News - Maumee AOC Area of Concern

A Sign of Improvement on the Ottawa River

In early April, the Ohio EPA announced the state’s updated guidelines for consuming fish caught from Ohio lakes, rivers, and streams. The do not eat advisories were lifted for all species in the Ottawa River and replaced with less strict recommendations. This is a sign of improved conditions in the Ottawa River. During the official announcement at the Marblehead Lighthouse State Park, Ohio EPA Director Craig Butler said, “the types of fish you find in a river are great indicators of the health of the water and the Ottawa River in Toledo represents one of Ohio’s great ongoing success stories. Through state and local cleanup efforts, and with help from federal funding through programs like the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, we are now able to remove the comprehensive do not eat fish advisory for the Ottawa River that was put in place in 1991. As we know, however, there is still more work to do to improve water quality throughout Lake Erie and Ohio River watersheds” (Ohio EPA News Release, 4/3/17).

The Ohio Department of Health advises everyone limit consumption of sport fish caught from all waterways in Ohio to one meal per week, unless there is a more or less restrictive rule. For the Ottawa River (from Sylvania to the mouth), the updated fish consumption guidelines are as follows: channel catfish, common carp, and golden shiner are all limited to one per month due to PCBs; pumpkinseed sunfish are limited to one per week due to PCBs. Lake Erie walleye are also in the one per week advice category. For more information and to download the 2017 Ohio Sport Fish Consumption Advisory, visit the Ohio EPA website or download the guide here.

Clear Choices Clean Water Website Launch

The MAAC has partnered with Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments (TMACOG), City of Toledo, Wood County, and all other members of the Stormwater Coalition to launch the Greater Toledo Lake Erie, Clear Choices Clean Water campaign and website. The campaign aims to increase awareness about everyday choices that have an impact on our streams and lakes, provide suggestions on how to make better choices while keeping our waterways in mind, and hold citizens accountable by offering a pledge system. Within the larger campaign, there are four sub-topics for citizens to learn about and they include volunteer service, native plants and gardens, lawn fertilizer, and pet poo. The campaign also features a special section for kids, providing a Clean Water Superhero’s pledge, activities, and much more. Partners for Clean Streams and the MAAC are proud supporters of this campaign as it is another avenue to engage the greater Toledo community in protecting local waterways and giving them easy, attainable actions to do so. Explore the website and take a pledge today!

MAAC Update

The Committee is searching for new restoration and improvement projects within the Maumee AOC by using the DMDS (Data Management and Delisting System). The DMDS is accessible to the public on the MAAC website. If you would like to suggest a project idea to the Committee, attend this summer’s meeting, register for an account on the DMDS and submit the project using the online form, or contact Partners for Clean Streams at (419) 874-0727 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Friendly Reminders

MAAC Meeting: The next Maumee AOC Committee Meeting will be this summer. The date, time, and location have yet to be determined. Check our Facebook page and website calendar for updates!

Save the Date: The 2017 Clean Your Streams Day is scheduled for Saturday September 23rd! Partners for Clean Streams asks you to save the date and share this information with your family, friends, and colleagues. Visit the PCS website this summer for all information regarding Clean Your Streams.

Have you liked us on Facebook yet?? You can find our page by searching MaumeeAOC or clicking this link.

Friendly Reminders

MAAC Meeting: Join the Maumee AOC Committee on February 22nd, from 2:00-3:30pm, at the Erie St. Market for the first committee meeting of the year. We are excited to discuss plans for this upcoming year and any updates on current projects. Members of the community are welcome and encouraged to participate in this discussion. Any questions about the MAAC or the committee meetings, contact Partners for Clean Streams at (419) 874-0727.

Register for the AOC Conference: The Annual AOC Conference for 2017 will be held on March 29-30th in Grand Rapids, MI. This annual meeting of the various AOC communities in the Great Lakes region is an opportunity to discuss the work being done and to connect with other like-minded organizations around the Lakes. New for this year’s conference is a poster session, where different organizations will present their recent work to colleagues in an informal manner. Wondering whether you should attend? Here is who the U.S. EPA suggests attends the Conference: representatives of local Public Advisory Councils; state agency AOC staff members; tribal agency AOC representatives; federal staff involved in the AOC program; other AOC stakeholders like consultants and academics with interest in the AOC program. Registration is due by March 24th. The conference fee is $80. For more information and to register, click here.

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.