaya, M.D. Dr. Walter W. Lippert Renee Rivard Arken Dr. Walter W. Lippert John and Kathy Benner, Tactical Defense Institute Dr. Walter W. Lippert Richard S. Bilehl and Leslie Keller Dr. Walter W. Lippert John W. Bruce, DY-Tech Dr. Walter W. Lippert City of Cincinnati Police Communication Section Dr. Walter W. Lippert City of Cincinnati Police Division Dr. Walter W. Lippert City of Cincinnati Police Federal Credit Union Dr. Walter W. Lippert Crosset Family Fund of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation Dr. Walter W. Lippert Charles and Lois Deitschel Dr. Walter W. Lippert Delhi Township Police Department Dr. Walter W. Lippert Eugene and Linda Ferrara Dr. Walter W. Lippert Jerry Ficks Dr. Walter W. Lippert John W. Fischer, D.D.S. Dr. Walter W. Lippert Ann Macon Flynn Dr. Walter W. Lippert Nora A. Flynn Dr. Walter W. Lippert Fraternal Order of Police Queen City Lodge No. 69 Dr. Walter W. Lippert Steve Fromhold Dr. Walter W. Lippert Debbie Gardner _ Survival Institute Dr. Walter W. Lippert Mike Gardner Cincinnati Police Academy Dr. Walter W. Lippert Jim and Diane Geers Dr. Walter W. Lippert J.D. Ginney Dr. Walter W. Lippert Dr. Laura D. Guder Dr. Walter W. Lippert Hamilton County Detention Center Dr. Walter W. Lippert Hamilton County Police Association Dr. Walter W. Lippert Hamilton County Police Association S.W.A.T. Dr. Walter W. Lippert Reverend J. Dennis Jaspers Dr. Walter W. Lippert Lani and Leonard Kirschner and Tami K. Arnett Dr. Walter W. Lippert Dr. and Mrs. F. A. Lattick Dr. Walter W. Lippert Mary Ann Lehrter and Family Dr. Walter W. Lippert Jack and Joy Leistler Dr. Walter W. Lippert John and Mildred Losekamp and Family Dr. Walter W. Lippert Madison Electronics, Inc. Dr. Walter W. Lippert Janice and Bill McCracken Dr. Walter W. Lippert Herry J. Meyer Dr. Walter W. Lippert Judy P. Nikol Dr. Walter W. Lippert Daniel and Sharon Noel Dr. Walter W. Lippert Tom and Debbie Oberschmidt Dr. Walter W. Lippert Claire D. Slemmer Dr. Walter W. Lippert Jim and Mary Stockmeier Dr. Walter W. Lippert Scott K. Stout Dr. Walter W. Lippert Clinton, Marsha and Ellen Terry Dr. Walter W. Lippert Mr. and Mrs. Richard Tessendorf Dr. Walter W. Lippert Mike and Sue West Dr. Walter W. Lippert Xavier University Psychology Department W. B. Meier David and Suzanne Skidmore Evelyn Rice Lee Rilea and Judy Meyer Mary R. Schiff Jack and Joy Leistler Leana Schlachleiter Rosemary and Bill Farrell Jeremy Schlemback Barbara and Chuck Moore Wallace W. Smith Bob Dill Family Wallace W. Smith Frederick and Deborah Dole Wallace W. Smith Greg and Joan Metze and Family Cupid Stacey Bob and Tina Schlegel and Frederick Young Elmer Weigel Fred and Peggy Gatch Cinnamon Wessendarp/Muckerheide Cheryl Winslow-Devine, D.V.M. Oxbow Tributes David Styer _Thank You Cincinnati Retired Firemen's League Land Use Plan In 1986, after realizing that it actually would have some success at acquiring land, Oxbow, Inc. realized also that it was important to agree in advance on some principles and tentative details of how the flood plain land should be used. Board member David Styer drafted a land use plan for the area after consulting with regional land managers and with many local users of the flood plain. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers commented favorably on the plan, and the Oxbow Board voted to approve it in February 1987. A Proposal for Land Use for the flood plains at the mouth of the Great Miami River by David Styer The more we become stewards of the land, the more important it is to have a rational and coherent plan for land use. Without such a plan we would likely become confused and divided. That would sap our strength and make Oxbow, Inc. ineffective. Map 1 shows the floodplain under consideration. In the following paragraphs we present a land use plan. Since one of our primary goals is to preserve the area as a staging ground for waterfowl, it is of utmost importance that corn continue to be raised. The leftover grain feeds waterfowl at all stages of the Ohio River. If the area were to revert to woods it would lose both its food source and the open water habitat that have made the Oxbow the greatest waterfowl staging area regionally. While corn is being raised the area cannot reach its potential unless some portions are set aside for breeding. There are right now some rather isolated wet areas that are not farmed. We recommend that these areas be closed to human traffic during waterbird breeding season (1 April to 31 July) to provide undisturbed opportunities for breeding. Map 2 shows the areas that should continue to be farmed and areas that should be set aside as refugea for breeding birds. Map 3 shows recommended "No Fishing" areas. Most of these areas are within our recommended breeding areas in which there is no fishing now anyway. Currently the most fished area suggested for exclusion is the I-275 borrow pit outside the I-275 loop. Year after year farmers post this area because entrance is so often detrimental to farming. Closure of the ''lower" half of the Oxbow lake, the Old Bed, would allow breeding birds to feed and waterfowl to rest undisturbed. In reality, over 90% is presently done at the other end. Waterfowl hunting has always been an important part of the river bottoms. Any exclusion here would cause controversy. However no exclusion would be indefensible in a well rounded land use plan. The two main reasons to have an area excluded from waterfowl hunting are the following: First, if there is a refugeum, there will be more waterfowl in the area. Second, there are many non-hunters who would enjoy seeing waterfowl during hunting season. This plan is similar to that of the national wildlife refuges, which have been exceedingly successful. Map 4 shows a proposed refugeum. Here are the reasons for its choice: It is simply and clearly cut off from the rest of the region by I-275 and the C & O Railroad. It has sufficient area to maintain fishing, birdwatching, and a refuge for waterfowl. It does not exclude waterfowl hunting in Indiana or Ohio. These plans cannot be set with great permanence. They must change as the river itself changes. Nonetheless, it is important to have plans based on sound reasons that do have permanence. Field Notes Morris Mercer The month of May came to an end as one of the wettest Mays on record. Both the Ohio and Great Miami flooded this May. On the 17th I watched the Miami running wild as I stood by the new road to Lost Bridge. The water was out over the banks and carrying drift into the fields. The cry of gulls turned my attention from the river and I began to notice the wildlife around me. In the distance there were flocks of shorebirds, but they were too far for me to name. As I watched them, another flock flew in toward me, turned hard to the left in perfect unison. They looped around and landed on the run: nine black-bellied plover in spring plumage. The next day I spent giving talks about the Oxbow at a school. This was fine with me since it rained most of the day. I was up with the sun on the morning of the 19th. Once again I stood on the road looking toward Lost Bridge. It was a beautiful spring day with a deep blue sky. The willows and cottonwoods were a clean green after all the rain. With the temperature around 50, the light breeze felt good. There was a feeling of being at the sea shore. An endless line of gulls flew along the flooded Miami. Black terns darted, wheeled and turned above the water. A caspian and two common terns rested on a large floating log. Before me about 250 yards of the new road was under water _ it looked more like a low-level dam than a road with water boiling over its down-river edge. I listened to a flight of geese behind me as I watched a flock of shorebirds flying low over the flooded fields My next stop was the underpass of I-275 overlooking Cemetery Lake, the Action Airpark and the floodplain of the Great Miami. It was easy to see why it's called a floodplain. Only the tops of a couple cars, the wing tips of a couple aircraft, and the top of a tent were visible above the water. Double-crested cormorants flew by as if in salute. I moved on for a quick look at the Oxbow and then headed for home, making plans to return and watch the sunset. After a fine supper Jim Simpson and I made our way back to the road to Lost Bridge. Many of the birds I'd seen were there, plus many I hadn't. The light was better on the high ground, the ground the shorebirds had found to their liking. The breeze was soft and refreshing. Then evening seemed peaceful and free with its lengthening shadows, the cries of the gulls, and the swallows dipping over the water. There were mallards, blue-winged teal, wood duck, great blue heron and double-crested cormorants. We saw black-bellied plover, a flock of dunlin (we guessed about 200). There were a half dozen ruddy turnstone in beautiful spring plumage. The 60 semipalmated plover looked nearly white in the evening sun. Both greater and lesser yellowlegs were present. The day was fading fast, but we made another stop to view the floodplain from the railroad grade. We had forgotten how big the leaves would be on the trees along the railroad since usually there aren't many leaves when the area is flooded. Our view was blocked, but we did see deer and rabbits that had come to the railroad for high ground. Saturday morning we were on our way early. The water was off the road to Lost Bridge. Most of the shorebirds we'd seen the day before were gone. Although the Miami was falling, the Ohio was approaching 49 feet. At our next stop, at Cemetery Lake, the water was still rising at the Air Park. The only thing you could learn from the windsock was which way the water was flowing. There are questions as to what is and what isn't a wetland, but today I could definitely say the floodplain was wet. We drove on to the Oxbow, but couldn't even get close. Before we reached the Y in the road, we'd already reached the water's edge. We saw a few great egrets and several other white birds in the cottonwoods along the beaver pond. On investigation, we were surprised to learn that these other birds were cattle egrets. A few days later, Dave Styer led an Oxbow field trip into the area and saw an adult bald eagle. The next day I saw 3 snowy egrets. (They were wearing their yellow sneakers.) I though of what Forrest Gump's momma might have said, "The Oxbow area is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get." Or what you're going to see. I wonder why I feel the Oxbow is so much more beautiful than the light, glitter, and glitz the "Money Changers" want to bring to the area? Corporation Officers President, Norma L. Flannery (513)-471-8001 Vice President, Morris Mercer (513)-941-2534 Recording Secretary, Dennis Mason (513) 385-3607 Corresponding Secretary, Suzanne Skidmore (513)-561-5718 Treasurer, Mark Westrich (812)-637-2175 Agent, Dave Styer (513)-772-4395 Committee Chairpersons Conservation, Bill Bocklage (513)-922-2445 Easement Inspection, Michael Kluesener (513)-574-1220 Richard Pope (513)-637-1365 Fund Raising, Greg Mendell (513)-921-7147 Marketing, Connie McNamee (513)-921-7147 Land Management, Dave Styer (513)-772-4395 Preservation, Norma L. Flannery (513)-471-8001 Programs, Morris Mercer (513)-941-2534 Research, Kaniaulono Meyer (513)-948-8630 Speakers Bureau, Morris Mercer (513)-941-2534 Newsletter Steve Pelikan (513)-681-2574 Oxbow, Inc. A nonprofit organization formed by conservation groups and concerned citizens of Ohio and Indiana for the purpose of preserving and protecting a wetlands area known locally as the Oxbow, Hardintown, or Horseshoe Bottoms, from industrial development and to preserve the existing agricultural floodplain at the confluence of the Great Miami and Ohio rivers for use as a staging area for the seasonal migrations of waterfowl. This is an agricultural area rich in geological, archaeological, and anthropological history. Help us save this unique wetland. You can make your state a richer place in which to live by helping us preserve this precious resource. Membership in Oxbow, Inc. is encouraged and solicited. Individual $10 Family $15 Contributing $25 Supporting $50 Patron $100 Cornerstone $250 Sponsor $500 Benefactor $1000 Organization/Club $25 mail to: Oxbow, Inc. P.O. Box 43391 Cincinnati, Ohio, 45243-0391 513-471-8001