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Maumee River Area of Concern

Background | Use Impairments
RAP Status | Schedule
Progress and Achievements
Outlook | Research | Publications
Community Involvement | Partners | Contacts

What is an AOC and a RAP?

Background

The Maumee River begins in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, and travels more than 130 river miles to Lake Erie, 105 miles of which are located in Ohio. The boundaries of the Maumee Area of Concern (AOC) were initially defined as the area from the Bowling Green water intake (River Mile 22.8) downstream to the Maumee Bay and Lake Erie, including Duck Creek, Otter Creek, Cedar Creek, Grassy Creek, Crane Creek, Swan Creek and the Ottawa River. In 1992, the AOC was expanded to include Packer Creek, Turtle Creek, Rusha Creek and the Toussaint River. The drainage area for the AOC covers all of Lucas County and parts of Wood, Ottawa and Sandusky counties. The Maumee has the largest drainage area of any Great Lakes river with 3,942 stream miles draining into the Maumee River.

Maumee RAP: Partnering for Clean Streams When the Maumee AOC was designated, it was primarily due to the large problem of agricultural runoff. However, upon further investigation it was discovered that there were more problems than just agricultural nonpoint source pollution. Such problems include the old dumps or contaminated industrial sites, combined sewer overflows, and disposal of dredged materials.

Beneficial Use Impairments



Ten of the 14 use impairments have been identified for the Maumee AOC through the Remedial Action Plan (RAP) process. These environmental problems are caused by toxic substances (heavy metals, polychlorinated biphenyls), habitat modification (channelization), bacterial contamination, cultural eutrophication (nutrient enrichment) and landfill leachate. Sources of these pollutants include urban stormwater runoff, commercial and residential development, municipal and industrial discharges, combined sewer overflows (CSOs), sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs), wastewater treatment plant bypasses, hazardous waste disposal sites and agricultural runoff.

Restrictions on Fish & Wildlife Consumption:
Consumption advisories for the fish caught in different waterways have different recommendations. When the Maumee RAP Stage 1 Report (1990) was written, fish consumption advisories existed for carp and catfish in all Lake Erie waters due to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). In the Ottawa River and in Hecklinger Pond, consumption restrictions were placed on all species of fish also due to PCBs.

GLIN: Fish Consumption Advisories; Wildlife;
Toxic Contaminants

Tainting of Fish & Wildlife Flavor:
No data have been collected to suggest this is impaired in the Maumee AOC. The RAP has evaluated this category as "UNKNOWN" rather than "UNIMPAIRED" due to lack of information.

GLIN: Fish; Wildlife

Degradation of Fish & Wildlife Populations:
According to the Maumee RAP Stage 1 Report (1990) fish populations were identified as degraded throughout the AOC. Those areas downstream exhibited a higher degradation of fish communities than those areas upstream. The lowest fish community values were present in the area between the Toledo Wastewater Treatment Plant and Maumee Bay.

GLIN: Fish; Wildlife

Fish Tumors or Other Deformities:
When the Maumee RAP Stage 1 Report was written in 1990 there was an elevated frequency of fish tumors and deformities observed in the Lower Maumee River mainstem, the lower five miles of the Ottawa River and near the mouth of Otter Creek. No data have been made available for Otter Creek.

GLIN: Fish; Toxic Contaminants

Bird or Animal Deformities or Reproductive Problems:
The most significant documented problems have been noticed in bald eagles who feed on the fish within the Maumee AOC, especially in the Ottawa River and Maumee Bay area. These reproductive problems and deformities, such as crossed bills, have been linked to the bioaccumulation of PCBs, which leach into the waterways and then work their way up the food chain. Although these problems have occurred on occasion, they are not significant enough to be considered an impairment according to the International Joint Commission (IJC). The IJC criteria for this problem to be listed as an impairment is a 95 percent probability level for incidence.

GLIN: Birds

Degradation of Benthos:
Benthic communities have been degraded due to the pollutants released by industrial discharges, landfill leachate and other sources. Some bottom-dwelling organisms absorb persistent pollutants and may not be greatly affected by them. However, when larger animals feed on these polluted macroinvertebrates, the levels of pollutants increase as they move up the food chain. Diversity of macroinvertebrates living in a stream can help indicate health of the waters. Students monitoring the Ottawa River near Stickney Avenue found no living organisms in the stream from 1990 through 1994. Beginning in 1995, they began to find a few species.

Restrictions on Dredging Activities:
Materials dredged from the Maumee River Shipping Channel can contain elevated levels of pollutants and possibly require treatment. According to the Maumee RAP Stage 1 (1990) 40 percent of the dredged sediments from the shipping channel needed to be placed in a confined disposal facility, and it has been recommended that open lake disposal be phased out completely.

GLIN: Dredging

Eutrophication or Undesirable Algae:
Eutrophication can be directly linked to high levels of nutrients, in the form of phosphorus and nitrogen, in the water. A major source of these excess nutrients is the fertilizers that are carried in the runoff from farmland. When the Maumee RAP Stage 1 (1990) was written, the Maumee River contributed more than 40 percent of the annual phosphorus load from Ohio to Lake Erie.

Restrictions on Drinking Water Consumption, or Taste & Odor:
Advisories are often issued seasonally for elevated nitrate concentrations in the communities that use the Maumee River as a public drinking water supply. These warnings are usually issued in the early spring when rainfall is heavy and the local farmers have just applied their fertilizers and pesticides. This causes larger quantities than normal of chemicals to be in the treated water, which can be dangerous to particular groups of the population, such as children and pregnant women. Occasionally, there are taste and odor problems in the water from the Toledo and Oregon Water Treatment Plants.

GLIN: Water Quality

Beach Closings:
Although beach closings are not an areawide problem, beach closings have occurred within the Maumee AOC. The summer of 1995 was one of the worst with 69 days of posted swimming advisories issued for the swimming beach at Maumee Bay State Park. At those times, high levels of fecal contamination were detected in the park, but this contamination could not easily be traced to a single source. In addition to the beach closings at Maumee Bay, the lower 16 miles of the Ottawa River has had a contact advisory posted since 1991. This means that no one should swim or come in direct contact with the water during any form of use.

GLIN: Beaches; Recreation

Degradation of Aesthetics:
Degradation of aesthetics can be attributed to the many beneficial use impairments of the Maumee AOC, including high sediment loadings and debris following storm events. These impairments all contribute to the lower aesthetic value of the streams, rivers and portions of Lake Erie located within the AOC.

Degradation of Phytoplankton & Zooplankton Populations:
No data have been collected to suggest this is impaired in the Maumee River AOC. The RAP has evaluated this category as "UNKNOWN" rather than "UNIMPAIRED" due to lack of information.

Added Cost to Agriculture & Industry:
No data have been collected to suggest this is impaired in the Maumee River AOC. The RAP has evaluated this category as "UNKNOWN" rather than "UNIMPAIRED" due to lack of information.

GLIN: Economy

Loss of Fish & Wildlife Habitat:
Loss of fish and wildlife habitat has not been well researched within the Maumee AOC. However, in general, modifications such as riprap, channel straightening, rerouting and filling in of the rivers and streams do have short- and long-term effects on the amount of available habitat for fish and wildlife.

GLIN: Habitat; Wildlife



RAP Status

The Maumee RAP process began on October 1, 1987, when the first public meeting was held by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (Ohio's statewide RAP coordinator) and the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments (TMACOG)(local coordinator for the Maumee RAP). In 1988 the Maumee RAP Advisory Committee was formed. The 74-member RAP Advisory Committee included representatives from all levels of government, business and industry, universities and other interested individuals. The Advisory Board completed problem definition with the submission of the of the Maumee RAP Stage 1 Report to Ohio EPA in 1990. Stage 1 of the RAP process was officially concluded in March 1992 when the Maumee RAP Stage 1 (1990) was reviewed and accepted by the IJC.

After Stage 1 was finished and the Advisory Board was abolished and the Maumee RAP Implementation Committee (MRIC) was formed to oversee all the restoration activities of Stage 2 that were occurring throughout the Maumee AOC. MRIC developed the Maumee RAP Recommendations Report (1991) to guide them through the implementation of Stage 2, however this report was never submitted to the IJC as an official Stage 2 Report.

Following the development of the Maumee RAP Strategic Plan in 1997, the Maumee RAP developed a new logo and MRIC changed its name to the Maumee RAP Committee. Although the name changed, the membership stayed the same. It is still comprised of 21 members, including 7 representatives from government, 7 from business/industry and 7 citizens/non-profit plus a chair and vice-chair.

Even though an official Stage 2 Report has not been submitted, the Maumee RAP is well into Stage 2 of the process. With the completion of the Activities and Accomplishments in the Maumee Area of Concern (1991-2001) (2002), the Maumee RAP is now developing the Maumee RAP Recommendations Report II with the intent of submitting it as an official Stage 2 Report. This document is expected to provide specific direction and targets for the Maumee RAP and its partners, as we strive toward restoration of the beneficial uses in the Maumee Area of Concern.



Schedule

Meetings:

  • Maumee RAP Committee - Meetings held bimonthly in January, March, May, June, August, October, December, usually on the second Thursday of the month at 11:30 a.m. in TMACOG Board Room. Contact: TMACOG (419) 241-9155.
  • Agriculture Runoff Action Group - Meetings held monthly. Contact: Jim Carter, Chair (419) 352-5172.
  • Dumps and Landfills Action Group - This action group is in hiatus. Contact: Sue Horvath, Co-chair (419) 885-3109.
  • Finance Action Group - Meetings held monthly. Contact: Sue Horvath, Chair (419) 885-3109.
  • Open Space & Wetlands Action Group - Meetings held monthly. Contact: Patrick Lawrence, Chair (419) 530-4128.
  • Ottawa River Action Group - Meetings held monthly. Contact: Jeanette Ball, Chair (419) 936-3761.
  • Public Outreach and Education Action Group - Meetings held monthly. Contact: Jennifer Huber, Chair (419) 661-7826.
  • Swan Creek Action Group - Meetings held monthly. Contact: Matt Horvat (419) 241-9155.
  • Urban Runoff Action Group - Meetings held monthly. Contact: Scott Sibley, Chair (419) 473-9611.

RAP Milestones:

  • April 2002: Activities and Accomplishments in the Maumee Area of Concern (1991-2001) released.
  • 2000: Dura Ave. Landfill capped.
  • 1999: Stickney Ave. and Tyler St. Landfills capped.
  • 1998: MRIC renamed Maumee RAP Committee and new Maumee RAP logo unveiled.
  • June 1997: Maumee Remedial Action Plan Strategic Plan completed.
  • October 1994: Maumee Remedial Action Plan: Progress Report 1994 released.
  • June 1993: Maumee Remedial Action Plan: Progress Report 1992-1993 released.
  • March 1992: Maumee Remedial Action Plan: Stage I Investigation Report accepted and Stage 1 officially concluded by the IJC.
  • September 1991: Maumee Remedial Action Plan Implementation Committee formed.
  • July 1991: Maumee Remedial Action Plan: Recommendations for Implementation Report completed.
  • October 1990: Maumee Remedial Action Plan: Stage I Investigation Report completed.
  • February 1988: Maumee Remedial Action Plan Advisory Committee formed.
  • October 1, 1987: First public meeting for the Maumee RAP held.



Progress and Achievements

Since the Maumee RAP launched into Stage 2 with the formation of the MRIC in 1991, activities to improve the AOC have been varied in size and focus. The Maumee RAP Committee and its extensive partnerships have made great progress toward achieving the goals of restoring the Maumee Area of Concern to "fishable and swimmable" condition. Annual summaries of the Maumee RAP Committee and Action Group activites, as well as a 10 year summary of the Activities and Accomplishments in the Maumee Area of Concern (1991-2001) are available on the local Maumee RAP web site (www.maumeerap.org). More projects and programs than can be described on this web site are underway in the Maumee Area of Concern. Selected activities are outlined below.

Maumee RAP Activities:

  • Toussaint River Improvement Incentive Project
    Toussaint River Improvement Incentive Project The Toussaint River Improvement Incentive Program was developed to reduce sediment and nutrient loadings into the Toussaint River and Lake Erie. As a part of Phase I (1997-2000) incentives were available to landowners along the 36-mile mainstem of the Toussaint River. Landowners made a five-year commitment to maintaining newly installed conservation practices. Phase I activities and events included the creation of two full-color booklets illustrating the success of the project, media/information events and conservation buffer area signage. Water quality assessments of the river were made before practices were put into place and then again after they were established. As a part of the Phase I program, a streambank stabilization project was also conducted.

    Phase II began in 2000 and is expected to run until 2004. This Phase is providing financial incentives to landowners to establish filter strips along streams and in concentrated flow areas, set aside floodplain lands for all rivers, streams and ditches in the Toussaint River and Packer Creek watersheds. It is also available for acreage already enrolled in the CRP. The project is currently being expanded to include incentives to reduce other types of nonpoint source pollution effecting these watersheds.

    Financing for Phase I was through a $275,000 Ohio EPA 319 Grant with local match of $208,000 through assistance from the Ohio DNR Division of Soil and Water Conservation and many other partners. Phase II was financed through a $300,000 Ohio EPA 319 Grant and many other partners. The Wood County Commissioners provided a bonus incentive payment to encourage landowner sign ups. This very successful program is highlighted as one of US EPA's 319 success stories. A fact sheet on this project is available on the local Maumee RAP web site (www.maumeerap.org).

  • Fate of a River: Revisited
    In 1965, the Junior League of Toledo produced a film, Fate of a River: Apathy or Action, depicting foaming detergents, raw sewage, green and blue industrial discharges, gasping fish, and algae-laden streams in the Maumee River Watershed. This film helped citizens throughout Northwest Ohio recognize that their actions were negatively impacting local waterways and that they could take actions to reduce or eliminate this impact to restore the health of their waterways.

    Fate of a River: Revisited, will look at the many water quality improvements over the last 35 years, and demonstrate the need for continued actions by the citizens living in this three state watershed. Particular attention is being paid to impacts associated with changes in land use and nonpoint sources as our population increases and shifts outside of the urban centers. The film is being produced for public broadcast and mass distribution. Supplemental educational materials are being developed to recreate awareness and to renew the focus on the Maumee River and its tributaries. At least two public television broadcasts, 500 film presentations to individual groups, web site, and educational handouts will reach at least 500,000 residents of Northwest Ohio, Michigan and Indiana that live in the basin.

    A Working Group comprised of many Northwest Ohio organizations have been meeting since May 2000 to plan for this project, with the Maumee RAP, ClearWater, Inc. and the Ottawa River Coalition spearheading the effort. This Fate of a River: Revisited campaign is expected to generate increased understanding of water quality issues and motivate citizens to take actions to improve the waterways. The film and support materials will be ready for distribution in November 2002.

  • Partnering for Clean Streams Patch Program
    The Partnering for Clean Stream Patch Program began in August 2002 with the Maumee Valley Girl Scout Council. This program was created to help the youth in the Maumee Area of Concern learn about their local fresh water sources and how to keep those sources clean and abundant. Eight activites are listed in the program booklet and scouts are required to do at least 5 of them to be eligible for the patch. It is hoped that patch recipients will wear their patch with greater pride of ownership in the waters of our area and will be eager to continue as active partners in their preservation. Expansion of the project is planned for 2003 to include boy scouts and other youth organizations.

  • Bowman Park Demonstration Project
    Bowman Park Demonstration Project The Urban Runoff Action Group (URAG) partnered with the City of Toledo Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry to use supplement environmental project penalty funds they received from the Ohio Department of Transportation’s (ODOT) Buckeye Basin Project. This collaborative project was to add a parking lot to service a highly utilized city park (Bowman Park). A bio-filter was determined to be the best management practice for improving water quality on this confined urban site. Storm water runoff from the new parking lot would first pass through a plant bed and a sand filter before entering the storm water system and being discharged into a stream or river. This filtering process removes from the storm water runoff many of the pollutants that can collect on parking lots, such as oil, grease, and metals that are left behind by cars. It is expected to be a demonstration project for other sites within the area. A fact sheet on this project is available on the local Maumee RAP web site (www.maumeerap.org).

  • Maumee River Watershed Wetlands Protection & Enhancement Planning Project
    The goal of this project is to protect existing wetlands and increase the number of wetland enhancement projects in Lucas County. It was funded in part by a grant from the Ohio EPA 319 Nonpoint Source Program for 2000 to 2002 and was based on an identified need to provide better information on the distribution of wetlands and the impacts from urbanization and streamside modifications causing habitat alteration. The focus of this project is the development of current and accurate wetland maps utilizing satellite imagery and remote sensing techniques. The new wetlands inventory maps would then be integrated into GIS database and placed on a public accessible website so as to provide additional information on the issue of wetland loss and impacts in the Maumee AOC and to assist in decision-making. Training workshops for local planning authorities and education outreach programs will be implemented.

  • "Buy-Down" Program for Farmers to Purchase Conservation Tillage Equipment
    A $641,000 federal grant for nonpoint source pollution abatement was used in 1992 to encourage conservation tillage. The RAP Agricultural Runoff Action Group collaborated with Ohio EPA, Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) and 17 Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) in the program, which provided farmers with "buy-down" money to be applied toward the purchase of conservation tillage equipment. More than 400 participants received money from this highly successful program, with farmers matching funds at a rate of nearly nine to one.

Partners' Activities:

  • City of Toledo's CSO Abatement Tunnels
    The City of Toledo has spent nearly $82 million to abate the effects of CSOs on the Ottawa River and Swan Creek. Most of this expenditure has been for the Ten Mile Creek Relief Interceptor (Ottawa River) and to construct the Swan Creek North and South storage tunnels. These massive storage tunnels have been constructed to hold most of the combined sewage and stormwater overflows and prevent it from flowing directly into the rivers. Although there still are other areas within the Maumee AOC which could greatly benefit from the removal of CSOs, the elimination of CSOs in the Maumee River/Swan Creek area was a major step in the right direction.

  • Landfill Closure and Cleanup
    Two Ottawa River landfill sites, Tyler Street and Stickney Avenue, were selected by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) for remediation under Superfund's Accelerated Cleanup Model(SACM) program. These sites were grubbed, capped and covered in 1998 and 1999. In conjunction with the capping of the Stickney Avenue Landfill was the installation of a leachate extraction system and capping of waste lagoons on the adjacent XXKem property. The two landfill sites are currently undergoing a five year performance monitoring period.

    • The Dura Avenue Landfill is near the Stickney Ave. and Tyler St. Landfills and it was also recently grubbed, capped and covered. In 2000 and 2001 the final remedial measure was implemented. In 1994 an interim remedial measure was conducted on this site with the installation of a $4.8 million containment wall and leachate collection system. The wall was constructed along the banks of the Ottawa River and is 259 meters long and 12 meters high, with another 12 meters extending below ground level. Dura was believed to be a major source of PCB contamination to the Maumee AOC.

  • Highway Median Planting for Cleaner Air
    In the spring of 2002, 22 acres of native grasses and 13,000 native hardwood trees and shrubs were planted in the large interchange areas of at the southern junction of I-75 and I-475. The project will reduce the need for repeated mowing of the 35 acre site, as well as help absorb vehicle emissions. This project will help to change the opinion of how these massive medians are viewed, as well as how they they will be treated as the native vegetation grows and becomes an entryway to Northwest Ohio.

For additional information on the Maumee RAP Progress & Achievements, please see the contacts listed below or visit the local Maumee RAP web site (www.maumeerap.org) for a more d etailed listing of activities and publications in the Maumee AOC.



Outlook

The Maumee RAP continues to address the 10 identified beneficial use impairments listed in the Maumee RAP Stage 1 Report (1990) and significant progress has been made in many of the impairment areas. Through the dedication and funding of TMACOG, Ohio EPA and numerous other partners through the years, the RAP is moving forward.

It took a long time to conduct the research and gather the data necessary for comprehensive problem identification and project development. Active participation and public awareness within the Maumee AOC has driven many worthy projects that will lead to the restoration of the Maumee AOC. These are highlighted in Activities and Accomplishments in the Maumee Area of Concern (1991-2001) (2002). The Maumee RAP has a positive outlook. The Maumee RAP Committee is developing the Maumee RAP Recommendations Report II (which will be submitted as the official Stage 2 Report) and are as dedicated as ever to restoring of the waters of the Maumee Area of Concern to "fishable and swimmable" condition.



Research

  • Ottawa River Risk Assessment and Hot Spot Delineation Project
    This study assessed the current human health and ecological risks posed by Ottawa River sediments and further delineated "hot spots" in the Ottawa River. Results of the assessment include: 1)Consolidated sediment, chemical and aquatic stream data from Ohio EPA; 2)Analysis of PCB data according to total PCB and congener specific toxicity and identify areas with elevated PCB concentrations; 3)Analysis of risks to human health based on river uses and potential pathways; 4)Analysis of risks to ecological receptors, including fish-eating birds and mammals; 5)Established risk-level baseline for the lower Ottawa River; 6)Recommendation for priority areas for riverbed remediation. The project was lead by TMACOG and conducted by an assessment team from LimnoTech, Intertox,and Parametrix. The Maumee RAP, Ottawa River Remediation Team, and Ohio EPA also provided assistance. The project was funded through a grant from the US EPA Great Lakes National Program Office. The final reports from this project are available on the local Maumee RAP web site (www.maumeerap.org).

  • Ottawa River Dredging Limited Re-evaluation Report Update
    This report is an update of the US Army Corps of Engineers Final Limited Reevaluation Report from 1992. In late 2000 the City of Toledo announced their willingness to be the local sponsor for recreational/navigation dredging of the lower Ottawa River. Following that announcement the City of Toledo appropriated funds to the Toledo/Lucas County Port Authority and their contractor to conduct the report update needed. The report was completed in June 2002 and submitted to the US Army Corps of Engineers - Buffalo District for their additions and the required public/agency reviews. A final report is expected from the Corps in Spring 2003. The Limited Reevaluation Report Update includes similar information to the 1992 report: a survey of area boaters and businesses, proposed channel locations, and a benefit/cost analysis. The latest information on dredging the Ottawa River is available on the City of Toledo's Ottawa River Dredging web site.

  • Maumee Area of Concern Project
    Maumee Area of Concern Project Ohio EPA has been awarded numerous grants from US EPA and the Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO) to assess current conditions in the Maumee AOC and characterize some of the many uncontrolled waste sites. The largest was the MAOC Project which was to assess the health of the lower Maumee River and Maumee Bay ecosystems and to characterize uncontrolled sources affecting the Maumee AOC. This extensive sampling project was conducted from 1993 to 1998 and has enabled the RAP community to secure additional grants to conduct inventories, risk assessment studies, and prioritize sites for remediation.

  • Toledo Metropolitan Area Storm Water Utility Study
    This study was sponsored by the Urban Runoff Action Group and looked at the feasibility and the benefits of stormwater management on a watershed basis, instead of only within individual city limits. A local policy board of supportive elected officials was established to provide input on existing stormwater problems and management activities and to steer the direction of the study. The study was funded through a $50,000 Implementation Grant from the Lake Erie Protection Fund and was completed in December 1998. This project was supported by a local match totaling $50,000 from the City of Toledo, Lucas County and TMACOG.

  • Tracing Diffuse Sources of Fecal Contamination Through Phenotypic and Genotypic Characterization of E. Coli Isolates
    The University of Toledo received a grant to study the possible sources of bacteria contamination in Maumee Bay area. In particular, the "fingerprinting" project linked sources of the bacteria problem in Maumee Bay State Park to the culprits. A trial run of the project was completed first before the full, $140,000 project, funded by the Lake Erie Protection Fund, began in 1997.

  • Cost of Reducing Sediments Delivered to the Toledo Harbor
    The Ohio State University Department of Agricultural Economics, received a grant from the Lake Erie Protection Fund to support initial research on the benefits and costs of soil reduction in the Maumee River basin. The study proposed to map, using economic modeling and GIS technology, the spacial distribution of the costs of several types of sediment reduction practiced in the basin. As a result, reduction efforts can be targeted to areas providing the greatest benefits at the least cost. In the future, incentive packages may be developed to achieve reduction goals with limited budgets. This study was conducted in collaboration with the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Services and Heidelberg College. A large portion of the research was completed by June 1998 and final research concluded by June 1999.

Publications



Community Involvement

One of the biggest challenges for all RAPs is getting others involved, because restoration cannot be done by just a few. Community involvement and education is essential to the continuing progress of restoring our waters to "fishable and swimmable" condition. The Maumee RAP community is continually seeking involvement in ongoing projects and special events, some of which are highlighted on this web page. For a current list of activities and events, check out What's Happening on the local Maumee RAP web site (www.maumeerap.org). If you or someone you know would like to become involved with the activities of the Maumee RAP, please see the contacts at the bottom of this web page.

  • Annual Student Watershed Watch
    Annual Student Watershed Watch Since 1989, this project has brought students, teachers and many organizations, together to sample water quality and learn about local environmental issues. Teachers gather for a training sessions early in the school year. Then everyone heads to their stream segment to sample on a designated day in October. This event has averaged over 1,000 students and 20+ schools each year for the past several years. Four to six weeks after the sampling the students gather at a large forum, called a "Watershed Watch Summit," where they share and discuss their results. This successful education project is still growing in popularity.

  • Storm Drain Stenciling Program
    This annual program is sponsored by the Urban Runoff Action Group and the SWCD offices in Lucas and Wood counties. Volunteers stencil the shape of a fish along with the motto "Dump No Waste, Drains to Lake" alongside storm drains to raise public awareness of pollution entering streams through the untreated water from storm sewers. From 1995 to 2001, 2,384 storm drains had been stenciled in eight communities by 32 volunteer groups.

  • Presentations, Lectures and Displays
    Maumee RAP representatives are often asked to give presentations to a wide array of organizations from school groups to public officials and from environmental organizations to foreign delegations. Different members of the Maumee RAP community make these speeches depending upon the audience. Members also regularly put up displays at workshops, conferences and other special events to explain the purpose of the RAP and outline the many activities of the action groups.

  • Annual Walk for the World
    This annual Earth Day celebration is a pledged walk held the last Sunday in April. This event is not coordinated by the Maumee RAP, however it is coordinated by a group of dedicated individuals who believe in the progress the Maumee RAP has made. They have committed the event's proceeds from pledges and corporate donations to support the Maumee RAP since 1995. This walk and streambank cleanup begins at Mary Jane Thurston State Park near Grand Rapids, Ohio. It follows a tow path downstream along the Maumee River, then crosses the river and goes upstream to the Providence Dam. Displays and educational environmental materials are also available. This event continues to attract local media attention. More information is available at www.walkfortheworld.org

  • Annual Maumee Watershed Clean Your Streams Day
    This event has been held annually in September (the Saturday after Labor Day) since 1997. It is coordinated by the Ottawa River Action Group and Swan Creek Action Group. In 2001 the event was expanded to include a boating component. In 2002 sites were expanded to include Duck and Otter Creeks with the collaboration of the Duck and Otter Creeks Partnership. The groups will prioritize numerous sites throughout the Maumee AOC and organize volunteers to pick up the trash at these sites. This project had 562 volunteers and collected almost 22,000 pounds from 1997-2001. A fact sheet on this project is available on the local Maumee RAP web site (www.maumeerap.org).

Partners

Like most RAP organizations the Maumee RAP has numerous partners that make it a successful program. Partners of the Maumee RAP work with others to improve the area's streams. They represent a diverse cross-section of environmentally concerned businesses, industries, government, non-profit organizations and academia. Maumee RAP partners contribute to its success in many ways, including contributions of financial support, staff time, expertise or often some combination of these. The What's Needed section of the local Maumee RAP web site provides more information on how you can become a RAP Partner. Listed below are many of the current partners of the Maumee RAP.


Contacts

Cherie A. Blair, Maumee RAP Coordinator
Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
Northwest District Office
347 North Dunbridge Road
Bowling Green, Ohio 43402
Phone: (419) 352-8461
Fax: (419) 352-8468
cherie.blair@epa.state.oh.us

Matt Horvat, Maumee Watershed Coordinator
Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments
300 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza
P.O. Box 9508
Toledo, Ohio 43697-9508
Phone: (419) 241-9155
Fax: (419) 241-9116
horvat@tmacog.org

Great Lakes Information NetworkGreat Lakes Areas of Concern

Compiled: August 7, 2002
by John Hummer, jhummer@glc.org
 

Great Lakes Areas of Concern

USEPA Great Lakes Navigational Bar

Created: November 21,1997 Re-created: July 15, 2002
Revised: June 23, 2000
Maintained by Pranas Pranckevicius
URL: http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/aoc/maumee.html