Ohio EPA staff will begin a major water quality study of the Maumee River mainstem this summer. The land draining to the Maumee River is one of the largest watersheds in Ohio, spanning 4,820 square miles and covering all or parts of 20 counties in northwest Ohio.

The study will focus on the full length of the Maumee River, from the Indiana state line to Lake Erie, and will include portions of two major Maumee tributary streams, the Auglaize and Tiffin rivers.

The field work is the first step in a federally required study called a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL). A TMDL is the maximum amount of pollutants a water body can receive on a daily basis without violating water quality standards.

Ohio EPA staff will collect water samples and fish and macroinvertebrate species from June through mid-October. The physical, biological and chemical data will help determine water quality problems in the rivers and develop options for improving resource quality in degraded areas.