Ohio announces new wetlands restoration projects

SANDUSKY — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine's initiative to curb Lake Erie's harmful algal blooms and restore Ohio wetlands is about to begin. On Thursday, Mary Mertz, director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, announced the first six wetlands projects in northern Ohio to be funded by the H2Ohio initiative, and said many more projects are on the way.Most of the projects are concentrated in the Maumee River watershed. Phosphorus from the Maumee River is blamed as the major culprit for feeding the harmful algal bloom that grows each summer in the western basin of Lake Erie.But one of the projects is along the Sandusky River, at Redhorse Bend on the Sandusky River in northern Fremont, a piece of land that will ultimately become a Fremont city park.Mertz said the state is trying to deal with Sandusky Bay and its annual algal bloom while it also works on the Maumee drainage area."Our goal is a cleaner Lake Erie," she said.Mertz unveiled the first six projects at an event on Thursday at Maumee Bay State Park Lodge.She said the H2Ohio program, the DeWine's administration's main initiative for cleaning up Ohio's water, was funded for $172 million for the current two-year state budget.DeWine is emphasizing restoring wetlands because they serve as a natural filter, removing harmful nutrients from water flowing into Lake Erie.As a bonus, restoring wetlands also provide habitat for wildlife, Mertz said.The six projects are just the beginning, Mertz said."We have many more projects teed up," she said.Other officials reminded an audience of several dozen officials listening to the presentation that much of northern Ohio once was covered by a Great Black Swamp, which was drained as the land was settled. About 90 percent of Ohio's wetlands are gone, said Dave Sherman, wetlands coordinator for the Ohio Division of Wildlife."We aren't going to bring back the entire Black Swamp," said Rob Krain, executive director of the Black Swamp Conservancy, one of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources' partners in the wetlands restoration project.But by being strategic, it's hoped the wetlands restoration program will have a big impact on reducing nutrients going into Lake Erie, he said.The six projects announced Thursday are:• Cullen Park and Grassy Island, two projects both located at the mouth of the Maumee River.More engineering and design for Cullen Park will be done this spring, and then construction will begin immediately, said Scudder Mackey, chief of the Office of Coastal Management, which is in Sandusky. Work on Grassy Island will follow. The Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority is a partner for the project.• Maumee Bay State Park Wetland. Invasive phragmites will be removed and the wetland will be restored and reconnected to Lake Erie. Partners are Ohio state parks, the Nature Conservancy and the Ohio EPA.• Sandusky Redhorse Bend Wetland Restoration. The project will restore 55 acres of wetland habitat along the Sandusky River in north Fremont. Black Swamp Conservancy is the partner.• Oak Openings Preserve Metropark Expansion. The Lucas County project is being done with Metropark Toledo.• Maumee Scenic River Forder Bridge. A series of wetlands will be created in Paulding County, with the aid of Black Swamp Conservancy.The wetland at Maumee Bay State Park is among the projects announced Thursday by Ohio officials. Mary Mertz talks about her plans as director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources during an interview at the Catawba Island Club. An Ohio Department of Natural Resources map shows the location of wetlands projects planned under the H2Ohio program. Blue stars show the location of six projects announced Thursday; red stars show planned future projects.