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Lake ConditionsJanuary 25, 2012 - Update 2012 is going to be another aggressive year at Grand Lake St. Marys. Below is a list of the current projects.
January 20, 2012 - Update Discounts Offered on Camping, Shelter House and Dock Fees at Grand Lake St. Marys State Park COLUMBUS, OH- The Ohio Department of Natural Resources today announced discounted pricing for camping, shelter house rentals and dock fees at Grand Lake St. Marys State Park. The savings are available immediately and include:
"Working together with our community, legislative and regulatory partners, we have made great progress toward restoring and maintaining the natural beauty of this great park," said ODNR Director Jim Zehringer "We encourage individuals and families to explore and enjoy its many wonderful attractions." These promotional fees apply until August 30, with the exception of May 25-27 and June 30-July 8. The discounts may not be used in combinations with other promotions or offers. Previous reservations will have the discount applied at check-in. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR web site at www.ohiodnr.com.
For more information, contact: September 28, 2011 - Update 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. “I think we may have prevented a recurrence of the severe and damaging bloom of 2010 by reducing the phosphorus readily available to the cyanobacteria,” said Tetra Tech’s Dr. Harry Gibbons, author of the report. “This was like a multilayer cake and the alum prevented the frosting from being put on this year.” The report revealed that the alum treatment exceeded expectations by reducing phosphorous levels in the center of the lake by 56 percent. A 50 percent reduction was the target for the partial treatment of the middle 4,000 acres of Grand Lake St. Marys. The report also provides encouraging data for areas of the 13,000 acre lake not directly treated by alum this summer. Phosphorus levels decreased between 20 and 30 percent throughout the lake once the alum treatment was complete. “These are positive results that exceeded our expectations,” Gibbons said. The alum treatment also had a direct effect on water quality which improved recreational opportunities at Grand Lake St. Marys this year. Last year, events at the lake had to be cancelled due to poor lake water quality and toxic conditions. The State of Ohio made Grand Lake St. Marys a priority in January when directors from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) and the Ohio Department of Agriculture all visited the lake the first week of Ohio Governor John Kasich’s administration. “The previous summer’s bloom at the lake negatively impacted the regional economy of Grand Lake St. Marys,” said Ohio EPA Director Scott Nally. “Governor Kasich committed from the outset to having his cabinet work closely with the local community in developing an action plan to tackle this issue. The alum treatment was one of the tools we used and it clearly improved the water quality at the lake.” Since early spring, ODNR’s dredging efforts have resulted in the removal of 210,000 cubic yards of sediment from the lake. Additionally, the department has taken out more than 13 tons of rough fish (carp, gizzard shad and sucker fish). The dredging and rough fish removal activities will continue as long as weather conditions permit. This year a farmer-led group, Ag Solutions, started meeting in the watershed to encourage good management practices that reduce phosphorus impact. Currently more than 68 percent of the cropland in the Grand Lake St. Marys watershed is being managed under a comprehensive nutrient management plan. "Alum treatments, designated as short-term solutions, have assisted us in maintaining recreational lake activities this summer,” said Dr. Tom Knapke, Grand Lake St. Marys Restoration Commission. “The commission's goal is to eliminate the need for future water advisories and restore the current and future health of Grand Lake. Additional feedback is now being generated that will continue to guide our approach and remediation activities for 2012." Tetra Tech is a consultant hired by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the State of Ohio. The company provides consulting, engineering and technical services for water and other environmental resources. For more information, contact: Chris Abbruzzese, Andy Ware, August 31, 2011 - Update Good Afternoon Everyone, WOW what a GREAT weekend of hydroplane racing. Thanks to the Governor's Cup Regatta Committee for putting together such a great event. If you got out to the Regatta you hopefully stopped in the Lake Restoration Commission tent which had many of the vendors we have, are or possibly are going to work with along with the Ag Solutions group. As for dredging all 3 dredges are operating well with very little down time.
Well we did what some say couldn't be done - all lake events were had with great success in 2011. Were some of the events attended as well as we would of liked? No but we all know it will take time to get visitors back to our area. It is impressive when you look back to where we were just a year ago. August 5, 2011 - Update Good Morning Everyone, Sorry I have not gotten anything out to you for sometime but my new position has been keeping me busy. I wanted to pass along some positive news and hope you help in spreading the word.
Grand Lake - West Beach 8/1/11 12:00 AM Microcystins 2.4 ug/L Grand Lake - Campers Beach 8/1/11 12:00 AM Microcystins 4.3 ug/L Grand Lake - Windemere Bay 8/2/11 8:00 AM Microcystins 1.4 ug/L Grand Lake - Celina WTP Intake IN21720-RS001 8/2/11 9:00 AM& Microcystins 8.3 ug/L Grand Lake - USGS B-4 8/2/11 9:45 AM Microcystins 11.1 ug/L Grand Lake - USGS B-2 8/2/11 10:30 AM Microcystins 12 ug/L Grand Lake - USGS B-3 8/2/11 11:20 AM Microcystins 9.3 ug/L Grand Lake - USGS B-3A 8/2/11 11:38 AM Microcystins 11.4 ug/L Grand Lake - USGS B-1 8/2/11 12:15 AM Microcystins 11.9 ug/L Grand Lake - USGS B-6 8/2/11 1:33 PM Microcystins 7.3 ug/L Grand Lake - USGS B-5 8/2/11 2:17 PM Microcystins 9.9 ug/L Have a GREAT weekend!! Brian C. Miller, CPM Park Manager Grand Lake St. Marys State Park May 23, 2011 - Update Good Evening Everyone, Well I know a lot of you have not heard from me in some time which is typically a good thing. I know a lot of questions are coming up with the latest advisory posting yesterday. This advisory was posted at the State beaches and reads - "Public Health Advisory - A harmful algal bloom or algal toxin has been detected at this location. Swimming and wading are not recommended, water should not be swallowed and surface scum should be avoided." Keep in mind that boating and fishing are not impacted by this advisory. The lake is currently experiencing a planktothrix algae bloom (similar to 2009) which is a known microcystin toxin producer. As I told many today this is not an issue that we can not just "flip the switch on". Respectfully LIA President: Grand Lake St. Marys Algal Bloom No Cause For Panic(GRAND LAKE ST. MARYS, OH) - The algal bloom reported May 19 on Grand Lake St. Marys is no cause for panic, says Lake Improvement Association President Tim Lovett. Recent heavy rains coupled with the fact that the first major action to clean the lake water won't be initiated until June 1 means the biomass load and resulting algal bloom were expected. May 7, 2011 - Update Good Afternoon All, Just a quick update of all of the positive steps for the lake.
April 21, 2011 - Update Good Morning Everyone, Get your dough ball recipes ready for the "Get the carp outta here" tournament (click here for more info). Please help spread this word about this event!! Just a few other updates below.
Annual Lake Cleanup Day is April 30, 9:00 am until noon. We really would like to get everyone out to help clean up the entire lake shoreline. (see March 27th Post) April 6, 2011 - Update Good Morning Everyone, Just thought I would send a quick update as to what is going on here at the lake.
One dredge began operating yesterday, a second is being set up today to start operating tomorrow and the third will begin as soon as the West Bank DMRA is completed which should be within the next couple weeks. March 31, 2011 - Dredging Progress Good Morning Everyone, Well if you were wondering why it snowed yesterday I can tell you why. It was because we pushed one dredge in the water yesterday and pushed another out to it's first job site and hooked it up (see attached pics). We will have 2 dredges pumping sediment out of the lake next week and the 3rd soon after. I also attached a copy of the Annual Lake Cleanup Day news release. Please help get your family & friends involved to help with the shoreline cleanup!!
March 27, 2011 - Annual Lake Clean Up Day BIGGER & BETTER at Grand Lake St. Marys State Park Grand Lake St. Marys State Park in conjunction with the Lake Improvement Association and the Grand Lake Wabash Watershed Alliance will be once again hosting the Annual Lake Cleanup Day, Saturday April 30 from 9 until Noon. This year’s event will be EXPANDED to include inaccessible shoreline cleanup. Residents are being asked to get a team together and use their fishing or hunting boats to assist with the cleanup. It has been recognized that the past flood event delivered a lot of debris into the lake. The shoreline cleanup also may require hip boots or waders as well as some type of long handle equipment to reach back into the vegetation. A short organization meeting will be held April 29 – 6:00 pm at the Franklin Township Building (Montezuma Firehouse), 6805 St Rt 219. As in the past clean up gloves and bags will be provided at the East Bank Launch Ramp, Windy Point Launch Ramp and West Bank Launch (note the two location changes). We ask that the collected debris be brought to these locations. Any large quantities that can not be mobilized to these locations shall be taken to another boat ramp if at all possible so that the State Park can access it with equipment. We ask that the State Park office then be contacted so pickup can be arranged. Anyone want to get started sooner may gladly do so. We just ask that you contact the State Park office to advise what area has been completed and make arrangements for debris pickup if needed. For more information, contact March 25, 2011 - GLSM Prelim FNSI & Envir Assmt Attached On March 25, 2011, Ohio EPA, Division of Environmental and Financial Assistance (DEFA) will make available for public review an environmental assessment of the Grand Lake St. Marys Alum Treatment Project. The document is available on-line at http://www.epa.state.oh.us/Default.aspx?tabid=2202 (on the Water Pollution Control Loan Fund (WPCLF) list). If you would like to receive a paper copy of the document, please contact Joe Jellick at (614) 644-3667. Finding of No Significant Impact February 24, 2011 - Discounts Offered on Private Dock Fees at Grand Lake St. Marys State Park COLUMBUS, OH– Private dock fees will be discounted at Grand Lake St. Marys State Park in 2011, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Private docks fees at Grand Lake St. Marys State Park will be discounted by 50 percent this year due to last year’s water quality impact on recreational boating and the unknown impact for the coming season. Dock invoices will be mailed in the next several weeks and fees are due no later than May 1. Invoices paid after this time will include a late fee. Discounting private dock fees follows a series of other reduced fees for services at the state park. Seasonal state dock fees will also be discounted at 50 percent. Other Grand Lake St. Marys State Park discounts include:
Camping, shelter house and Getaway Rental fee discounts apply from Feb. 1 until Sept. 1, 2011. The camping and Getaway Rental discounts do not apply on May 27-29 and July 1-4 holiday weekends. No other discounts including Golden Buckeye will apply to this special discount. Customers who have already made reservations will have the discount applied when they check-in. The discounts are available only at Grand Lake St. Marys State Park. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR Web site at ohiodnr.com. February 23, 2011 -State Agencies Announce Public Meeting for Grand Lake St. Marys Treatment Project Ohio EPA, Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) and Ohio Department of Agriculture are announcing that a meeting will be held in Celina on March 21, 2011, to provide information about the Grand Lake St. Marys large-scale alum treatment project. The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. at James F. Dicke Hall at Wright State University -Lake Campus. ODNR is applying to Ohio EPA’s Water Pollution Control Loan Fund for project financing of up to $5 million. The meeting and public participation are one part of the loan fund’s application process. Agency staff will be on hand to outline the scope of the treatment project and present current cost estimates. A brief question and answer session will follow the presentation. Public inquiries prior to the meeting should be directed to Ohio EPA Public Involvement Coordinator Darla Peelle. She can be reached via e-mail at darla.peelle@epa.ohio.gov or by calling (614) 644-2160. February 7, 2011 - Grand Lake St. Marys Fish Tissue Study Yields Good Results The “do not eat” fish consumption advisory for Grand Lake St. Marys has been removed after an analysis showed no microcystin in fish filets from samples collected in the lake last fall. The current results are for fish collected by Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) personnel in October 2010. Twenty-three tissue samples from four species, largemouth bass, bluegill, black crappie and channel catfish, were collected and sent to a lab for analysis. Plans are to collect and analyze more fish from Grand Lake St. Marys or other state park lakes with blue-green algae blooms to give state officials a complete picture of toxin levels in fish tissue as microcystin levels fluctuate during the year. The “do not eat” advisory was a precaution until actual fish-tissue data was available. Ohio EPA partners with the Ohio Department of Health and ODNR to develop consumption advisories for fish caught in Ohio. Ohio EPA, ODNR and the Ohio Department of Agriculture continue to work together to implement components of the state action plan to restore the lake. February 1, 2011 - ODNR to offer deep discounts at Grand Lake St. Marys during 2011 season COLUMBUS, OH—Camping, getaways, shelter house rentals and state dock fees will be discounted at 50 percent during the 2011 season at Grand Lake St. Marys State Park, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). “ODNR will continue its unprecedented move to offer its visitors deep discounts for overnight and facility fees at Grand Lake St. Marys State Park this season,” said Ohio State Parks Chief David Payne. “State park visitors bring critical tourism dollars to local businesses and communities across Ohio; it is vital that we remain innovative in our ways to attract more visitors to Grand Lake St. Marys.” The discounts, which begin immediately include:
Camping, shelter house and Getaway rental fee discounts apply from February 1 to September 1, 2011; existing reservations will have the discount applied at check-in. The camping and Getaway rental discounts do not apply on Memorial Day (May 27-29) or July 4th (July 1-4) holiday weekends. Reservations may be made by calling toll-free (866) OHIOPARKS (644-6727) or on-line at www.ohiostateparks.org. When making a reservation, please select the “Grand Lake Special” from the drop-down menu for discounts. No other discounts will apply to this special discount, which is being offered exclusively at Grand Lake St. Marys State Park. Grand Lake St. Marys State Park offers a variety of overnight and day-use activities including: 176 electric campsites and 28 non-electric sites; full service camp store; bike rentals; miniature golf; basketball and volleyball courts; playground equipment; dog park; and free WiFi. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR Web site at ohiodnr.com. January 27, 2011 - View the Grand Lake St. Marys Action Steps F.A.Q. Kasich, Agency Directors Announce Initial Efforts To Restore Grand Lake St. Marys COLUMBUS, OH—Today Governor John R. Kasich and the directors of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA), the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) announced initial actions to address long-standing water quality problems at Grand Lake St. Marys in western Ohio. Those initial actions will include:
In response to Kasich’s charge to the directors to move quickly to try to resolve long-standing issues with the lake, these actions were developed following meetings held with the Grand Lake St. Marys Restoration Commission members during the three directors’ first week in office. Responses from local leaders include: "Our commission members are pleased with the integrity of response we have received from Governor Kasich regarding the critical issues facing Grand Lake St. Marys,” said Dr. Tom Knapke, facilitator of the Grand Lake St. Marys Restoration Commission. “He and his team have recognized the sense of urgency, have listened to our concerns and asked for suggestions and feedback. We are enthusiastic about their willingness to allocate money and resources for lake-wide solutions.” State Representative Jim Buchy (R-77) of Greenville, expressed his appreciation and enthusiasm for the commitment of Governor Kasich and his cabinet: “Clearly, Governor Kasich is taking action to address the concerns of the Grand Lake St. Marys community. Never in my 18 years as a legislator have I seen three directors work so closely together, pooling their resources and collaborating with the locals on an issue as diverse and challenging as the one facing us now,” said Buchy. “It’s an impressive response to a serious situation that needs a solution, not only for the residents of this area, but for all Ohioans.” State Senator Keith Faber (R-12) of Celina, also praised the quick action the Kasich administration is taking at Grand Lake St. Marys: “During the campaign Governor Kasich committed to making Grand Lake St. Marys a priority. During his first week in office he had his key directors starting to work on fixing Grand Lake. These actions represent real first steps in this direction. I look forward to continuing to work with the Governor and his key staff to fix Grand Lake.” December 30, 2010 - Grand Lake St. Marys alum treatment test fails, reports state - By Steve Bennish, Staff Writer - COLUMBUS — A pilot project in which alum was spread on the water to see how effective it would be to reduce harmful cyanobacteria in Grand Lake St. Marys has failed, a report released by the state Thursday said. Tetra Tech, the private company that performed the demonstration project, used alum in September to treat the lake in two channels and at a marina. The treatment indicated less-than-desired improvements in two of the areas and no improvement in the third. The company recommended that another demonstration project be undertaken in the spring... Click Here to read the entire article.
But we did receive a xmas present today!! The 3rd dredge which in named the "Eagle" arrived today (see attached pic). This is a ODNR Statewide traveling dredge that will be working on our lake for an unspecified timeframe. This dredge is comparable to our largest dredge. On another positive note a contract has been executed with "Freedom Outdoors" to operate the state marina facility, formerly the East Bank Marina. They are working hard to get opened soon after the 1st of the year. If you know of anyone with equipment operation experience that is looking for employment we will be posting a "seasonal" dredge operators position December 27 of which details can be found online at ohio.gov. I am very much looking forward to working with all of you to revitalize our lake and surrounding communities in the New Year!! November 17, 2010 - Good Morning Everyone, I thought I owed you all an update as I have not sent any updates lately The alum and silica pilot projects have wrapped up and the curtains are being pulled over the next several days. We should have the results sometime this winter. If you have not heard fish (catfish, crappie, bluegill) were collected in October and have been sent off for testing. See this link http://www.epa.ohio.gov/portals/47/nr/2010/november/GLSMfishtissuestudy.pdf for more information. See this link http://www.epa.state.oh.us/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=-DIKPfHsdn4%3d&tabid=4212 for answers to the questions asked at the September Community update meeting. We will be removing the Airy Gators for the winter within the next week or so. We have to pull them as ice would build up under the shroud and break the disc. St. Marys Township Trustees received a grant to help off set the cost of the Barnes Creek Sediment Collector and have signed a contract. The goal is to have it installed before the end of the year. The finishing touches are being put into the other two collectors at the Big Chickasaw and Beaver Creeks so that they can be in full operation this winter. The GLSM Restoration is working diligently to develop a plan for the lake. October 29, 2010 - Good Evening Everyone, See attached for some GREAT news!!! We all wish the advisory could have been lifted earlier but now is better than later. Also for your information the Ohio Division of Wildlife collected channel catfish, bass, crappie and bluegill this week for toxin sampling. These fish will be used to do tissue sampling to determine at what level if any that the microcystin toxins are in the fillets. This will be part of a years continuous sampling. We hope to have the results back from this first round of sampling this winter so the fish consumption advisory can be addressed before the spring fishing season. Click here to view the report. October 21, 2010 - Grand Lake businesses eligible for federal aid after toxic algae problem. The U.S. Small Business Administration has declared a disaster in Auglaize, Mercer and other counties impacted by a toxic algae bloom at Grand Lake St. Marys, and it will make assistance available, it was announced today. Funds from the SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program will be available to small businesses, agricultural cooperatives and most private non-profit organizations in selected counties, according to a release from Gov. Ted Strickland, who requested the SBA assistance Oct. 15. The assistance will be available to organizations in Auglaize, Mercer, Allen, Darke, Hardin, Logan and Shelby counties. (Read the Full Article) October 18, 2010 - Good Morning Everyone, I know you have not heard from me in awhile and I am sorry for that. To start off with the GLSM Restoration Commission will be updating the community this Wednesday evening about all that is going on (see below). Toxin level remain to be tested and are coming back at low levels. The Alum and Silica pilot projects continue to be monitored for the 60 day trial period. The State is currently researching into funding to do fish tissue sampling so that we will know if the fish are safe to consume. The hope is to start collecting fish yet this month for the first round of testing. LOCAL LAKE RESTORATION COMMISSION WELCOMES YOU!! September 27, 2010 - Good Morning Everyone, As most of you know by now alum was applied to several sites last Thursday and Friday. On Thursday alum was applied in several of the "Harmon's" area channels. Yes there was some fish mortality but the majority was gizzard shad. This mortality was due to a drop in dissolved oxygen (d.o.) as we started with low d.o. We did have some game fish stress but did not die off. The Alum applicator boat did move to Otterbein "west" but was not able to apply due to water depths so the boat was moved to the West Bank harbor. On Friday morning alum was applied to the West Bank harbor with no issues. The applicator boat was then moved to Otterbein "east" Friday afternoon and applied alum to the area channels. Once again we experienced fish mortality with gizzard shad. No alum was applied at Harbor Point, West Beach or Otterbein "west" due to logistics. The OEPA will monitor these sites now throughout the rest of this month as well as the month of October. We will advise as soon as we hear how the alum does binding up the phosphorus. On another note the water quality advisory signs are being changed today or tomorrow to read - "Toxins produced by blue green algae remain detectable at low levels in the water of this lake. People and pets are advised to minimize contact with and avoid ingestion of the lake water." Also duck blind permits were issued late last week. September 22, 2010 - Good Afternoon Everyone, The Alum application boat arrived this afternoon (see attached pics). The pilot project will start tomorrow morning at Harmon's and then move to Otterbein. Harbor Point will be dosed early Friday morning and then move to the West Bank harbor mid Friday morning. I would ask that if you visit any of these areas to be considerate of the semi tankers and work crews.
September 10, 2010 - Good Afternoon Everyone, Below are this weeks test results. Just a reminder that the alum dosing pilot project will begin next week with curtain installation. The areas impacted will be Otterbein (both east and west), Harmons, West Bank Harbor (launch ramp), Harbor Point and the State Park West Beach. There will be no boat access to these areas during the project. The actual alum is tentatively scheduled to be applied to these areas September 20. Also next week both dredges will commence operations again. One will be in Beaver (Montezuma) Creek and the other will be in the Northwood area. So be aware of the dredge pipe in these areas. East Beach Camp Beach West Beach September 3, 2010 - Good Friday Evening Everyone, Just a quick update before this GREAT Labor Day weekend. This weeks microcystin toxin results were some of the lowest we have seen in some time with results ranging from 1.5 to 7.5. The issue we are still faced with is the "anatoxin a" which also was the lowest we have seen in some time ranging from 0.1 to 0.3. That being said the advisory will stay the same for the weekend - "NOTICE - An algae bloom has made this area potentially unsafe for water contact. Avoid direct contact with the water." August 26, 2010 - Advisory Downgraded. Click here to view the news release. Removing your boat from HAB-contaminated water:
August 24th 2010 Water quality update. Click here to view the news release. August 24th 2010 Community Meeting September 7th. Click Here for Details August 11th 2010 ODNR to refund 2010 season dock fees at Grand Lake St. Marys Agency to offer deep discounts for camping and shelter rentals through end of yearCOLUMBUS, OH—In an effort to off-set lost revenues of local businesses and individuals, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) is returning all 2010 dock rental fees and offering deep discounts on camping and shelter house rentals at Grand Lake St. Marys State Park. “Discounting ODNR services may be unprecedented, but the problem at Grand Lake St Marys is also unprecedented. It calls on all of us to make the changes we can to help solve the problem and minimize any damage being done," said ODNR Director Sean Logan. "Every dollar spent at the state park by each visitor brings benefits that reach far beyond our own marinas and other facilities. We are, and will remain, a part of this community. We are taking the steps we can to attract visitors, and these camping and shelter house discounts are one way to help." There are a total of 2,238 private docks and 119 state docks at Grand Lake St. Marys. Within the next 30 days, ODNR will refund all rental fees paid to Ohio State Parks by state and private dock holders during the 2010 season. Refunds will be made by check or credit card, depending on how dock holders paid their fees. Dock holders do not need to take any action to receive the refunds, as ODNR will automatically issue them. Refunds will not impact future rental seasons. Beginning August 12, campsite fees and shelter house rentals at Grand Lake St. Marys State Park will be discounted by 50 percent. These deep discounts will be offered until December 31, 2010. For existing reservations, discounts will be applied at the time of arrival. Reservations may be made by calling toll-free (866) OHIOPARKS (644-6727) or on-line at www.ohiostateparks.org. When making a reservation, please select the “Grand Lake Special” from the drop-down menu for discounts. No other discounts will apply to this special discount, which is being offered exclusively at Grand Lake St. Marys State Park. Grand Lake St. Marys State Park offers a variety of overnight and day-use activities including: 176 electric campsites and 28 non-electric sites; full service camp store; bike rentals; miniature golf; basketball and volleyball courts; playground equipment; dog park; and free WiFi. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR Web site at www.ohiodnr.com. August 3rd 2010 - Pictures of St. Mary's Lake July 31st 2010 Commentary: To help Grand Lake, farmers should be forced to complyBy Jim Morris, Staff Writer ST. MARYS — Plenty of people are spending great amounts of time and effort to improve the horrible conditions at Grand Lake St. Marys. It’s not like people are sitting around, wringing their hands, crying ‘woe is me.’ But right now, it’s not any better. And it’s not getting better. For years — maybe 20 or more — people talked about the polluted conditions of Grand Lake St. Marys. But nobody did anything but talk. Everyone knew what the problem was then and continues to be now — runoff from farm fields in the watershed filling the lake with nutrients. So the question is not: “What caused this?” The question is: “What must be done?” Government officials — from the governor and his staff, federal officials and state representatives down to the local level — want to believe farmers will do what is right. Farmers have been asked for years to use better methods that will prevent nutrient runoff. The government has offered cash incentives, but obviously throwing money at the lake doesn’t make it less polluted. “There are just some of them who aren’t good neighbors,” said Dan Manning, who this year was forced to close East Bank Marina and sell boats out of his bait and tackle store, the Outdoorsman. Some of the well-meaning government officials met with farmers early in July, urging them to adopt and use Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans. “If we can get 100 percent of the farmers in the watershed to adopt CNMPs, we will take a large step toward solving the lake’s problems,” said State Rep. Jim Zehringer, whose district includes Mercer County, part of which is in the Grand Lake watershed. Only about 25 percent of the farmers in the watershed have CNMPs, which means about 75 percent do not. Reaching these “neighbors” and getting them to change their ways of farming hasn’t worked. Even throwing money at them hasn’t had an effect. What makes the governor and his men believe it will work now? Tracing pollution back from the lake to its source is an almost impossible task. And the farmers know it. But if we had laws that dictated the adopting and implementing of CNMPs, it might be a different story. Instead of coming up with more money to offer farmers to convert land to filter strips, etc., the government should be working toward mandatory CNMPs. Sad to say, it would be something like: “For years, we have asked you to do your part to help stop pollution at Grand Lake. You didn’t lift a finger ... so now we are telling you.” I think that is the only way. Grand Lake St. Marys, Ohio’s largest inland lake — a place that should be one of the state’s greatest assets — an inland playground if you will, lies deserted. Boaters, swimmers, skiers and anglers have all been advised to stay off the lake. Brian Miller, assistant Grand Lake St. Marys State Park manager, said he has never seen anything like the current problems with toxic blue-green algae. “I never thought it could be this bad,” Miller said. “There have been some days when you look out at the lake and think you could walk over it in snowshoes.”
July 30th 2010 Governor Strickland held a press conference. Click here to view the plan that was presented. July 29th 2010: Man ill from toxin in lakeDoctor links sickness to contact with algae-covered petBy Shelley Grieshop
Danny Jenkins, who resides in Highland Park just three houses from the lake's north shore, is reportedly the first person to become seriously ill after exposure to a blue-green algae that first appeared in the lake in June. His symptoms began about two weeks ago after bathing his 12-year-old black Labrador retriever, Casey, who had been swimming in the lake and emerged covered with the algae scum. Jenkins spent three days in the hospital and returned home Sunday. Casey - a favorite pet of many in the close-knit neighborhood - greeted him but Jenkins knew something was wrong with the dog. "He came up to me and laid his head on my lap. I could tell he wasn't doing well," he said. The family brought the dog to a veterinary clinic that day; he died less than three hours later. Officials opted not to autopsy the animal's remains after it was buried. Jenkins' wife, Laura, and their three children have not had any symptoms. As for Jenkins, he continues to undergo medical tests. Dr. Wilfred Ellis, an infectious disease specialist serving hospitals in Coldwater and St. Marys, told The Daily Standard he is certain the patient's illness is linked to the toxic algae. "There is no question in my mind. My report will indicate it's related to the toxin," Ellis said. Jenkins said he feels good one minute and lousy the next. He has blurred vision in his left eye; his left arm goes numb, feels heavy and is tingly most of the time, he said. The symptoms extend down his left hip to his buttocks area. "At first I thought I was having a heart attack or a stroke," Jenkins said, adding he's also experienced diarrhea, vomiting and bouts of memory loss. An athletic guy, he had no prior health problems, he said. Unfortunately, he's been told the neurological damage he's suffered may be irreversible. There is no cure; treatment involves physical therapy and rehabilitation, his doctor said. Ellis hasn't identified the specific type of algae causing Jenkins' illness, but the epidemeology appears to be consistent with algae toxin, he said. "The neurological injury is secondary to the toxigenic affects of the algae," Ellis said. The toxin identified in the lake this summer can cause liver and nerve damage and lead to permanent disability, he added. Ellis described the unique case as "long-term," adding "I don't know how it will end." Officials at Joint Township District Memorial Hospital in St. Marys notified Ellis last week when Jenkins was admitted. Doctors initially suspected West Nile disease. However, mosquito monitoring in the area ruled out that suspicion, Ellis said. "We had to identify some sort of vector ... the vector was the dog," he said. Ellis sternly advised the public to heed the EPA advisories as well as the warnings from the local and state health departments: Do not swim, jump in or in any way splash lake water onto yourself because the toxins can be absorbed into the skin; do not consume any fish caught in the lake; and do not go boating in it. The Ohio Department of Health, which also is monitoring Jenkins' condition, has received approximately 20 calls in recent weeks from people suffering from headaches, rashes and other minor illnesses after contact with the lake water, according to spokeswoman Jen House. Jenkins sat on his porch Wednesday afternoon and looked at the pile of large rocks surrounding his mailbox. Over the years, Casey had retrieved each of them after neighborhood children threw them into the lake from a nearby pier, he said. "The kids also used to put sticks in his mouth and hold onto them as he'd lead them through the water out to the pier. Heck, every day he'd follow those kids to the school bus. He knew everybody and they knew him," he said. "I can't replace that dog." He rubbed his hand across a sea of needle marks on his arm where blood has been drawn for various medical tests. Quietly, he reminisced about growing up just two houses away from his current home. He proudly dubbed himself a "lake rat." It's been a tough summer. His mother, Joanne Jenkins, who lived next door, passed away three weeks ago at the age of 67. His grandmother also died recently and now his own health is in jeopardy. He's missed several weeks of work at his job at Parker-Hannifin in St. Marys and isn't sure when he'll be able to return, he said. The frustration was evident in his voice. "They've got to do something about this lake," he said. "They've got to quit pointing fingers at each other and do something." No toxins in Celina drinking water: Celina's treated drinking water is tested weekly and remains free of algae toxins, information from the Ohio EPA shows. The city's sole source of drinking water is Grand Lake, which has been in the spotlight for months due to excessive blue-green algae blooms. Two types of algae are causing nerve and liver toxins in the water, and the state has issued an advisory warning people to not go in the lake, even in watercraft, and to not eat the fish. Mike Sudman, superintendent of the Celina Water Treatment Plant, said if Celina's water contained toxins, there would be a major public notification via television and newspaper. "We have a very complicated treatment process that is handling the toxins as they enter the water plant and we sample once a week to verify that this is happening," he said. "It's good as it leaves the plant." For information on algal toxins' danger to pets and livestock, go to www.epa.ohio.gov/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=UFRe5bxCasU=&tabid=4659. For updated algae toxin levels from Grand Lake, go to http://www.epa.ohio.gov/pic/glsm_algae.aspx. The most up to date results should be posted Friday. Governor's Cup Regatta pending: Celina Governor's Cup Regatta co-chair Alan Baskett says he is "playing the waiting game" in a decision whether or not to put on two days of hydroplane racing Aug. 28 and 29 on Grand Lake. Baskett also said the racing committee is waiting to hear from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources in Columbus on whether they plan to support the event and provide employees to help as in past years. "We depend on them heavily for security in the racing course, and they have not made that commitment yet," he said. According to Baskett, racing sponsors have stepped up and want to see the event go on as usual. July 29th 2010: Test wetland project could help Grand Lake St. MarysMan-made marshes may help filter and treat polluted water.By Steve Bennish, Staff Writer CELINA, Mercer County — Engineering man-made wetlands along small creeks could help heal the waters at Grand Lake St. Marys, state officials say. If a demonstration project scheduled to begin on Prairie Creek this fall is successful, it could prove a way forward to restoring the health of the 13,500-acre lake where a tourism industry worth up to $200 million annually is being crushed by a cyanobacteria outbreak. Wetlands are nature’s kidneys for their ability to filter and naturally treat polluted waters. The idea is to recreate wetlands and restore a more natural, slower water flow where creeks on the south shore feed Grand Lake. The creeks — Prairie, Beaver, Coldwater, Chickasaw and Little Chickasaw — drain a watershed with the state’s highest livestock concentration. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has endorsed $500,000 in federal grant funds to build anew or restore 18 acres of wetlands and create an acre each of native mussel reef and floating wetlands, as well as other features on Prairie Creek, one of the smaller feeders. Local funds will pay another $375,000. The money is available now, but local officials including the Mercer County commissioners are now signing off on receiving it, said OEPA spokeswoman Heather Lauer. Wetlands are proven pollution fighters. They’re in West Palm Beach, Fla., Phoenix; and Columbia, Mo., among other places, to give sewage extra purification. The Prairie Creek test should reduce annual nitrogen flow by a ton, phosphorous by a third of a ton and sediments by 287 tons annually. It might not sound huge, but added to other measures, it could help. Laura Walker, Watershed Coordinator for the Grand Lake-Wabash Watershed Alliance, said that scaling up the tactic would put new wetlands from 50 to 100 acres on the other creeks where they enter the lake. “This is a piece of the puzzle,” she said. “There are many small pieces. This at least is a corner piece or a couple of the little pieces.” The puzzle itself is a lake hand-dug in the 19th century as a reservoir to power the Miami-Erie Canal. It has multiple challenges that could take 10 to 20 years to fix. OEPA’s analysis indicates that rich nutrient deposits from farm runoff over many years are lodged in lake sediments that are stirred by wind and power boats. The stirring resuspends nutrients in the water, making it available to fuel cyanobacteria blooms. When the bacteria dies, it throws off liver and neural toxins. The lake’s shallowness and slow moving water give bacteria access to lots of sunlight. Water moves through the lake slowly, the lake recharging every 18 months — giving the bacteria chances to thrive. Potential solutions include dredging the lake, treating sediments with alum and building islands in the lake with an average depth of 7 to 8 feet. The islands would moderate wind action. Wetlands expert John Mack, a former OEPA scientist now with the Cleveland MetroParks, sees Grand Lake as a smaller version of the Gulf of Mexico’s annual dead zone of oxygen depleted waters caused by the continent’s heavy farm runoff. Estimates suggest it would take wetlands of up to 10 percent of Grand Lake’s size to purify its waters, Mack said. “The key thing is to put wetlands between the nutrient load and the lake,” he said. “I would call them working wetlands.” Specially selected plants and soils would process nitrogen and phosphorous as cattails pump water from the soil and into the atmosphere — millions of gallons in a year. “It’s a complicated environmental engineering and ecology problem,” he said. “You’d want to build wetlands, enough and in the right places, so runoff from human activity was being intercepted well before hitting the open water of a shallow reservoir.” July 22nd 2010: Ohio EPA has received the latest lab reports for toxins produced by the blue-green algae species at Grand Lake St. Marys. The latest Microcycstin levels are lower than the previous sampling round, but some samples remain higher than the 20 ppb considered by the World Health Organization to be safe. In addition, anatoxin-a levels are at their highest since testing began. Anatoxin-a is a neurotoxin. Because of high levels of anatoxin-a, Ohio EPA, Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources and Ohio Dept. of Health are maintaining the advisory level at the lake to ensure public health. Microcystin levels fluctuate. At this time, the state recommends people do not contact the water, do not allow pets to contact the water and do not take boats onto the lake. Additionally, Ohio EPA still urges people not to eat fish caught in Grand Lake St. Marys. Water samples were taken by the U.S. Geological Survey on behalf of Ohio EPA at the three state park beaches, East Beach, West Beach and Campground Beach, on Monday, July 19. The Celina Water Department analyzed the water for microcystin. Green Water Labs in Florida analyzed the water for the three toxins produced by Aphanizomenon, one of the blue-green algae species present in Grand Lake St. Marys. Links below explain the results for anatoxin, saxitoxin and cylindrospermopsin. It is important to continue noting that Celina’s treated drinking water is tested regularly and remains free of algal toxins. For additional information, go to www.epa.ohio.gov/pic/glsm_algae.aspx. For information on algal toxins’ danger to pets and livestock, go to www.epa.ohio.gov/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=UFRe5bxCasU=&tabid=4659. July 20th 2010:
Grand Lake St. Marys Receives $1 Million from USDA to Improve Water Quality Lewis Center, Ohio – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown today announced the availability of $1 million for producers in the Grand Lake St. Marys Watershed to apply conservation measures that will benefit water quality in Grand Lake St. Marys. The funding will be provided to agricultural producers through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) administered by the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). “Grand Lake St. Marys is a key to the economic engine of this region. We are committed to Grand Lake St. Marys’ recovery so tourists can return which will provide a big boost to area businesses,” Strickland said. “I’m thankful for Secretary Vilsack’s leadership and for his quick response to our requests for assistance in restoring the lake. I also want to thank Senator Brown for his persistent efforts to secure these cleanup funds and ensuring the lake is a priority of the federal government.” In the past two years, $2.5 million has been allocated through EQIP for producers in the watershed to implement conservation measures that reduce soil erosion and the amount of nutrients potentially entering waterways. Governor Strickland and Senator Brown have fought to secure funding for three years to improve the water quality at Grand Lake St. Marys, which encompasses 59,160 acres across Mercer and Auglaize counties. Not only is it a popular recreational lake, but Grand Lake St. Marys serves as a community drinking water resource. “The health of Grand Lake St. Marys is at risk and today’s announcement of cleanup funds is welcome news for western Ohio. These new federal dollars will build upon our long-term strategy of reducing runoff and improving the water quality,” Brown said. “Hundreds of thousands of Ohioans rely upon Grand Lake St Marys for recreation, for drinking water, and for their jobs—its cleanup is a priority and I will continue to work with Secretary Vilsack and Governor Strickland until the job is done.” “Our nation’s prosperity – and particularly the prosperity of our rural communities – is closely linked to the health of our lands and natural resources,” said Vilsack. “The conservation measures supported by the funding announced today, including filter strips, manure management, and cover crops, will help sediment and nutrients stay on the land, improving water and soil quality for communities throughout the area.” On July 2, Governor Strickland sent a letter to U.S. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson and Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack requesting economic and environmental assistance for the Grand Lake St. Marys area. This special EQIP sign-up will focus on providing winter cover on agricultural land receiving manure in the fall of 2010 and also for land with low crop residue to reduce soil erosion. The NRCS field offices in Mercer and Auglaize Counties will be taking applications immediately and continue taking applications until the funding is exhausted. In addition to the EQIP funds for producers, a second monitoring station will be placed in the watershed. Data collected from the two stations in the watershed will provide benchmark data and track long-term improvements resulting from the improved conservation measures being implemented by producers. July 17th 2010: St. Marys residents want their lake backLocals blame developers, state inattention By Thomas Gnau, Staff WriterUpdated 6:58 PM Saturday, July 17, 2010 ST. MARYS — Up here, residents once referred to Grand Lake St. Marys as “Ohio’s other great lake.” These days, though, in the wake of Ohio Environmental Protection Agency warnings that elevated bacteria levels make the lake unfit for fishing, boating or any human contact, the locals don’t sound so sure. “I’d like to get it back again,” Janet White, 58, said Saturday, July 17. White is a lifelong St. Marys resident who recalls earlier times, when she and her three children, now grown, would swim in the lake without a second thought. Today, White isn’t sure if any of her seven grandchildren have ever swam here. Others sound angry. Jeff Toben, 47, has worked at The Outdoorsman marina, within view of the 13,500-acre lake, for eight years. He said the problems have cut his business by some 70 percent and were a factor in the consolidation of the Outdoorsman with another marina that once operated a block or so away. Docks sit unused. Boats and pontoons are empty, or are towed away to other waterways, such as nearby Lake Loramie, Indian Lake or the Auglaize River in Defiance. “If the EPA had done their job, none of this would have happened,” Toben said. He said rules against fertilizing frozen ground, or fertilizing during rain storms, went unenforced for years. “That’s why it’s like this,” Toben said Saturday afternoon, at a time when no customers could be found in his East Bank Road store. The problems and EPA advisories have brought unwelcome attention. The only people found at one beach on a gorgeous summer Saturday afternoon were a crew from a Lima TV station. The front-page story in the local Evening Ledger reported the latest EPA warnings, released Friday, with the headline: “Lake levels soar.” Though a few picnic shelters were being used off Parkway Drive, no one was swimming off a nearby beach shortly after 1 p.m. Saturday. At least three sailboats could be seen on the water, however. Jerry Felver, 44, grew up near the lake and still lives close by with his two children, ages 11 and 8. Today, he laments that he can’t take them there. And some days, he added, his family can’t escape the smell that sometimes emanates from the lake, particularly on hot afternoons. “Two weeks ago, you couldn’t walk uptown without the smell,” Felver said. “It hurts for me because this is my home.” “You can’t open the window,” said Stacy Amstutz, 27, a mother of three. “You can’t go outside and play because of the smell.” Felver blamed the state for no longer dredging sediment from the lake, and developers and others who he believes built channels that funneled runoff from surrounding farms into lake water. “They need to drain it, dredge it and clean it up,” declared Rick Hainline, 43, a Van Wert resident who used to live near the lake. Not everyone was complaining Saturday. Dave Musch, 36, of Defiance, said he recently bought a pontoon from a St. Marys resident who was inspired to sell because of the lake’s issues. Musch plans to use his craft on the Auglaize River. “It’s been an advantage to me, I guess,” Musch said. Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2390 or tgnau@DaytonDailyNews.com. July 17th 2010: Quick fixes are elusive for Grand Lake St. MarysBy Steve Bennish, Staff Writer Plagued for years by manure runoff and hot weather algae blooms, Grand Lake St. Marys managed to hover in a usable condition until 2009 when state authorities first warned against water contact that could cause nerve damage, rashes and vomiting. Scummy cyanobacteria is one of the oldest living things on the planet. It helped transform the Earth into a world humans can inhabit by producing oxygen. But its other by-products can be a shifting array of different toxins — including a new one detected this summer — that kill fish and wildlife and severely harm humans. The bacteria is thickly coating portions of the lake and spawning intense odors. David Culver, who runs The Ohio State University’s Limnology Laboratory where lake and fish hatchery ecologies are studied, said the lake is an environmental disaster because of the steady accumulation of phosphorous deposits in sediment that can continue to fuel algae blooms combined with huge levels of the nutrient found in surface waters. It means Grand Lake St. Marys will need up to 20 years to recover, Culver said, and that’s only if runoff ends quickly. That’s unlikely. The readings are the highest in surface water that Culver, a professor emeritus, has observed in his career, he added. “Lake St. Marys doesn’t have a chance,” absent dramatic action, he added. It’s not that the state hasn’t tried. In 2009 the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the Ohio Department of Agriculture and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, introduced a plan to improve Grand Lake St. Marys’ water quality. The plan hasn’t averted this summer’s problems, although there’s been some progress, ODNR said. A two-hour meeting Monday in Maria Stein drew 300 farmers from Mercer County. State and federal officials there urged them to step up with voluntary compliance or risk aggressive regulation. Gov. Ted Strickland, who calls the situation a crisis, has asked top U.S. EPA and USDA officials for “immediate” help including a joint state-federal team to address the problems. Christopher Gibbs, executive director of the Mercer County Farm Services Agency of the USDA, called Monday’s meeting. He’s cautiously optimistic that progress in community attitude has been made. “Preliminary evidence suggests we’ve turned a corner,” he said. “Let me monitor that.” The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency can order farmers to stop runoff into public waterways. But there are hurdles to proving which farm within a watershed is causing problems and assigning a degree of blame, said OEPA spokeswoman Dina Pierce. The lake’s problems are “runoff from an entire watershed,” she said. A key culprit is winter application of manure on frozen ground that washes out with snow melt, she added. Linda Merchant-Masonbrink, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s inland lakes program coordinator, agrees that the lake bottom is loaded with the nutrients that periodically fuel blooms of cyanobacteria. “It won’t improve without improvements in runoff and doing something from internal loading,” she said. “If we chopped off phospherous and nitrogen (going into the lake) it would be decades before the lake recovers — it would be 20 years.” Said Culver: “You have an amazing amount of phosphorous coming into the lake. There are farm ponds with these numbers, but that’s not where we go on vacation.” However, “if we could make a significant dent in phospherous coming into the lake, in 10 years it could be a nicer place,” Culver said. If it had hit earlier in the season, the toxic algae outbreak would have killed the state’s St. Marys Fish Hatchery because it draws lake water for its ponds, said superintendent Mort Pugh. Recent tests gave extremely low oxygen levels, he added. “It’s pretty bad when you can’t raise fish in the water,” he said. “It’s a disaster. I’ve been there 29 years, and I’ve never seen anything like this.” There are signs that some are working toward a cleaner lake. About 23 percent of cropland in the watershed is now covered by an approved comprehensive nutrient management plan. More than 110 agricultural producers are attending nutrient management training. Five manure storage structures were built and two feedlots were covered as runoff control measures in 2009, ODNR said. State plans also include the restoration of historic wetlands that would also improve water quality. “If local producers continue to increase conservation practices, such as planting cover crops and constructing sufficient manure storage facilities, they will help reduce the amount of nutrients delivered to Grand Lake St. Marys tributaries,” said Terry Cosby of the federal National Resources Conservation Service. Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown and Gov. Strickland in April announced $1 million in USDA funding to create buffer strips along creeks running into Grand Lake St. Marys, including Chickasaw. It will fund grass buffers, planting cover crops and manure storage. Ohio Rep. Jim Zehringer, R-Ft. Recovery, for 25 years operated a poultry and fish farm that garnered state and national environmental awards. After attending Monday’s meeting, he said he wants 100 percent participation by agricultural producers in runoff control. “We hope to show the EPA we can turn this watershed around without mandates,” Zehringer said. “A large group of farmers had buy-in from the beginning,” she said. “The bottom line is we are trying to have 100 percent of those folks. We want to make sure everyone is on the same train making the watershed improve and not taking a step back.” Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7407 or sbennish@DaytonDailyNews.com. July 17th 2010: Grand Lake crisis could take 20 years to remedy By Steve Bennish, Staff WriterUpdated 6:59 PM Saturday, July 17, 2010 Grand Lake St. Marys is an environmental disaster that will take 10 to 20 years to recover even if livestock waste runoff that fuels toxic algae stops tomorrow, state experts say. The 13,000-acre lake is erupting with cyanobacteria, an organism billions of years old that is commonly called blue-green algae, making it off limits for human contact and killing off much of the wildlife in the lake. Late Friday, the crisis deepened with new test results that prompted the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to warn against even boating on the water or eating fish caught there. Toxins generated by the cyanobacteria are menacing the state’s St. Marys Fish Hatchery, a nearly century-old facility on 160 acres on the eastern shore of Grand Lake St. Marys where walleye, saugeye and yellow perch are raised in the spring and fat head minnows and catfish in summer. An annual tourism industry estimated to be as high as $200 million is threatened as intense odors, dead fish and official warnings take a toll. St. Marys Chamber of Commerce executive director Kelly Kill said the hit, coming as the national economy struggles, is tough. “We’re trying to do anything that will help at this point,” she said. Can the local economy survive the time it takes to fix the lake? “No one can predict the future,” Kill said. “I sure hope we can. We are doing things we can that will help us and help the lake." July 16th 2010: Good Morning All, The below updated advisory is being posted at all of the State launch ramp, beaches and rental docks today. I would ask that you pass this along to others. The new advisory is due to elevated microcystin toxin levels received yesterday from samples pulled on Monday. Further sampling will be conducted. "An algae bloom has made this area unsafe for recreational activities. You are strongly advised to avoid any and all contact with or ingestion of the lake water. This includes the launching of any watercraft on the lake." On another note - The state partners have met and identified team members which will be working together on identifying immediate and long-term action plans to address the internal and external loading issues at GLSM. Team members meet yesterday to outline action items and to discuss implementation agendas. It is our hope to have final recommendations by the end of next week. The State of Ohio continues to work collaboratively with local, state and federal partners on addressing the issues at GLSM July 14th 2010: Grand Lake St. Mary threatened by inflows of city sewage 5:28 PM Wednesday, July 14, 2010 Grand Lake St. Mary is a misnomer. It is not a lake, but a man-made impoundment or reservoir. From its inception more than 160 years ago, it was clear that the reservoir was too shallow and lacked an adequate supporting watershed. Still, the impoundment was necessary to support the growth of the cities of Celina and St. Mary. It has always been muddy, murky and warm, due to its shallow depth, making it suitable only for tolerant fish such as crappie, catfish and bullheads. The natural evolution of such impoundments is to “silt in” and become wetlands or swamps (which is what is happening). Historically, cows spent summers wallowing, drinking, cooling and defecating in the ditches and streams that comprise the reservoir’s watershed. Although this problem has been corrected, the explosion of human population has increased the contribution (through sewage and septic systems) to the lake’s excessive nutrient content. The sewage problem is compounded by our use of household garbage disposals that grind garbage into a liquid form that ends up at the sewage plants and eventually into rivers, streams, lakes and impoundments such as Grand Lake St. Mary. The article by Jim DeBrosse (“‘The clock is ticking. The lake is dying’,” July 2) is remiss in ignoring the City of Celina as a prime culprit in the excessive algae–creating phosphate levels. The EPA has ordered Celina to cut its phosphate effluent by two-thirds by 2011. A 66-percent excess phosphate level from the sewage of more than 25,000 people should be considered at least an equally contributing factor in the algae bloom as the agricultural runoff — especially when the city sewage runoff is 24/7. President Obama says, “One in eight Americans are hungry and food banks are low.” Therefore, we should support the more than 450 farm families and free them to do their most important job: providing us and food banks with nutritious, low-cost food. Charles and Rebecca Reier Greenville The OEPA just received the results back from the laboratory with some good news. Celina's drinking water as well as the one lake water sample were non detectable for toxins. The one lake water sample was taken in a non scum / foam area so there is still concerns about the scum areas. Click Here for further details. July 9th 2010: July 6th 2010: June 29th 2010: June 19th 2010: Saturday, June 19th, 2010 State issues advisory for Grand Lake
Preliminary test results received late Friday by the Ohio EPA show the new algae is not producing toxins now. However, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources is keeping the advisory in place. "We did not rescind (the advisory) because there is follow-up testing that still needs to take place," said ODNR spokeswoman Heidi Hetzel-Evans. "We are erring on the side of safety until we get final tests from the EPA." Those results should be available in a few weeks, she said. Signs warning the public to avoid direct contact with "visible surface scum" will be posted around the lake this weekend, Evans said. Meanwhile, Grand Lake water samples taken this week show levels of microcystin toxin produced by the lake's already known planktothrix algae remain below the 20 parts per billion safety threshold set by the World Health Organization. Levels ranged from 5.4 to 12.9 parts per billion. Celina's treated drinking water continues to test negative for the toxin. Planktothrix, the predominant blue-green algae present in the lake last year, caused the state to issue the first water quality advisory before the 2009 Memorial Day weekend. It was lifted in April after toxin levels dropped. The toxin can cause skin and throat irritations and gastrointestional-like symptoms in humans. It can be deadly to small animals that drink it. Preliminary testing identifies the new algae species as aphanizomenon gracile, said Ohio EPA spokeswoman Dina Pierce. This algae can produce toxins that affect the liver, nervous system and skin. It does not produce the microcystin toxin like planktothrix, she said. There are more than 20 species of blue-green algae, known scientifically as cyanobacteria, Pierce said. Not all produce harmful toxins and the ones that do don't produce them all the time. Scientists still don't know why algaes produce the toxins at certain times and not others, she said. The new iridescent blue and green colored algae floating in thick mats was reported in many areas of the lake on Monday. Heavy rain late Monday night dispersed a lot of it but another large bloom appeared on Wednesday. Pierce said the OEPA is trying to learn as much as it can about the new algae in order to inform the public. "With this new species emerging we're back at square one like we were last year with the first water quality advisory," she said. "We'll continue to do more thorough analysis and as soon as we get information we will update the Web site. Video available online: To view the most up to date algae toxin levels for Grand Lake, go online at http://www.epa.ohio.gov/pic/glsm_algae.aspx and then click on Grand Lake St. Marys Sampling Data. For information on harmful algal blooms, go online to To speak to an OEPA representative about Grand Lake toxin levels, call Darla Peelle at 614-644-2160. Important Algae Bloom Information As you all know by now the lake experienced a unprecedented algae bloom the last few days. What we have been told is that this is a different type of algae from what we experienced last year but there is good and bad to this. Good - Microcystin testing results ranged from non detectable to 12.9. We are required to post the recreational advisory at 20. Bad - This algae appears to be very visual. Below are a couple of questions and answers from earlier this week. Q. It doesn't look as bad today as it did Monday. Why? (Reporter noted they had a lot of rain overnight.) A. Algae likes calm or slow moving water. Rain can disperse/ dilute it. But it will come back together rapidly if the water is calm. Q. The water had been very clear this year. What changed? A. The algae bacteria and nutrients are already in the sediment. There also has been a lot of rain and the weather has been hot. Rain has washed nutrients off the land and into creeks that feed the lake. Conditions lately have been good for algae. Q. Could it produce low oxygen levels in the lake? A. It could. Algae can deplete oxygen as it grows. It also uses oxygen as it dies. It could cause a fish kill, especially if it dies off en masse. ODNR says dissolved oxygen levels currently are good at their beaches. The OEPA website at http://www.epa.ohio.gov/pic/glsm_algae.aspx. has updates right under the page header with contact information. Please share this site with others.
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December 22, 2010 - Good Afternoon Everyone, Well I was hoping to be able to give you the results of the pilot projects as a Xmas present but unfortunately I do not have them yet but as soon as I do I will forward them. Hopefully soon! As well I was hoping to be able to advise about the fishing tissue sampling but have not heard back on that issue yet either. I do persistently inquire about these issues so that as a community we can move forward. 
GRAND LAKE - A 43-year-old Celina man is battling a serious neurological illness from contact with the toxic algae in Grand Lake, an infectious disease doctor confirmed Wednesday.
GRAND LAKE - The state has placed another water advisory on Grand Lake due to a new, potentially toxic blue-green algae species found in the lake.
