LOVELAND MAGAZINE

News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area

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Since 2004

Tag: Williamsburg

  • Clermont County takes steps to improve water quality at Harsha Lake/East Fork State Park

    Clermont County takes steps to improve water quality at Harsha Lake/East Fork State Park

    Williamsburg, Ohio – Clermont County has taken another step in its effort to lessen harmful algal blooms (HABs) at Harsha Lake: Designing a system to capture storm water rich with fertilizer nutrients that feed the blooms.

    The Board of County Commissioners on July 18 approved a two-year, $42,400 contract with Sustainable Streams of Louisville to design a passive wetland system in Williamsburg for Harsha Lake source water protection.

    Boating on Harsh Lake

    According to the Centers for Disease Control, HABs are the rapid growth of cyanobacteria that can cause harm to animals, people, and the local ecology. A HAB can look like foam, scum, or mats on the surface of the water and can be different colors. Particularly large HABs can result in beach closures and prevent recreational use.

    Hannah Lubbers, Director, Clermont County Office of Environmental Quality (Photo Provided)

    “Wetlands have a natural ability to remove nutrients from surface water,” said Hannah Lubbers, Director, Clermont County Office of Environmental Quality. “Our study of a small scale constructed wetland in Jackson Township indicated they can be a cost effective method of reducing nutrient pollution.”

    Installation of wetlands, in combination with other agricultural and urban best management practices (BMPs), is part of the sourcewater and watershed protection programs being implemented by the East Fork Water Quality Cooperative (EFWC).

    Partners of the cooperative, including Clermont Soil and Water Conservation District, the County Commissioners, and the USEPA, aggressively pursue grant funding to improve local water quality and to date have directed over $2.25-million dollars to the watershed, including $215,500 set aside for construction of the wetland in Williamsburg. The EFWC partners also combine agency resources and technical services to advance watershed efforts.

    “Harsha Lake is a valuable resource for county residents and we are working hard to preserve that resource,” Lubbers said. “The Williamsburg project will provide invaluable water quality data and information to aid watershed efforts across the region and Ohio.”

    About William H. Harsha Lake

    Located on the East Fork of the Little Miami River in central Clermont County, William H. Harsha Lake and East Fork State Park offer outstanding boating, hiking, hunting, fishing, camping and other outdoor recreation activities.  William H. Harsha Lake is a multipurpose project for flood reduction, water supply, recreation, and wildlife habitat.  Originally called East Fork Lake, the dam and lake were renamed in 1981 to honor retired congressman William H. Harsha.  Mr. Harsha was elected to Congress in 1960 and served until his retirement in 1981.  He was instrumental in getting the funding appropriated to construct the project. MORE

  • Sen. Brown honors Clermont County Detective Bill Brewer killed in the line of duty

    Sen. Brown honors Clermont County Detective Bill Brewer killed in the line of duty

    Washington, D.C. – On the Senate floor on February 12, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) honored Clermont County Detective Bill Brewer, who was killed in the line of duty.

    Brown’s full remarks:

    On Friday, Ohio laid to rest a dedicated public servant, Detective Bill Brewer.

    Detective Brewer devoted two decades of his life to the police force, and he made the ultimate sacrifice to keep his fellow Ohioans safe. He laid down his life while doing his job, responding to a desperate 911 call with fellow Clermont County officers and working to protect the people he served in Pierce Township.

    In the days since Detective Brewer’s passing, we’ve heard stories of his incredible service to his community and his family.

    Last Sunday, officers from all over Southwest Ohio joined a procession escorting Detective Brewer home to Clermont County. In his home of Amelia, his community lined the route, paying tribute to their fallen hero. Hundreds attended a memorial service on Friday, while hundreds more watched on video. It’s a fitting recognition of the sacrifice this man made for the people he loved.

    Detective Brewer was a proud son of Williamsburg, Ohio, and a star high school athlete. He was a family man, and our hearts break for his wife of 13 years, Jamie, and his five-year-old son Braxton. As they mourn this incredible loss, we hope they take comfort in the outpouring of support and honor for their husband and father.

    To his fellow officers, he was a devoted friend, colleague, and mentor. One of them told the press that Detective Brewer was always “fair and kindhearted,” and that he would “give the shirt off his back for anyone in need.”

    Detective Brewer’s legacy will live on through the many lives he touched.

    In times of tragedy, Ohioans always rise to the occasion, and we have witnessed an outpouring of community support in the days since Officer Brewer was taken from us.

    While no gesture can ever repay him or his loved ones for their sacrifice, today we honor this hero’s memory and lift up the entire Clermont County community.

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