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Public Interest Center Grand Lake St. Marys



Water Quality and Fish Consumption Advisories - March 2012

Water Quality

Recreational users of the three public beaches at Grand Lake St. Marys State Park are advised against swimming and wading, water should not be swallowed and surface scum should be avoided, according to the Ohio departments of Environmental Protection, Natural Resources and Health. Advisories will be erected at West, East and Camp beaches which are located at the eastern end of the lake.

Fish Consumption

Grand Lake St. Marys Note: Ohio EPA did microcystin sampling in Grand Lake St. Marys and Lake Erie during the 2011 season to determine if fish were affected by algal toxin. All samples taken in Lake Erie in November 2010, June 2011 and August 2011, testing yellow perch and walleye showed no detections. Grand Lake St. Marys samples were also taken in November, June and August, and only the June sample set showed a detection level, only in Black Crappie. To round out the limited data available, Ohio EPA plans to continue sampling, and will evaluate and post updates as they become available.

The usual Ohio fish consumption advisory for Grand Lake St. Marys (which is NOT based on algal toxin analysis) states that largemouth bass, sunfish and yellow perch from the lake are safe to eat twice per week; meals of all other species should be limited to one per week due to mercury contamination.

Current Ohio Fish Consumption Advisory

Grand Lake St. Marys Toxic Algae 

For More Information

Citizens or other interested parties who would like more information should call Ohio EPA’s Public Interest Center at (614) 644-2160 or e-mail Darla Peelle.

Media inquiries should be directed by e-mail to Dina Pierce or by calling (614) 644-2160.

Click here for additional contacts.

Ohio EPA has developed this Web page to give people easy access to information regarding algal toxins in Grand Lake St. Marys. Documents are available at the links below.
This page is updated frequently as new test results or other information is announced.

Background
Grand Lake St. Marys is Ohio’s largest inland lake at 12,700 acres. Straddling the
Auglaize-Mercer County line between St. Marys and Celina, the lake was constructed in the mid-1800s to store water for the Miami-Erie Canal. In 1949, Grand Lake St. Marys was
among the first state parks established in Ohio.

Today, it is a popular recreation lake for boating, personal watercraft, fishing and swimming.
It also is the drinking water supply for the city of Celina. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources maintains a campground, three public beaches and several picnic areas in a state park along the lake.

Over the years, the lake has become increasingly enriched by phosphates and nitrates
from a number of man-made and natural sources. These nutrients have contributed to the
decline of the lake’s water quality. Ohio EPA and various state and local partners have been working within the lake’s watershed for many years to achieve improvements along streams that feed the lake which in turn, will improve water quality in the lake.

Ohio EPA participated in a national study of water quality conditions in lakes across the United States in 2007 by collecting one day of sampling data in Grand Lake St. Marys and 19 other Ohio lakes. Laboratory analysis included testing for the presence of algal toxins. Ohio EPA received lab results for microcystins levels on April 27, 2009. The level of toxins recorded in Grand Lake St. Marys was very high compared to the other lakes sampled.

Sampling continued on a regular basis in 2009 and 2010.  Results show an ongoing problem with blue-green algae and the toxins it produces. 

Information Available Online

 
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Contact the Public Interest Center
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1049, Columbus, OH 43216-1049
Street Address: 50 West Town Street, Suite 700 Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: (614) 644-2160 ~ Fax: (614) 644-2737 ~ E-mail
Emergency Response Hotline (800) 282-9378
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