The Maumee AOC Advisory Committee has been working diligently to develop a Management Action Plan (MAP) list and work continues for summer and fall of 2018. MAPs provide detailed projects, as well as a timeline for each action. On May 8th, the Maumee AOC Subcommittee on Aquatic Habitat and Species led a Management Action Identification Workshop focusing on the Ottawa River watershed and Lower Maumee River and Bay. This workshop was intended to produce a list of recommended management actions for specific impairments for funding under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative in order to make strides towards removing several Beneficial Use Impairments that have been identified under the AOC program. Speakers at the Sub-Committee workshop described the causes of impaired status in each HUC-12 and identified specific actions that would eliminate impairment status within these areas. Presenters also highlighted present Maumee AOC Advisory Committee-recommended actions and experts in attendance provided guidance on the conditions in the rivers and suggestions for new projects, types of projects, and features of projects that would best target the necessary improvements for fish & macroinvertebrate habitat. This collaborative effort is necessary to address the removal of the remaining BUIs within the Maumee AOC and develop the most effective management action plans to remove them in a timely and efficient manner.
Recently, the Toledo Lucas County Health Department held a press conference on the historic removal of the no-contact advisory from the Ottawa River. In 2011, the advisory was lifted for 17 miles of the western part of the Ottawa River. The lower 8.8 miles of the river from Stickney to Lagrange Street had remained under advisory for over 25 years due to high levels of PCBs and other contaminants until earlier this year. For many years, the Ottawa River was once considered the most polluted waterway in Ohio due to its downstream position from the area’s industrial landfills and heavy manufacturing. Building on the decision by the Ohio EPA to allow limited consumption of fish caught in the Ottawa River in 2017, this announcement proves that the dedication and collaboration of government agencies, organizations, and concerned individuals can make positive environmental impacts. Much effort has been made to cap the pollution flowing into this river, remove historic contamination, and promote its recreational and social value. Increased water recreation opportunities, enhanced aesthetics of the river, and increasing populations of birds and wildlife are all indicative of an improved river. While there is still work to be done, the progress made, in part, by the Maumee Area of Concern Advisory Committee has been vital to restoring the health of the Ottawa River and relinking the community to this water resource.
The Greater Toledo Lake Erie Clear Choices Clean Water campaign lets individuals play an active role in improving water quality in our region. The goal of this campaign is to increase community awareness of water quality issues and encourage actions that can address those issues. The interactive website allows users to take pledges in five program areas: Volunteer Service, Native Plants, Super Kids, Lawn Fertilizer, and Pet Waste. Visit the website at 
Ducks Unlimited is leading a restoration project on the property. A topographic survey and an engineering design for the property, funded by NOAA with Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funding, indicate that a complete renovation of the management infrastructure would drastically improve ODOW’s ability to manage water levels and aquatic vegetation, allow for a direct hydrological connection with the Toussaint River in two locations to restore fish access into the wetlands, and significantly reduce the maintenance burden by removing unnecessary internal levees and water control structures, converting five wetland management units to just two. Because of the expected benefits to fish and wildlife, this project has been approved by the U.S. EPA as a management action project (MAP) helping to lead to the delisting of Beneficial Use Impairment 14b (wildlife habitat) in the Area of Concern. The original cost estimate to complete this work was $3.32 million and so the decision was made to fund this project in multiple phases.The Maumee AOC Committee works toward fishable and swimmable waters in the Maumee Area of Concern and delisting the beneficial use impairments. The Committee is working towards all major restoration projects being completed by 2025, through collaboration of partners and volunteer opportunities by its facilitating organization, Partners for Clean Streams. The committee is made up of representatives from various organizations, citizens, businesses and non-government agencies to build long term solutions to the area’s water quality issues.
