Dennis Weilnau
Gary W. Bauer
N'Deye-Marie N'Jie
Larry C. Brown
Water is a resource often taken for granted. In recent years, water availability and quality have become important public concerns in Erie County. The county's population of 77,512 (1992 Ohio Department of Development estimate) is one-third rural and two-thirds urban, and 86 percent of the residents rely on surface water for their water supply. This fact sheet provides a brief overview of Erie County's water resources, and is intended to help increase public awareness and understanding about this vital resource. By understanding where water is obtained and how it is used in the county, residents can gain a better appreciation for their water supply. Water resources terminology used in this publication is included in Surface and Ground Water Terminology, Fact Sheet AEX-460, which provides a listing of generally accepted water resource definitions. Ohio State University Extension publications are available through all Ohio county Extension offices.
An average of approximately 34.1 inches of precipitation falls on Erie County annually. Figure 1 illustrates the average monthly precipitation for the county for the period 1961 to 1990. Based on this 30-year record, the average precipitation is 2.8 inches per month, with February (1.6 inches) typically being the driest month, and June (3.9 inches) the wettest. However, there can be extreme variations in some years and in certain months within a year. Such seasonal and yearly extremes may have serious consequences and are not always apparent from the long-term precipitation information.
Figure 1. Average monthly precipitation (in inches) in Erie County, Ohio (1961-1990); data collected at Sandusky.
Erie County has three major drainage basins in the county: the Mills Creek and Pipe Creek area, the Huron River Basin, and the Vermilion River Basin. All of these drainage basins are important because they empty into Lake Erie, which is the major water resource for several midwestern states and southwestern Ontario. A generalized surface-water map of Erie County is given in Figure 2.
Surface water quality and quantity are affected by the soil type, geology, the topography of adjacent land, and the way people use the land. Changes in land use, such as residential development and agricultural production, may increase or decrease the amount of sediment and other pollutants entering a body of water. Residential and urban areas contain many impervious surfaces, such as streets and parking lots, that increase the amount of runoff. The soils and terrain also influence the amount of runoff because of infiltration, percolation, and water holding characteristics. With some soils, rainfall is more likely to run off, while other soils allow water to infiltrate more readily.
The county contains approximately 166,613 land acres, of which 59 percent is farmland. Thirty-eight soil types, grouped into 11 associations have been identified in the county and vary in drainage quality from very poorly drained to well drained. A large portion of the soils are very poorly drained (27%) and somewhat poorly drained (38%).
The county water acreage consists of Lake Erie across the northern border of the county, plus approximately 802 acres of lakes within the county borders. The county contains approximately 340 linear miles of streams and rivers [Ohio EPA estimate]. In addition, 55.9 miles of county-maintained open ditches, 17.3 of tiled ditches, plus approximately 195 miles of privately-maintained ditches are used for land drainage.
Figure 2. Surface-water resources in Erie County, Ohio (adapted from ODNR Division of Water river basin maps; illustration prepared by K. A. Weber).
Erie County's primary ground-water source is found in the cavernous limestone and dolomite deposits on the west end of the county, but much of the area water cannot be used by the public due to contamination caused by underground disposal of storm wastewaters from Bellevue. A buried valley of permeable sand and gravel east of Milan and a buried valley of clay and fine sands from Milan to east of Huron provide small areas in the middle of the county with yields of up to 200 gallons per minute while the majority of the county has ground-water resources providing well yields of less than 10 gallons per minute. An overview of the ground-water resources in the county is given in Erie County Ground-Water Resources, AEX-490.22.
The yield of a well will vary considerably depending on the age and depth of the well, well construction, the diameter of the casing, pump capacity and age, and more importantly, properties of the geologic formation. Specific information on ground-water availability and wells can be obtained by contacting the ODNR Division of Water.
Based on long-term statewide weather records, Ohio receives an average of 38 inches of precipitation per year. These 38 inches move through a complex path called the hydrologic cycle. Of these, about 10 inches (26 percent) become runoff, which moves immediately to surface-water bodies like streams and lakes. Two inches are retained at the ground surface and evaporate back into the atmosphere in a relatively short period of time. Twenty-six of the 38 total inches enter the soil surface through infiltration. Twenty of these 26 inches go into soil storage and later are returned to the atmosphere by the combination of evaporation and transpiration (evapotranspiration). The remaining 6 inches of precipitation (16 percent of the total) have the potential to recharge the ground-water supply. Two of these 6 inches eventually move to springs, lakes, or streams as ground-water discharge. The remaining 4 inches either return to the atmosphere by evapotranspiration or are withdrawn to supply water needs. For further reading, refer to Ohio's Hydrologic Cycle, AEX-461.
Statewide averages applied to the county's average annual precipitation provide a rough estimate of how many inches may result in runoff and how many inches have the potential to reach aquifers. Based on statewide averages of runoff and ground-water recharge, Erie County's 34.1 inches of average annual precipitation result in about 9 inches of runoff to streams and lakes, and about 5.5 inches have the potential to recharge aquifers annually. Values for particular locations may differ according to local conditions.
Water use for each of Erie County's public water-supply systems is given in Table 1. For each water system, this table presents an estimate of the population served, water source, estimated daily usage, and treatment plant capacity. The county's largest public-water system is the City of Sandusky, which uses surface water from Lake Erie for its supply.
Ground water is a poor water source for rural households in Erie County. Approximately 5 percent of the population obtains water from private wells. Based on an estimated usage of 75 gallons per person per day, 290,670 gallons per day (gpd) are used from private wells. The remaining 95 percent of households use public-water supplies with surface water as the major source, as identified in Table 1.
Some water users in Ohio must register their withdrawals with the ODNR Division of Water. Through the Water Withdrawal Facility Registration Program, owners of facilities capable of withdrawing 100,000 gpd (70 gpm) or more must register those facilities. Information collected through this program includes withdrawal capacity, type of water sources, location and use, and location of discharge points. The program is for registration only, and not for allocation or permission. Registered withdrawers file annual reports of their water use. This information helps planners at ODNR to determine the availability of water for projected needs in order to better manage and protect Ohio's water resources. Documenting water use also provides official records for individual users. For more information, contact the ODNR Division of Water.
Human activities and natural processes affect the quality of our water supplies. Throughout Ohio, human activities contribute to both point and nonpoint source (NPS) pollution. Point source pollution is the introduction of impurities into water (ground water or surface water) from identifiable, known locations. Examples of point sources include industrial plants, power plants, commercial businesses, and wastewater treatment facilities.
NPS pollution also involves the introduction of impurities into surface-water bodies or aquifers, except the route is usually non-direct and the sources are diffuse in nature. A major portion of the sediment, nutrients, acids and salts, heavy metals, toxic chemicals, and pathogens enter the state's water resources through nonpoint source pollution, affecting both ground and surface water. Examples include automobile emissions, runoff from parking lots, runoff and drainage from agricultural fields, feedlots, home lawns and gardens, residential development, construction, mining, and logging activities.
Natural processes such as precipitation also have an impact on surface water and, to a lesser extent, ground water. For example, rainfall that is acidic ("acid rain") may alter the quality of a stream, lake, or other water resource.
Table 1. Water Use in Erie County, Ohio.1 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Water System | Population Served | Primary Water Source3 | Water Usage (GPD)2 | Treatment Plant Capacity (GPD) |
| Edgewater Estate MHP | 99 | G | 5,800 | ND |
| Erie Co--Huron E. District | 1,352 | PS* | 105,250 | 720,00 |
| Erie Co--Huron S. District | 1,404 | PS** | 141,500 | 403,200 |
| Erie Co--Huron W. District | 760 | PS** | 99,583 | 3,600,000 |
| Erie Co-- Margaretta District | 5,288 | PS*** | 748,333 | 2,534,400 |
| Erie Co--Perkins District | 18,952 | PS*** | 2,351,417 | 5,184,000 |
| Erie Co-- Vermilion District | 888 | PS**** | 61,833 | 360,000 |
| Huron, City of | 7,123 | S | 1,561,000 | 3,400,000 |
| Kelleys Island, Village of | 1,000 | S | 87,000 | 200,000 |
| Milan, Village of | 1,600 | G | 328,000 | 720,000 |
| Riverview Manor Apts. | 75 | G | 2,700 | ND |
| Sandusky, City of | 29,900 | S | 9,921,000 | 18,000,000 |
| Vermilion, City of | 11,000 | S | 1,685,000 | 3,000,000 |
|
1 Estimates from Ohio EPA using adjusted 1996; information is based on data available at time of publication. 2 GPD = gallons per day. 3 G is groundwater, S is surface water; PS is purchased water; ND is no data. * Purchases surface water from both Huron and Vermilion. ** Purchases surface water from Huron. *** Purchases surface water from Sandusky. **** Purchases surface water from Vermilion. |
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As water moves through the limestone and dolomite bedrock underlying Erie County, it dissolves the minerals contained in these formations and carries them in solution. Publication AEX-490.22 summarizes some of the county's natural ground-water quality aspects.
Human activities, such as agricultural production, domestic waste disposal, and lawn and turf care, may have some influence on the county's ground-water quality. In a 1987 study by Heidelberg College, 223 wells in the county were sampled for nitrate-nitrogen content, an indicator of water quality. Results showed that 127 wells (57 percent of total) contained nitrate-nitrogen concentrations in the range of 0 to 0.3 parts-per-million (ppm). This range is assumed to represent natural background levels. Forty-four wells (20 percent) tested in the range of 0.3 to 3.0 ppm, values that may or may not indicate human influence. The 37 wells (17 percent) that tested in the range of 3.0 to 10 ppm, may indicate elevated concentrations resulting from human activities. Only 15 wells (7 percent) tested over the safe drinking water standard of 10 ppm nitrate-nitrogen. The average nitrate-nitrogen concentration for the 223 wells tested was 2.4 ppm. The design, location, and condition of a well, combined with the characteristics of the soils and geologic formations in which the well is constructed, influence the potential for pollutants to enter the well. The Erie County Department of Health provides bacteriological water sampling for local citizens, and results of these tests generally indicate that the water meets current bacteriological standards. For more information contact the Erie County Health Department at 420 Superior Street, Sandusky, OH 44870.
Runoff and sediment from residential development, construction sites, and agricultural lands may enter the county's streams and lakes.
Through the Ohio Nonpoint Source Assessment and Water Resources Inventory, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) has identified 13,000 stream miles in Ohio that have been affected by nonpoint source pollution. Based on the findings of the Assessment and Inventory, the Ohio Nonpoint Source Management Program has been implemented to help improve the quality of the state's waters.
Water quality monitoring has shown all or parts of the following Erie County streams to be affected by NPS pollution: Caswell Ditch, Huron River (East Branch to Lake Erie), Pipe Creek, Mills Creek, and Snyders Ditch. These streams are affected by one or more of the following NPS pollution categories: crop and livestock production, on-site wastewater treatment systems, channelization, and urban runoff. There are also streams within the county that have been shown to be affected by point source pollution (municipal and/or industrial wastewater). The point source affected streams include: Pipe Creek, Mills Creek, and Snyders Ditch. Erie County also contains streams that have good water quality and are attaining chemical and biological water quality standards. Monitoring has shown all or parts of the following streams to have good water quality: Vermilion River (East Fork to Lake Erie), Sherod Creek, Darby Creek, Sugar Creek, Chappel Creek, and Cranberry Creek. For specific information about the streams listed in the Assessment and Inventory documents and details of the Management Plan for Erie County, contact the Ohio EPA Northwest District Office, 347 North Dunbridge Road, Bowling Green, OH 43402. Information about nonpoint source pollution is also discussed in Nonpoint Source Pollution: Water Primer, AEX-465, available from your county Extension office.
It is important to note that as of June 1996 less than half of Ohio's streams have been evaluated by the Assessment. As water quality monitoring continues statewide, the list of Erie County affected streams will change. Residents have a major challenge to protect water resources from pollutants that could affect the quality of the water supply.
Water availability and quality are important public concerns. Water problems can be both costly and inconvenient. While the present availability of water is good for Erie County, water is a precious resource that must be conserved and protected. We must all work together to maintain an adequate supply of good quality water.
This fact sheet provides information about the water resources in Erie County. For more information concerning water resources and drinking-water quality in the county, contact the Erie County office of Ohio State University Extension (2900 South Columbus Avenue, Sandusky, OH 44870). In addition, the following agencies may be able to provide information on other water resource topics in the county: Erie Soil and Water Conservation District (2900 South Columbus Avenue, Sandusky, OH 44870); Erie County Health Department (420 Superior Street, Sandusky, OH 44870); ODNR Division of Water (Fountain Square, Columbus, OH 43224); U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Ohio District (975 West Third Avenue, Columbus, OH 43212); Ohio EPA (P.O. Box 1049, Columbus, OH 43216-1049); Ohio Department of Health (ODH; P.O. Box 118, Columbus, OH 43266); and County Sanitary Engineer, 554 River Road, Huron, OH 44839.
1990 Census and 1992 Estimates of Ohio's Population: State, Counties, Cities, and Villages. 1994. Ohio Department of Development.
Erie County, Ohio Soil Survey. 1979. USDA-SCS.
Erie County Ground-Water Resources. 1997. D. Weilnau, A. W. Jones, J. M. Raab, L. C. Brown, and N. M. N'Jie. AEX-490.22. Ohio State University Extension.
Erie Soil and Water Conservation District Resources Inventory. 1986. USDA-SCS.
Doane's Agricultural Report. 1992. Farm Water Systems.
Estimated Water Use in Ohio, 1990, Public Supply Data. 1993. USGS. Open-File Report 93-72.
Gazetteer of Ohio Streams. 1960. Ohio Water Inventory Report No. 12. ODNR Div. of Water.
Ground-Water Resources Erie County. 1986. ODNR Div. of Water (map).
Hydrologic Atlas for Ohio: Average Annual Precipitation, Temperature, Streamflow, and Water Loss for the 50-Year Period 1931-1980. 1991. L. J. Hartstine. Water Inventory Report No. 28. ODNR Div. of Water.
Inventory of Municipal Water-Supply Systems by County, Ohio. 1977. Ohio Water Inventory Report No. 24. ODNR Div. of Water.
Inventory of Ohio's Lakes. 1980. Ohio Water Inventory Report No. 26. ODNR Div. of Water.
Monthly Station Normals of Temperature, Precipitation, and Heating and Cooling Degree Days, 1961-90, Ohio. 1992. Climatology of the United States, No. 81 (by state). NOAA.
Nitrate and Pesticides in Private Wells of Ohio: A State Atlas. 1989. Water Quality Laboratory, Heidelberg College.
Nitrate in Drinking Water. 1987. K. M. Mancl. Bulletin No. 744. Ohio State University Extension.
Nonpoint Source Pollution: Water Primer. 1993. R. Leeds and L. C. Brown. AEX-465. Ohio State University Extension.
Ohio Ground-Water Quality. USGS National Water Summary--Ohio. 1986. USGS. Water-Supply Paper 2325.
Ohio Ground-Water Resources. USGS National Water Summary--Ohio. 1984. USGS. Water-Supply Paper 2275.
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Ohio Surface-Water Resources. USGS National Water Summary--Ohio. 1985. USGS. Water-Supply Paper 2300.
Ohio Water Firsts. 1985. S. L. Frost and W. S. Nichols. Water Resources Foundation of Ohio, Inc.
Ohio Water Resource Inventory: Executive Summary and Volumes 1-4. 1992. Ohio EPA.
Ohio's Hydrologic Cycle. 1990. L. C. Brown and K. M. Coltman. AEX-461. Ohio State University Extension.
Private Water Systems Handbook. 1987. MWPS-14. Midwest Plan Service, Ames, IA.
State of Ohio Nonpoint Source Assessment: Volumes 1-6. 1990. Ohio EPA.
Surface and Ground Water Terminology. 1990. L. C. Brown and L. P. Black. AEX-460. Ohio State University Extension.
Water--Ohio's Remarkable Resource. 1982. ODNR Div. of Water.
Withdrawal and Distribution of Water By Public Water Supplies in Ohio, 1985. 1989. USGS. Open-File Report 89-423.
This publication was produced through the Ohio Water Resources Education Project, in cooperation with: ODNR Division of Water; Ohio EPA; USGS, Ohio District; and ODH. Project leaders are Larry C. Brown and N'Deye Marie N'Jie. Partial financial support for this publication was provided by these cooperating agencies and programs: Erie County office of OSU Extension; ESWCD Board of Trustees, Overholt Drainage Education and Research Program; and the Ohio Management Systems Evaluation Area Project (USDA CSREES Grant No. 94-EWQI-1-9057).
The project leaders express appreciation to the following reviewers: Dave Braun (Lead Conservation Technician, Erie Soil and Water Conservation District); David M. Hanson (District Conservationist, NRCS); A. Wayne Jones, David Cashell, and Leonard Black (ODNR Division of Water); Scott Golden (Bureau of Local Services, ODH); Steve Hindall (USGS, Ohio District); Anthony J. Kramer (USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, State Office, Columbus); Julie Gillenwater (Ohio EPA Division of Drinking and Ground Waters); and Larry Antosch (Ohio EPA Division of Surface Water). A special thanks to Lou Ann Hauch, (Conservation Technician, Erie Soil and Water Conservation District); Mango Fulmer (ODNR), Ed Rankin (Ohio EPA), Cindy Crawford (Secretary, Ohio State University Extension, Erie County), and Kim Wintringham, Technical Editor (Section of Communications and Technology, The Ohio State University), for editorial and graphic production.
All educational programs conducted by Ohio State University Extension are available to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, gender, age, disability or Vietnam-era veteran status.
Keith L. Smith, Associate Vice President for Ag. Adm. and Director, OSU Extension.
TDD No. 800-589-8292 (Ohio only) or 614-292-1868