Ohio EPA Continues Outreach on Maumee Watershed Project

9/16/21
PUBLIC INTEREST CENTER, (614) 644-2160
MEDIA CONTACT: James Lee

Ohio EPA's third public outreach module on the Maumee Watershed Nutrient Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) project is now available. The module highlights the ongoing nutrient reduction activities and research in the watershed.

The public is encouraged to watch the latest video and review the associated web page documents related to the Maumee Watershed Nutrient TMDL process. Ohio EPA staff and sister agencies, along with university experts and environmental staff from Indiana and Michigan, are providing an overview of the work occurring in tandem with the TMDL development.

Ohio continues to commit to nutrient reduction efforts with investments and coordination throughout the western Lake Erie basin. Effects of harmful algal blooms in the western basin of Lake Erie impair sources used for public drinking water and recreation. The nutrient TMDL will set goals to reduce phosphorus from point and nonpoint sources. The goals predominantly will focus on reducing phosphorus from nonpoint sources, primarily agricultural lands, which are the largest contributor of phosphorus in the Maumee River watershed.

The federal Clean Water Act requires states to prepare TMDL plans for watersheds that do not meet water quality goals. These plans contain recommendations to address water quality impairments and restore streams to Clean Water Act goals.

This is the third module Ohio EPA has developed for the project. The first module provided background on the project and details on the overall TMDL process. The second module covered the technical aspects of the project.

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The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency was created in 1972 to consolidate efforts to protect and improve air quality, water quality and waste management in Ohio. Since then, air pollutants dropped by as much as 90 percent; large rivers meeting standards improved from 21 percent to 89 percent; and hundreds of polluting, open dumps were replaced with engineered landfills and an increased emphasis on waste reduction and recycling.