Join us for a Luncheon Webinar
September 20, 2023 12:00pm
Hosted by Ohio Lake Management Society
Join OLMS for a luncheon webinar "Connected by Water -- Addressing Lake and Stream Problems at their Watershed Source" featuring OLMS Board Members Maia Peck, an environmental planner with NEFCO specializing in watershed management and Stephanie Deibel, a watershed coordinator with Summit Soil and Water Conservation District.
ABSTRACT
Many aspects of water management require specialized expertise and a focused approach when managing lakes, floodplains, dams, and watersheds. The interconnections between lakes, streams, and watersheds means their value extends well beyond individual specialized disciplines. So too, do the problems, causes and sources of impairment, impacts of local decision making, management methods, and solutions.
The presenters will explore some of the far-reaching but interrelated aspects of managing lakes in relation to watersheds – and vice-versa. Examples will demonstrate that addressing individual problems in one realm may require developing analyses and projects in another. This blending of specialized expertise and broad perspective provides a more complete understanding of water management and allows projects and planning to share resources and achieve multiple goals.
Maia Peck, AICP
Maia has worked as an environmental planner for over 30 years in the public and private sectors and has worked at the Northeast Ohio Four County Regional Planning and Development Organization (NEFCO) as a watershed planner since 2003. Her interest is to encourage sustainable use of the landscape, balancing people’s activities with natural resource protection, enhancement, and minimizing impacts. She was privileged to spend the past seven years working on the Portage Lakes Management studies and plan in collaboration with a diverse technical advisory committee, which allowed her to immerse herself in learning about lake systems and management. She learned about stewardship and the balance between human activities and the natural environment at her family’s cottage on the fragile shores of Cape Cod. The 1969 fire on the Cuyahoga River was a call to action. She received her Bachelors in Geology and Masters in Community Planning – Environmental Focus at the University of Rhode Island.
Stephanie Deibel
Stephanie is an environmental scientist with experience in water quality and water resource management. She earned a BS in Conservation Biology, with a minor in Geography, from Kent State University. With a strong passion and interest for water quality, Stephanie has focused her career on understanding the many facets of water resource management.
In 2015, Stephanie joined the Summit Soil and Water Conservation District as a Stormwater Specialist. In this role, she assisted MS4 Communities with implementation of their Stormwater Management Program. In her current role as the District’s Watershed Coordinator, Stephanie works with local and regional governments, watershed groups, and residents to coordinate watershed management efforts. Her responsibilities include developing comprehensive watershed management plans, facilitating stakeholder engagement, and providing technical guidance on various projects and initiatives. She also works with local watershed groups and communities to implement innovative stormwater and watershed management.