Maumee River Area of Concern

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 Maumee has the largest drainage area of any Great Lakes river with 8,316 square miles. The Maumee Area of Concern (AoC) does not include the entire Maumee River watershed. It includes the lower reach and tributaries, as well as some of the neighboring watersheds. The boundaries of the Maumee Area of Concern (AoC) were originally identified as the area extending from the Bowling Green water intake near Waterville along the Lower Maumee River at river mile 22.8 downstream to Maumee Bay. The area includes direct drainage into the waters that are within Lucas, Ottawa and Wood counties. This includes Swan Creek, Ottawa River (Ten Mile Creek), Duck Creek, Otter Creek, Grassy Creek, Cedar Creek, and Crane Creek. In 1992, this area was extended to the east to include Turtle Creek, Packer Creek, and the Toussaint River. The Maumee Area of Concern (AoC) covers 775 square miles

Beneficial Use Impairments 

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.

When AoCs were designated, delisting was based upon restoration of 14 beneficial use impairments (BUIs) for an entire AoC. According to the Maumee RAP Stage 1 Investigation Report, 10 of the 14 beneficial use impairments needed to be addressed in the Maumee AoC. This report did not identify impairments by watershed, only for the entire Maumee AoC, because the only means of delisting in 1990 was through a total restoration of the entire AoC.

Since an incremental approach to delisting was adopted in 2001 by the U.S. Policy Committee, the Maumee RAP with the help of other community partners has re-evaluated the 1990 BUIs identified in the Maumee RAP Stage 1 Report. This re-evaluation was conducted based on data and information available in the late 1980s/early 1990s and resulted in a BUI Summary Table (PDF 25Kb 1 page) for each watershed in the Maumee AoC. From these new tables the Maumee RAP will be able to better determine progress toward restoration of a watershed and/or a beneficial use.

For further information on the Maumee AoC beneficial use impairments, see the Remedial Action Plan (RAP) documents listed in the RAP Development and Status section below.

Delisting Targets 

The Maumee RAP has adopted the Delisting Targets for Ohio Areas of Concern (PDF 1.08Mb 85 pages) (Ohio EPA, June 2005).

RAP Development and Status

The Maumee RAP process began on October 1, 1987, when the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (Ohio’s statewide RAP coordinator) and the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments (TMACOG), the local coordinator for the Maumee RAP, held the first public meeting. In 1988 the Maumee RAP Advisory Committee was formed, including 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 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, the Advisory Board was abolished and the Maumee RAP Implementation Committee (MRIC) was formed to oversee all the restoration activities of Stage 2. 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/nonprofit, including a Chair, Vice-chair, and Treasurer.

The Maumee RAP Committee submitted their Stage 2 Report for the Maumee AoC in January 2006. It is expected that once this report is approved the Maumee RAP will again go through some organizational changes to better align with the plan and to facilitate its implementation.

Significant RAP Milestones  

• 2005: Draft Maumee Area of Concern Stage 2 Watershed Restoration Plan completed. (Release expected in 2006)
• 1997: Maumee RAP Strategic Plan  published.
• 1991:
  • Maumee RAP Recommendations for Implementation - Volume 4
    (PDF 6.63Mb 198 page).
  • Maumee RAP Recommendations for Implementation - Executive Summary
    (PDF 56Kb 17 page).
• 1990:
  • Maumee RAP Stage 1 Investigation Report (PDF 5.58Mb 196 pages) published.
  • Stage I Appendices (PDF 5.23Mb 203 page).
• 1987: Maumee RAP  organization formed.

RAP Implementation

Since the Maumee RAP launched into Stage 2 with the formation of the Maumee RAP Implementation Committee 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 activities, as well as a 10 year summary of the Activities and Accomplishments in the Maumee Area of Concern (1991-2001) are available for downloading from the Publications and Documents Section of the Maumee RAP web page.

Recent Progress and Achievements

2006

• Maumee Area of Concern Stage 2 Watershed Restoration Plan submitted for IJC approval.
• Begin Restoring Wetland Habitat in Duck Creek Watershed project in conjunction with City of Toledo SEP on Duck Creek [GLNPO $50,000, match $4442].

2005

• Released draft Maumee Area of Concern Stage 2 Watershed Restoration Plan for comment
• Report released for Phase 1 of Developing an Ecological and Human Health Risk Assessment for Duck and Otter Creeks [US EPA $50,000, match $13,939] Phase 1 compiled existing sediment and water quality data into GIS and database, identified data gaps and limitations, completed screening Human Health Risk Assessment, and drafted SAP/QAAP for Phase 2 water and sediment sampling.
• Report released on the Maumee Bay Bacteria Study that was conducted from 2003-2005 by the University of Toledo Lake Erie Center, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments (TMACOG). The three-year study was to improve our understanding of the sources of E. coli bacteria impacting Maumee Bay, their movement, and survival. The study is funded by the Ohio Water Development Authority (OWDA), the City of Oregon, and the City of Toledo; with matching funds provided by the partner agencies.
• Completed GIS Septic System Inventory for Lucas County and began a similar project for Wood County Health Dept records
• US EPA RV Mudpuppy conducted additional sampling in the Ottawa River and Sibley Creek to narrow remediation hot spots for Great Lakes Legacy Act proposal

2004

• Provided assistance to Ohio EPA in creating Delisting Targets for Ohio’s AoCs.
• Began development of Maumee AoC Stage 2 Watershed Restoration Plan.
• Submitted Great Lakes Legacy Act proposal to US EPA for Ottawa River LaGrange St. Remediation for one site costing $1.2 million to remediate (possibility of expanding the scope to five sites, $6.5 million. Made a presentation in Sept 2004 to Legacy Act Review Committee in Chicago.
• Conducted a Stream and Septic System Monitoring Study [ACE WRDA 401 $76,151, match $76,151]. Black and Vetch sampled 50 locations in the Maumee AoC for bacterial concentrations. Lucas and Wood Co Health Depts. followed up by looking at 100 home sewage systems.
• Began a GIS Septic System Inventory [LEPF $50,000, match $67,130] by conducted QA/QC on the 12,600 scanned Lucas County Health Dept septic system records for Lucas County, then indexing, scanning and validated septic system records
• The City of Toledo began planning the implementation of the $500,000 Duck Creek Wetland SEP as outlined in the US EPA Consent Order issued December 2002.

2003

• Completed the Maumee River Watershed Wetlands Protection and Enhancement Planning Project which created a new revised wetlands inventory and classification map for Lucas County portion of the Maumee AoC
• Report released for Developing a Wetlands Identification and Restoration Plan for Duck and Otter Creek Watersheds [US EPA $70,000, match $8,000] that included detailed field surveys of 4 wetland sites in Duck Creek and 5 wetlands sites in Otter Creek and includes conceptual site plans and cost for restoration of all nine sites.
• Collaborated with 16 local jurisdictions to conduct Give Water a Hand; a residential education campaign that included mailing a series of six tip cards quarterly (Jan 04-Apr 05) to every household in partnering jurisdictions throughout the region. Newspaper, television, and cinema advertisements are also used to promote the issues. Copies of the tip cards, posters, press releases, and advertisements are available for downloading on the Maumee RAP web site.

2002

• Released 10 Years of Activities & Accomplishments the Maumee Area of Concern (1991-2001).
• Hosted the International Joint Commission Science Advisory Board review of the Maumee RAP. The Maumee RAP conducted a bus tour of 3 projects in AoC and each Action Group did activity presentations. A public meeting was conducted by the Maumee RAP including presentations on RAP Partnerships and a public discussion on the Maumee RAP. RAP Staff attended the Science Advisory Board meeting to provide additional information, as requested.
• Completion of Reevaluation Study for Recreational/Navigational Dredging of the mouth of the Ottawa River by the City of Toledo in collaboration with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
• Completed a major log jam removal and streambank stabilization project at Wildwood Metropark in collaboration with U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
• Sediment survey and dam removal project at Boy Scout Camp Miakonda in collaboration with U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
   

Current Projects and Outlook

• Finalize and submit the Maumee Area of Concern Stage 2 Watershed Restoration Plan to IJC via Ohio EPA and US EPA (2006).
• Launch Give Water a Hand Business Campaign to inform businesses how they can make a difference (2006).
• Conduct dam removal and restoration projects on the middle reach of the Ottawa River (RM 10-13) (2006).
• Assist Ohio EPA in conducting TMDL studies in the Swan Creek and Maumee River HUC of the Maumee AoC (2006-2008) and in the direct Lake Erie Tributaries (2008-2010).
• Continue pursue a Great Lakes Legacy Act project for the Ottawa River (2006 - ?).
• Finish creating GIS mapping tools for Septic System Inventories and Wetland Inventories (2006-2007).
• Continue to conduct annual community events like Clean Your Streams and Student Watershed Watch.

RAP-Related Publications

The Maumee RAP has numerous reports, fact sheets, brochures, and other materials available on-line from the Maumee RAP web site. A direct link to their Publications Page is http://www.maumeerap.org/publications.html.

Community/Local RAP Group Involvement 

The Maumee RAP as an organization was created after the first public meeting in October 1987. It has grown and changed over the years, but has always been a public-private partnership working to restore the health of our area’s waterways to fishable and swimmable conditions.

The Maumee RAP involves a diverse cross-section of environmentally concerned businesses, industries, government agencies, non-profit organizations, educators, and citizens. The Maumee RAP Committee makes the official decisions for the organization and provides general program oversight. The Maumee RAP Committee has action groups (or sub-committees) that are integral to the progress of the Maumee RAP. These action groups address specific issues that affect the Maumee AoC, such as open space, wetlands, agriculture, rural, and urban concerns. There are two action groups utilizing a comprehensive watershed approach to improving Swan Creek and the Ottawa River. The Maumee RAP has focused on public outreach and education. This focus is ongoing and primarily coordinated through its own action group.

Since that initial public meeting a great deal of information has been compiled and developed concerning the Maumee AoC. The Maumee RAP continues to advocate and/or directly sponsor programs and activities to address the projects and issues throughout the Maumee AoC. These occurred from both within the RAP structure by the action groups and outside through community partners. For more information about the Maumee RAP, visit www.MaumeeRAP.org.

Partners and Stakeholders

The Maumee RAP relies on the power of partnerships. Without community partners the Maumee RAP would not succeed and the Maumee AoC would not be restored. Some of the active partners in the Maumee RAP are listed below:

Business & Industry

• BP Oil 
• DaimlerChrysler Corporation 
• Eastman & Smith Ltd. 
• General Motors Corp., NA Operations 
• Hull & Associates, Inc. 
• Perstorp Polyols, Inc. 
• Pilkington Corporation 
• TolTest, Inc. 
• Shankland's of Toledo, Inc.
• Weston Solutions 

• City of Oregon 
• City of Toledo 
• Lucas County 
• Lucas Soil & Water Conservation District 
• Ohio Department of Natural Resources 
• Ohio Environmental Protection Agency 
• Ohio Lake Erie Commission/Office 
• OSU-Extension 
• Ottawa Soil & Water Conservation District 
• TMACOG 
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District 
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• U.S. EPA, Great Lakes National Program Office
• Village of Ottawa Hills 
• Wood County 
• Wood Soil & Water Conservation District 

• Associated Yacht Clubs 
• Duck & Otter Creeks Partnership, Inc 
• Great Lakes Commission 
• International Joint Commission
• Metroparks of the Toledo Area 
• Toledo Zoo 
• Clearwater, Inc.
• Maumee Bay Bacteria Task Force
• Maumee River Basin Partnership of Local Governments
• Ottawa River Remediation Team

• Bowling Green State University 
• Toledo Public Schools 
• University of Toledo 
• Local Public and Private Schools

Maumee River AoC Contacts

U.S. EPA RAP Liaison:
David Barna
U.S. EPA Region 5 Cleveland Office
25089 Center Ridge Road (ME-W)
Westlake, OH 44145
Tel:  (440) 250-1708
Fax: (440) 250-1750
Email: barna.david@epa.gov

State RAP Contact:
Cherie A. Blair, Maumee RAP Coordinator
Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
Northwest District Office
347 North Dunbridge Road
Bowling Green, Ohio 43402
Tel:  (419) 373-3010
Fax: (419) 352-8468
Email: cherie.blair@epa.state.oh.us 

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

RAP Committee Chair:
Patrick Lawrence
Chair, Maumee RAP Committee
University of Toledo - Deparement of Geography and Planning
University Hall 4320
Toledo, OH 43606
Tel:  (419) 530-4128
Fax: (419) 530-7919
Email: plawren2@utnet.utoledo.edu