(The Center Square) – According to a new report from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, only one of Ohio’s major rivers failed to show water quality improvement since the 1980s.
The Ohio EPA launched its first comprehensive large rivers study in 2020 to measure changes in water quality since the 1980s and identify current issues impacting those rivers.
The results, according to Gov. Mike DeWine, show 86% of the state’s large rivers are in good to excellent condition. During the 1980s, that number was 18%.
“Water is truly one of Ohio’s greatest assets, and we have an obligation to preserve and protect it,” DeWine said. “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.”
The Mohican River, a 40-mile-long recreational waterway in north central Ohio popular for canoeing and kayaking, was the only river to show a significant decline in water quality caused by excessive phosphorus levels and nutrients from agricultural runoff, according to the Ohio EPA.
DeWine created a statewide H2Ohio initiative in 2019 to prevent algal blooms caused by agricultural nutrient runoff and improve water infrastructure across the state.
Lawmakers expected the program this summer with an additional $23.3 million in the state’s operating budget. The expansion is expected to help create a river restoration program for large river tributaries, address river salinity, remove dams and remediate water impacted by acid mine drainage.
The study also showed reductions in ammonia, total phosphorus and lead, along with downward trends in mercury, cadmium, lead and arsenic concentrations in fish.
“We are excited to have good news to report about the conditions of our large rivers and streams,” said Ohio EPA Director Anne Vogel. “The additional H2Ohio funding will let us step up these efforts toward getting all our large rivers meeting water quality goals.”
