 Grand Lake St. Marys Water
Quality Improvement Initiatives
"We are committed to improving the water quality at Grand Lake St. Marys" - ODNR Director James Zehringer
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) and Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) and partners announced a cooperative plan to help curb the nutrient loading that has contributed to declining water quality at Grand Lake St. Marys.
The plan encourages partnerships between the area residents and other private and public entities, including Mercer and Auglaize Soil and Water Conservation Districts and the Natural Resources Conservation Service, to minimize pollution sources within the watershed.
Fact Sheets:
Watershed in Distress Fact Sheet - Grand Lake St. Marys
1/28/2011
Compliance with revised Agriculture Pollution Abatement Program Rules in the distressed GLSM watershed.
(Download Fact Sheet)
Grand Lake St. Marys Action Steps
1/27/2011
Agriculture, EPA, and Natural Resources are implementing a multi-tiered plan to improve water quality at Grand Lake St. Marys.
(Go to Fact Sheet on Grand Lake St. Marys Action Steps)
Alum Treatment Pilot Project begins at Grand Lake St. Marys
9/21/2010
Alum treatment will begin Thursday, September 23 and be completed by late Friday, September 24 at demonstration areas around Grand Lake St. Marys.
(Download this 3 page Q&A fact sheet about the treatment, 172Kb PDF)
News Releases
7/18/2012 - State Agencies Launch the Ohio Clean Lakes Initiative
6/7/2012 - Officials Stock More Than 100,000 Yellow Perch in Grand Lake St. Marys
3/30/2012 - Dredging Dedication at Grand Lake St. Marys
3/12/2012 - Commitment to Grand Lake St. Marys Continues with Spring Alum Treatment
6/23/2011 - Alum Treatment Program Video
2/07/2011 - Fish Tissue Results from Grand Lake St. Marys Show No Microcystin
(Download Report Now, 23k PDF or View News Release Here)
01/18/2011 - ODNR Designates Grand Lake St. Marys Watershed Distressed
09/21/2010 - Alum Treatment Pilot Project Begins
05/21/2010 - Progress Report Update News Release from ODNR
11/16/2009 - Initial News Release from ODNR
Initiatives and Reports:
 Grand Lake St. Marys Alum Treatment Exceeds Expectations
9/28/2011
A state-sponsored alum treatment at Grand Lake St. Marys in June successfully reduced the intensity of harmful algal blooms in the lake this summer, according to a recent report by a U.S. EPA environmental consultant, Tetra Tech, Inc.
(Download report now, 127Kb PDF)
 Distressed Watershed Designation Analysis; Grand Lake St. Marys Watershed
1/2011
This report provides information related to the analysis of Grand Lake St. Marys as being a “watershed in distress” as defined in Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) 1501:15-5-20(A) Read all Sections of ORC 1501:15-5 (01-20) Animal Waste and Agricultural Pollution here.
(Download report now, 6.3 MB PDF or View News Release)
 State Actions for Water Quality Improvement at Grand Lake St. Marys
7/30/2010
Short- and long-term action plans to help restore Grand Lake St. Marys, Ohio's largest inland lake.
(Download this 8 page Action Plan now, 76Kb PDF)
Progress Report Highlights
05/20/2010
(Download this 2 page report now, 92Kb PDF)
Full Progress Report - March 2010
3/2010
(Download this 8 page report now, 220Kb PDF)
 Grand Lake St. Marys & Its Watershed: Water Quality Improvement Initiatives
09/2009
(Download this 8 page report now, 1.2Mb PDF)
Watershed Plans:
 Grand Lake St. Marys – Wabash R. Watershed Action Plan
(Download this plan now, 11.5Mb PDF)
Browse our FTP server list of endorsed watershed plans.
Visit the Ohio Watershed Program web page.
Monitoring Data
 USGS Water Quality Monitoring Buoy in Grand Lake
The provisional data recorded by this buoy is being provided as a public service by the USGS. The buoy samples water at two depths in the lake.
 NRCS Water Quality Data for Chickasaw Creek
Algae Information:
 ohioalgaeinfo.com
Clearing house web site for latest information on State agency response and strategy regarding harmful algal blooms. This site is sponsored by the Ohio Departments of Health, EPA and Natural Resources.
 Ohio EPA GLSM Algae Information
EPA Harmful Algal Bloom Advisory RSS News Feed 
 Ohio Department of Health Algae Information
Local health districts can report suspected human illnesses associated with exposure to a Harmful Algal Bloom to the Ohio Department of Health at 614-995-5599.
Reports of suspected animal illnesses can be reported to the Ohio Department of Health at 614-752-1029, select option 2.
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