WASHINGTON, D.C. – June 8, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — Ohio EPA has begun a water quality study of the St. Marys River watershed in Auglaize, Mercer, Shelby and Van Wert counties. The St. Marys River combines with the St. Joseph River to form the Maumee River in Fort Wayne, Ind.
Ohio EPA is collecting water samples, fish and macroinvertebrate species through October. The physical, biological and chemical data will help determine water quality in the streams and identify any problem areas. Ohio EPA will share its results in a report with communities in the watershed. Ohio EPA will help develop options for improving water quality in any impaired areas and work with local communities to implement solutions.
Communities in the study area include Celina, Menden, Minster, New Bremen, New Knoxville, Rockford, St. Marys and Willshire.
In addition to the St. Marys River, other streams in the study include Black Creek, Center Branch, Duck Creek, East Branch, Eightmile Creek, Hussey Creek, Kopp Creek, Prairie Creek, Sixmile Creek, Town Run, Twelvemile Creek, Twentysevenmile Creek and Yankee Run. Sampling also will be conducted in the Miami-Erie Canal, which is connected to the St. Marys River.
Ohio EPA staff typically use public access points and public rights of way to access streams, and, if needed, will ask permission to access private property. All Ohio EPA staff carry photo identification.
For more information, contact Ohio EPA’s Public Interest Center at (614) 644-2160. More information about this study is available online.
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.
Contact:
PUBLIC INTEREST CENTER, (614) 644-2160
MEDIA CONTACT: Dina Pierce
CITIZEN CONTACT: Darla Peelle
