The comprehensive study found that water quality has improved tremendously over the years, with 86% of the state’s large rivers in good to excellent condition compared to just 18% in the 1980s.
In early August, Gov. Mike DeWine and Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Director Anne Vogel announced that a comprehensive study of Ohio’s largest rivers shows tremendous improvements in water quality over the past several decades.
Ohio EPA launched its first-ever comprehensive large rivers study beginning in 2020 to measure changes in water quality since the 1980s and to identify any current issues impacting water health. The study found that water quality has improved tremendously over the years, with 86% of the state’s large rivers in good to excellent condition compared to just 18% in the 1980s.
The report cites investments in agricultural soil conservation measures, improved wastewater infrastructure and improved wastewater treatment as key reasons for the water quality improvements.
“Water is truly one of Ohio’s greatest assets, and we have an obligation to preserve and protect it,” said DeWine. “The health of Ohio’s rivers reflects years of work and investment by our local communities and by Ohio EPA, and we intend to continue working to ensure that our healthy rivers stay healthy and that rivers that still need improvement are restored.”
Ohio’s new operating budget, which DeWine signed last month, allocates $23.3 million per year to expand the H2Ohio initiative, which DeWine launched in 2019 to focus on preventing algal blooms caused by agricultural nutrient runoff and to improve water infrastructure. The expansion of H2Ohio will create a river restoration program for large river tributaries, address river salinity, remove dams and remediate water impacted by acid mine drainage.
“This report not only shows the results of what farmers are currently doing to keep their soils healthy and nutrients in place to protect Ohio’s waterways through H2Ohio, it also highlights the efforts that have been done long before the program was an option,” said Adam Sharp, executive vice president of Ohio Farm Bureau. “This data is proof that progress has been made on the water quality front and that Governor DeWine’s H2Ohio initiative and other conservation programs that give farmers opportunities to find new and better nutrient management practices are, and will continue to make a difference in providing clean water for all Ohioans.”
Other notable improvements cited in the Ohio EPA study include:
The Mohican River was the only river to show a significant decline in water quality caused by excessive levels of phosphorus and nutrients from agricultural runoff.
“We are excited to have good news to report about the conditions of our large rivers and streams,” said Vogel. “The additional H2Ohio funding will let us step up these efforts toward getting all our large rivers meeting water quality goals.”
Jay Martin discusses his Pilot Watershed Project in the Western Lake Erie Basin. He is a professor of Ecological Engineering at The Ohio State University.
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Chris Winslow from Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Laboratory discusses the status of Lake Erie, legacy phosphorus and other topics as well.
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Aaron Wilson from Ohio State University and the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center talks about short and long-term weather and climate trends and how the super El Niño will affect our region.
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Jordan Howeischer, Ohio Farm Bureau director of water quality and research, provides some history on water quality in Ohio and what the industry has accomplished since the 2014 Toledo Water shutdown.
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In response to an editorial published in Toledo Blade, Ohio Farm Bureau sent a letter sharing the decades-long commitment to conservation by Ohio farmers.
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The report provides insight into measurable progress in conservation practices and Ohio farmers’ continued commitment to water quality.
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The report provides a data-driven look at conservation practices across the Western Lake Erie Basin and emphasizes farmers are doing their part in water quality.
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Jay Martin of Ohio State and Jordan Hoewischer join the podcast to break down the recent research and advocacy efforts helping drive that progress.
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Ohio EPA has recently proposed allowing data centers to obtain ‘general’ National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for their stormwater/wastewater discharges.
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The network was established in fall 2015 on farms in Hardin and Hancock counties. Nearly 200 different tours and events took place on the three farms totaling nearly 4,000 visitors in its 10-year span.
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