Statewide Biological and Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment
Ohio is a water-rich state, bounded on the south by the Ohio River and the north by Lake Erie. These water bodies, as well as thousands of miles of inland streams and rivers and thousands of acres of lakes and wetlands, contribute to the quality of life of Ohio's citizens. Ohio EPA's Division of Surface Water supports a diverse set of programs that monitor inland lakes, Lake Erie, primary headwater streams, and wetlands, in addition to its comprehensive watershed studies.
Each year, Ohio EPA collects data from 400 to 450 stream and river sites around the state to support watershed assessment. During these studies, Ohio EPA scientists collect chemical samples, examine and count fish and aquatic insects, and take measurements of the stream. There are three major objectives for the studies:
- To determine how the stream is doing compared to goals assigned in the Ohio Water Quality Standards (WQS);
- To determine if the goals assigned to the river or stream are appropriate and attainable; and
- To determine if the streams condition has changed since the last time the stream was studied.
The data gathered by a field survey is processed, evaluated and synthesized in a biological and water quality report. The findings and conclusions of each biological and water quality study may factor into regulatory actions taken by Ohio EPA and are incorporated into Water Quality Permit Support Documents (WQPSDs), total maximum daily loads (TMDLs), State Water Quality Management Plans, the Ohio Nonpoint Source Assessment and the Ohio Water Resource Inventory (305[b] report). This information also provides the basis for the list of impaired and threatened waters required by Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act.
For more information regarding water quality data, contact:
Watershed Surveys
Watershed Survey Background
In 1990, Ohio EPA initiated an organized, sequential approach to monitoring and assessment. One of the principal objectives of this approach was to better coordinate the collection of ambient stream and river monitoring data so that information and reports were available in time to support water quality management activities such as the reissuance of wastewater discharge (NPDES) permits, development of watershed Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) documents, and periodic revision of the Ohio Water Quality Standards (WQS).
Further refinement of the monitoring approach occurred in the early 2000s in response to Ohio EPA's decision to embark on a progressive watershed-based monitoring, assessment, and reporting approach to facilitate the collection of data to support development of TMDLs. To this end, Ohio EPA adopted as basic watershed assessment units the U.S. Geological Survey 11-digit Hydrologic Unit (HUC-11), eventually transitioning to HUC-12s during the 2008 survey year. Beginning with the 2010 Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Report, 1,538 HUC-12 watershed assessment units (WAUs) became the primary reporting unit for watershed survey monitoring and assessment, as well as TMDL development and implementation.
The HUC-12 WAU scale is used to categorize and assess stream and river sites draining watersheds up to 500 square miles. For Ohio's largest rivers—greater than 500 square miles—large river assessment units (LRAUs) were developed to report independently on these large water bodies, since they are unique in their importance and cannot be readily included and effectively assessed in small HUC-12 watersheds. At this size, rivers generally are impacted more by the character of and activity in the accumulated drainage area and less by what is happening adjacent to the channel (i.e., on the stream bank) or in the immediate adjacent landscape. Currently, 45 LRAUs have been established for the 30 largest rivers in Ohio.
Environmental Indicators
Ohio EPA's approach to surface water monitoring and management essentially serves as an environmental feedback process taking "cues" from environmental indicators to effect needed changes or adjustments within water quality management. This hierarchy is essentially in place within the technical support document (TSD) process and represents, from a technical assessment and indicators framework standpoint, a watershed approach. The environmental indicators used in this process are categorized as stressor, exposure, and response indicators.
- Stressor indicators generally include activities that impact but may or may not degrade the environment. This includes point and nonpoint source loadings, land use changes and other broad-scale influences that generally result from anthropogenic activities.
- Exposure indicators include chemical-specific, whole effluent toxicity, tissue residues and biomarkers, each of which suggest or provide evidence of biological exposure to stressor agents.
- Response indicators include the direct measures of the status of use designations. For aquatic life uses, the community and population response parameters that are represented by the biological indices that comprise Ohio EPA’s biological criteria are the principal response indicators. For human body contact uses (e.g., primary contact recreation), fecal bacteria (e.g., E. coli) are the principal response indicators.
The key to having a successful watershed approach is in using the different types of indicators within the roles that are the most appropriate for each.
Monitoring for Status and Trends
An assessment of the impact of multiple sources on the receiving waters of a watershed includes an evaluation of the available chemical/physical (water column, effluent, sediment, flows), biological (fish and macroinvertebrate assemblages), and habitat data that have been collected by Ohio EPA. Other data evaluated includes, but is not limited to, NPDES permittee self-monitoring data, effluent and mixing zone bioassays conducted by Ohio EPA, the permittee, or U.S. EPA, spills data compiled by Ohio EPA, and fish kill information from the Ohio Division of Wildlife.
The integration of this information into a report for each study area is accomplished via the TSD process. Besides reporting on status and trends for the applicable designated uses, the TSD also identifies and describes causal associations of use impairments with the predominant causes and sources of impairment. The completion of this process enables the structured use of the output from the TSD (i.e., the assessment of water bodies) to support virtually any Ohio EPA program where surface water quality is a concern.
Resources and Guidance
- Surface and Ground Waters Monitoring Strategy
- Water Quality Monitoring Guidance
- Water Quality Reports
- Other Resources
Study Plans
2023
Routine Monitoring
Quality assurance project plans for the 2023 sampling season are currently under development.
Special Monitoring Projects
In addition, we will be monitoring the following waters for special projects. Click on the links to view the study plans.
2022
Routine Monitoring
- Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) for the Biological and Water Quality Study of the Sandusky River Watershed, 2022
- Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) for the Biological and Water Quality Study of the Wabash and Upper Great Miami River Watersheds, 2022
- Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) for the Biological and Water Quality Study of the Pymatuning Creek, Yankee Run, Little Yankee Run, Little Beaver Creek, and Yellow Creek Watersheds, 2022
- Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) for Inland Lakes Assessments - Statewide Project 2022
- Quality Assurance Project Plan for Lake Erie Monitoring
- Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) for the Biological and Water Quality Study of the Hocking River Watershed, 2022
Special Monitoring Projects
In addition, we will be monitoring the following waters for special projects. Click on the links to view the study plans.
- Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) for Study Plan for CWA Section 319(h) Project Sampling — Pre-Implementation for Fiscal Year 2022 Projects & Select Post-Implementation Monitoring
- Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) for a Water Quality Study of Possible Sources of Benzene in the Mahoning River, Mahoning County
2021
Special Monitoring Projects
In addition, we will be monitoring the following waters for special projects. Click on the links to view the study plans.
- Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) for the Biological and Water Quality Study of the Lower Great Miami River, 2021
- Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) for CWA Section 319(h) Projects
- Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) for the Biological and Water Quality Study of Raccoon Creek (A2Z Sanitation LLC), 2021
- Quality Assurance Project Plan for Lake Erie Monitoring
- Addendum to the Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) for Lake Erie Monitoring
- Quality Assurance Project Plan for Maumee River AOC BUI Evaluation, 2021
- Quality Assurance Project Plan for Public Health Nuisance Sampling Cedar Creek and Crane Creek, Lucas and Ottawa Counties
2020
Routine Monitoring
Special Monitoring Projects
- Quality Assurance Project Plan for CWA Section 319(h) Projects
- Use Designation Study of Salt Creek, 2020
2019
Routine Monitoring
- Addendum for the Biological and Water Quality Study of the Upper Tuscarawas River-and Select Tributaries Study Plan - 2017
- Quality Assurance Project Plan for Ambient Sampling - 2019 Addendum
- Quality Assurance Project Plan for the Biological and Water Quality Study of the Upper Auglaize River Watershed, 2019
- Quality Assurance Project Plan for ODNR and Ohio EPA Fish Tissue Sampling of Lake Erie and Inland Ohio Lakes, 2019
- Quality Assurance Project Plan for Cuyahoga River Tributaries and Ship Channel - 2019 Addendum
- Quality Assurance Project Plan for Grand Lake St. Marys Monitoring
- Quality Assurance Project Plan for Lake Erie Monitoring
Special Monitoring Projects
- Quality Assurance Project Plan for CWA Section 319(h) and GLRI Projects
- Quality Assurance Project Plan for the Primary Headwater Study
- Quality Assurance Project Plan for Alum Creek Monitoring
- Quality Assurance Project Plan for the Deployment of Continuous Temperature Data Loggers in 12 Watershed Study Areas in Southeast, Southwest and Northeast Ohio.
- Quality Assurance Project Plan for Sycamore Creek
2018
Routine Monitoring
- Cuyahoga River tributaries and ship channel
- Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) for the Fish Tissue Study of the Cuyahoga River and Three Tributaries
Special Monitoring Projects
- Quality Assurance Project Plan for CWA Section 319(h) and GLRI Projects
- Statewide Ambient Water Quality Monitoring Guidance
- Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) for the Biological Function Study of Pipeline/Temporary Impact Projects in Peavine Creek, Cat Run, Keyhole Run, Johnson Run, and John's Creek
2017
Routine Monitoring
- Tuscarawas River (upper)
- Tuscarawas River (lower)
- Sugar Creek
- Whitewater River
- Swan, Toussaint, lower Maumee and Lake Erie tributaries
- Cuyahoga River
Ohio's long-term monitoring schedule is revisited every two years in the Integrated Report process. See the Integrated Report page for more information.
Special Monitoring Projects
- CWA Section 319(h) - Pre-Implementation Monitoring for Fiscal Year 2017 Projects and Post-Implementation Monitoring for Selected Previous Years Projects
- Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) for the Biological and Habitat Study of Selected Northwest Ohio Streams
2016
Routine Monitoring
- Conotton Creek Basin
- Huron River Basin
- Racoon Creek Basin
- Southwest Ohio River Tributaries
- Symmes Creek Basin
Ohio's long-term monitoring schedule is revisited every two years in the Integrated Report process. See the Integrated Report page for more information.
Special Monitoring Projects
- CWA Section 319(h) and Ohio SWIF Projects - Pre-Implementation Monitoring for Fiscal Year 2016 Projects and Post-Implementation Monitoring for Selected Previous Years Projects
- Large River Nutrient Enrichment Indicators
- FY2012 and 2013 Supplemental 106 Funding - Field Year 2016 State Resource Water Assessment Monitoring
2015
Routine Monitoring
- Lake Erie Central Basin Tributaries
- Maumee River Basin Tributaries
- Southeast Ohio River Basin Tributaries
- St. Marys River Basin
Ohio's long-term monitoring schedule is revisited every two years in the Integrated Report process. See the Integrated Report page for more information.
Special Monitoring Projects
- CWA Section 319(h) and Ohio SWIF Projects - Pre-Implementation Monitoring for Fiscal Year 2015 Projects and Post-Implementation Monitoring for Selected Previous Years Projects
- Lake Erie
- FY2012 and 2013 Supplemental 106 Funding - Field Year 2015 State Resource Water Assessment Monitoring
- Statewide Ambient Water Quality Monitoring
- Enhanced Tributary Monitoring in the Western Lake Erie Basin
2014
Routine Monitoring
Ohio's long-term monitoring schedule is revisited every two years in the Integrated Report process. See the Integrated Report page for more information.
Special Monitoring Projects
- Lake Erie
- Grand Lake St. Marys
- Buckeye Lake
- FY2012 and 2013 Supplemental 106 Funding - Field Year 2014 Limited Warmwater Habitat Assessment Monitoring
- CWA Section 319(h) and Ohio SWIF Projects - Pre-Implementation Monitoring for Fiscal Year 2014 Projects and Post-Implementation Monitoring for Selected Previous Years Projects
2013
Routine Monitoring
- St. Joseph River
- Tiffin River
- Bokes Creek
- Mahoning River (lower)
- Wolf Creek, Olive Green Creek, Rainbow Creek and Meigs Creek
- Stillwater River
