H2Ohio efforts surge across state

When Gov. Mike DeWine created the H2Ohio initiative in 2019, the goal was to ensure all Ohioans had access to clean, accessible water, said Mary Mertz, director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, on Wednesday. An H2Ohio grant funded the construction of the new wetlands at Oakwoods Nature Preserve, which opened Wednesday. There are many components to H2Ohio. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is funding water infrastructure projects in disadvantaged communities to provide safe drinking water and sewer services, including fixing or replacing hundreds of failing home sewage treatment systems in low-income areas and replacing lead pipes and fixtures at high-risk daycares and schools, as well as increasing water quality monitoring across the state, the H2Ohio website states. And the Ohio Department of Agriculture is working with farmers to reduce nutrients flowing off their fields. Studies have shown that phosphorus runoff from farms is the primary reason for algal blooms in Lake Erie, which threaten drinking water and affect the health of people and animals, the website states. H2Ohio will provide economic incentives to farmers who develop a nutrient management plan that includes a combination of identified best practices. ODNR, meanwhile, is overseeing construction of "natural infrastructure," such as wetlands that clean and filter the water, preventing those nutrients from making their way to Lake Erie, Mertz said. Mertz said Wednesday that Ohio must attack the problem with "death by a thousand cuts." So many wetlands like this are needed, all over the state, she said. H2Ohio has funded 113 projects since 2019. Mertz said "a handful" more will be announced later this year. She said there's no time to waste, as having a clean Lake Erie is essential. Mertz said the H2Ohio wetlands projects are "all very different," and each is teaching project leaders something new. "This is a great testing ground for us," she said of the Oakwoods project in particular. Scott Butterworth, northwest Ohio district manager for ODNR's Division of Wildlife, said when DeWine announced the H2Ohio project in 2019, he contacted Hancock Park District Director Gary Pruitt about potential projects. (H2Ohio is also funding a separate Hancock Park District project, a smaller wetland at the Bright Conservation Area, which is currently under construction.) Mertz said the H2Ohio initiative involves educational programming as well, and a naturalist was present who goes into schools. "We're trying to grow young conservationists," she said. A major component of H2Ohio also is scientific research. Bob Midden, Ph.D., research professor at Bowling Green State University's Department of Chemistry, is leading a team of BGSU students who take soil and water samples and measure the pH of the water, among other factors, as part of a larger team that includes experts in everything from vegetation to hydrology to geophysics. In a July interview with The Courier, Midden explained that wetlands like those at Oakwoods were created with the goal of reducing the contaminants in the water. But the effectiveness of a given wetland in filtering the water can vary, depending on its structure, the conditions, the weather and other factors. So, H2Ohio is paying not just for the construction of wetlands, but also research grants to measure how effective they are. On Wednesday, Midden said the wetland had been constructed based on the best scientific knowledge of the time. His team's job is to try to improve that knowledge, "so that in the future, we can do even better." Along with nutrient management, he said the wetlands will sequester carbon from the atmosphere and improve flood control. Midden, who has been involved in science research for more than 30 years, said this project has been one of the most enjoyable and gratifying of his career. And he said his team of nine students are, in turn, getting experiences that are helping them in their education. (Mertz then pointed out that the state wants these students to stay in Ohio.) He's among 12 scientists at six universities, each with a different area of expertise, conducting H2Ohio research. "We need your help," said Lauren Kinsman-Costello, Ph.D., assistant professor of biological sciences at Kent State University and director of the H2Ohio wetlands monitoring project statewide. The scientists are looking for community volunteers, to help with a variety of projects. Anyone interested can email Midden at midden@bgsu.edu Those interested in volunteering in the parks can also contact Hancock Park District at 419-425-7275. Arthurs: 419-427-8494