Grand River Watershed

The upper (southern) portion of the Grand River watershed, including the headwaters, was studied during 2007.  The Grand River flows into Lake Erie at Painesville in Lake County.  The lower (northern) portion of the watershed was studied in 2004.  The Grand River (upper) watershed is divided into four subwatersheds, as follows:

• 04110004 01        Headwaters Grand River
• 04110004 02        Rock Creek
• 04110004 03        Phelps Creek-Grand River
• 04110004 05        Three Brothers Creek-Grand River

The Grand River (upper) Watershed Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Report was approved by U.S. EPA on April 10, 2013.  TMDL reports identify and evaluate water quality problems in impaired water bodies and propose solutions to bring those waters into attainment with water quality standards.

TMDLs were calculated for nutrients (total Kjeldahl nitrogen, total phosphorus and ammonia), total dissolved solids, habitat and E. coli bacteria.

Recommendations for regulatory action resulting from this TMDL analysis include an effluent limit for total phosphorus for one facility and monitoring for total Kjeldahl nitrogen, ammonia and total phosphorus for several other small facilities.  Nonpoint sources of direct habitat alterations should be addressed by bank and riparian restoration, stream restoration and investigation into dam modification or removal; for nutrients, total dissolved solids and bacteria by tying unsewered areas into sewer systems where feasible and further investigation sources in some locations; and for bacteria by inspecting and replacing or repairing failing home sewage treatment systems and agricultural best management practices.  In some cases of natural impairment, wetland restoration and/or conservation easements may improve water quality.  Nonpoint sources are typically addressed by voluntary actions.

• Final TMDL Report without appendices
  
  • Appendix A:  NPDES Permitted Discharges
  • Appendix B:  Status of Water Quality
  • Appendix C:  Water Quality Standards in Ohio
  • Appendix D:  Loading Analysis Information
  • Appendix E:  Implementation and Reasonable Assurances

• TMDL Final Fact Sheet
• Final Study Plan for the 2007 Biological and Water Quality Survey of the Upper Grand River Basin (Ashtabula, Geauga, Portage and Trumbull Counties, Ohio)
• Biological and Water Quality Study of the Upper Grand River Watershed, 2007. Ashtabula, Geauga, Portage and Trumbull Counties, Ohio. June 4, 2009. Ohio EPA Technical Report DSW/EAS/2009-6-5.
  
  • Report
  • Appendices

There is no implementation information available at this time.

Ohio EPA conducted water quality monitoring in 2003 and 2004.  The Grand River and some of its tributaries displayed very good quality, while tributaries in the urbanized and agricultural portions of the watershed were generally of a lower quality.  Aquatic life uses were supported at 77% of sites; 20% of sites partially attained and 10% did not attain.  Most of the biological impairment was caused by flow regime alterations from urbanization.  There were also some natural causes and sources, such as low flow or homogeneous (bedrock) substrates.  Nutrients contributed to impairment at several sites.  About 71% of the sites failed to meet bacteria water quality standards.  Probable sources of bacteria included agricultural land practices such as inadequate manure management, unrestricted cattle access to streams, and sewage discharges in unsewered areas with inadequate or failing home sewage treatment systems (HSTS).

The Grand River (lower) Watershed Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) report was approved by U.S. EPA on April 12, 2012.  TMDL reports identify and evaluate water quality problems in impaired water bodies and propose solutions to bring those waters into attainment with water quality standards.

TMDLs were calculated for total phosphorus, flow regime and E. coli bacteria.  The flow regime TMDL is the first of its kind in Ohio (see Sections 7 and 9.6 of the main report for more information).  No reductions to point source loads of bacteria or nutrients are recommended.  Recommendations to address nonpoint sources of pollution include increased inspections and subsequent enforcement actions regarding HSTS that are not running properly.  Effects of hydrologic alteration and pollutants from urban runoff and storm water can be reduced by installing best management practices that retain or infiltrate storm water on-site at construction and post-construction locations.  Agricultural runoff can be addressed through conventional management practices that are designed to abate pollutant loading from cropland landscapes.  Livestock that have access to streams should be provided with alternative water supplies and fencing installed to prevent their access to the streams.  It is also recommended that riparian corridors be preserved wherever possible.

TMDL report without appendices

• Appendix A:       HUCs and Ohio EPA Sample Stations
• Appendix B:       Additional Ohio EPA and USGS Data
• Appendix C:       Metals Data Summary and Analysis
• Appendix D:       Model Calibration, Validation and Uncertainty
• Appendix E:        Graphical Summary of Ohio EPA Temperature Grab Samples
• Appendix F:        Published Pollutant Concentrations and Loads in Runoff
• Appendix G:       Load Duration Curves
• Appendix H:       Chardon WWTP E. coli Decay Calculations
• Appendix I:         Implementation and Reasonable Assurances
• Appendix J:        SUSTAIN Modeling Results
• Appendix K:       Responses to Public Comments

• Grand River (lower) Watershed TMDL Fact Sheet
• Grand River (lower) Watershed TMDL and Surrogate TMDL Fact Sheet
• Biological and Water Quality Study of the Grand River Basin 2003 - 2004, Hydrologic Units 04110004 050 and 04110004 060, 2006.  Ashtabula, Geauga, and Lake Counties, Ohio.
• A fact sheet describing the project and possible effects on MS4 programs in the Grand River (lower) Watershed TMDL was released in November 2010.  A public meeting on the project was held on January 20, 2011.  Two presentations were given by the consultant working on the project, provided below in Adobe format:
• Introduction to TMDLs and the SUSTAIN Model
• SUSTAIN Model Pilot Projects

The following implementation projects have been completed in the watershed.

• Concord Township Storm Water and Salt Remediation Demonstration
• Village of Fairport Harbor Permeable Pavement On-Street Parking Storm Water Retrofit
• Lake County Administrative Building Storm Water Retrofit Project
• Painesville Main Street Stormwater Retrofit Demonstration