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Lower Maumee River

In 2012 and 2014, Great Lakes Legacy Act (GLLA) sediment site characterizations were conducted in the lower five (5) miles of the Maumee River (I-280 to Maumee Bay).  Findings from these earlier site characterizations informed a 2021 data gap investigation focusing on areas near the City of Toledo wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and the sway bridge.  The final Sediment Characterization Report for the 2021 site characterization was issued in August 2022. A link to this document is available below.

A Focused Feasibility Study was initiated in 2022 and will be completed in 2023.

Project Location

Sampling results indicated that Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are the main constituent of concern at the Sway Bridge Contaminated Sediment Project Area. This area is primarily on the east side of the river around the second railroad bridge when headed upstream from the mouth/Maumee Bay. Sampling results indicated that polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are the main constituent of concern at the WWTP Contaminated Sediment Project Area. This area is primarily on the west side of the river near the Toledo WWTP. The Duck Creek area is located in the same vicinity and has been listed as needing no further GLLA action.

Project Benefits:

  • Reduce or remove impairments to negatively affected aquatic fish and bug communities.
  • Improve overall environmental health and usability of this area.

Project Objectives:

  • Determine if cleanup of contaminated sediment is warranted and if so, clean up/removal of contaminated sediments.
  • Improve water quality, habitat, and biological communities.
  • Encourage economic redevelopment and reuse of the area.

Project Links:

Project Partners:

Ohio EPA and U.S. EPA are working with community partners and other federal, state, and local governmental agencies to evaluate and cleanup any contaminated sediments (as appropriate) utilizing the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) and other non-federal funding.

FUNDING

This publication was financed in part through a grant from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency with funds from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. The contents and views contained within are those of the authors and have not been subject to any Ohio EPA review and may not necessarily reflect the views of the Ohio EPA or U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and no official endorsement should be inferred.

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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.