News and Events
Upcoming Events
Raccoon Creek Partnership Board Meeting
The next RCP board meeting will be April 30th, 6:00 pm at the Waterloo Wildlife Area on SR 356 in western Athens County. The public is welcome to attend and participate.
To avoid using disposable dinnerware at meetings, the proposed Waterloo Aquatic Education Center is in need of plates, cups, bowls, eating / serving utensils, etc. If you have any of these items in useable condition that you wish to donate, please contact Heike Perko. Thank you very much!
heikeperko@ohiohills.com
News
8th Annual Raccoon Creek Float 
Sunday, April 27th, 2008, the Raccoon Creek Water Trail Association and the Raccoon Creek Partnership sponsored the 8th annual Raccoon Creek float through breatiful Zaleski State Forest. The weather cooperated and 38 paddlers participated in the trip which began at Hope School House (near Lake Hope) and ended at Crow Road near SR 356. Map. This section of Raccoon Creek has seen dramatic improvements in water quality and fish populations over the past decade. The unique geology, forested landscape, wetlands, and wildflowers are something worth seeing!
Be sure to check out the 2008 Canoe Float photo gallery!
Thank you to all of the participants and to those who helped make the trip such a huge success!
Hope to see you next year!
Raccoon Creek Student-Scientist
Early in his high school career, Ben Lewis has already begun to spread awareness about water quality in the Raccoon Creek watershed. Through competing in science fair competitions, this Jackson High School freshman student is taking an active role in analyzing methods for water quality restoration. Ben's project, “Does FGD Affect Water Alkalinity” is a study of whether or not flue gas desulphurization (FGD) can be effectively used to treat Acid Mine Drainage (AMD). AMD is a serious challenge to restoring water quality within Raccoon Creek, and as a result, Lewis’ study is quite important. Ben tested FGD and steel slag (a highly alkaline byproduct of the steel industry that the Raccoon Creek Partnership has been using for years in AMD treatment systems) for alkalinity production.
Ben has already excelled in the local and district Science Fairs, where he earned “superior” ratings. In May, he will compete at the Ohio State Science Fair. Furthermore, Ben has been selected to represent Ohio in the 2008 sanofi-aventis International BioGENEius Challenge. The competition for a Midwest Regional champion will take place in Minneapolis at the University of Minnesota. If Ben’s projected is selected, he will advance to the national competition in San Diego. Congratulations and good luck!
Click on the image of the poster below to see the results of Ben's study.
Events Schedule
Make sure to view the Raccoon Creek Partnership Calendar for dates and times of watershed events!
For more information on past and upcoming events, please contact:
Ben McCament
Raccoon Creek Coordinator
Ohio University's Voinovich Center
for Leadership and Public Affairs
The Ridges, Building 22
Athens, Ohio 45701
740-597-1473
mccament@ohio.edu