Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet

Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering

590 Woody Hayes Dr., Columbus, Ohio 43210

Summit County Water Resources

AEX-480.77

Ernest F. Oelker
Kristina M. Boone
Larry C. Brown

Water is a resource often taken for granted. In recent years, water availability and quality have become important public concerns in Summit County. The county's population of 514,990 (1990 census data) is predominantly urban, and about 55 percent of the population relies on surface water for their water supply. By understanding where water is obtained and how it is used in the county, residents can gain a better appreciation for their water. Providing a brief overview of Summit County's water resources, this fact sheet is intended to help increase public awareness and understanding of water resources. 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.

Precipitation

An average of approximately 37 inches of precipitation falls on Summit 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 3.1 inches per month, with January and February (2.2 inches) typically being the driest months, and July (4.1 inches) the wettest. There can be, however, extreme variations in some years and in certain months within a year. Such seasonal and yearly extremes, which may have serious consequences, often are not apparent from the long-term precipitation information.

Figure 1. Average monthly precipitation (in inches) in Summit County, Ohio (1961-1990); Data collected at Akron-Canton station.

Surface-Water Resources

Approximately 60 percent of Summit County lies in the Cuyahoga River basin, which drains to the north to Lake Erie. A small area in northwest Summit County drains into tributaries of Rocky River and ultimately Lake Erie. Almost all of the remainder of the county drains into the Tuscarawas River, a tributary of the Muskingum River, which empties into the Ohio River at Marietta (in Washington County). A generalized surface-water map of Summit County is given in Figure 2.

Surface waters are affected by the soil type and topography of the land adjacent to them, and the way humans use the land. Land use, such as residential development, construction, and agricultural production, can increase the amount of sediment entering a body of water. The type of soils in an area also influences surface water because of the soil's infiltration capacity. With some soils, rainfall is more likely to run off, while other soils allow water to infiltrate more readily.

The county contains approximately 264,320 land acres, of which about 8.7 percent is farmland. Forty-seven different major soil types are present within the county, the majority of which are moderately-sloping to moderately-steep, poorly-drained to well-drained clays, loams and mucks. The county water acreage consists of 117 lakes totaling about 5,000 acres, including 9 lakes of the Portage Lakes System with a combined area of more than 1,000 acres, as well as the 825-acre Nimisila Reservoir, 289-acre Springfield Lake and 318-acre Turkeyfoot Lake. These lakes are used for recreation and wildlife sanctuary purposes. Barberton Reservoir in Norton Township (196 acres) is the only lake in Summit County which is used as a public water supply. Most of the remaining acreage of lakes is used for recreation and industrial water supply. The City of Akron and those systems that purchase water from Akron, including Hudson, Stow and Tallmadge, use surface water from Lake Rockwell in Portage County. Approximately 340 linear miles of major streams and rivers course through Summit County (estimated from ODNR Div. of Water river basin maps). This availability of water lends itself to many uses by both communities and individuals.

Figure 2. Surface-water resources in Summit County, Ohio (adapted from ODNR Div. of Water river basin maps by R.A. Roberts).

Ground-Water Resources

A wide variety of aquifer types underlie Summit County. Wells drilled in the county's best aquifers can yield up to and more than 1,000 gallons per minute (gpm). The best aquifers, typically yielding 500 to 1,000 gpm, are composed of permeable sand and gravel deposits and are located where major streams run. Other sand and gravel deposits not traversed by major streams may produce yields between 200 to 500 gpm. Some aquifers in the county are interlensed or have pockets of sand and gravel as well as silt and clay. Yields are highly variable (5 to 500 gpm) and for development of large industrial supplies, extensive test drilling is recommended in these areas.

Large areas of the county are underlain with aquifers that have the potential to produce 25 to 100 gpm from the bedrock. In the southern part of the county, wells developed in interbedded sandstone and shale are used. Yields of less than 25 gpm are possible in the northern and western portions of the county. Substantial areas in the northern half of the county seldom yield more than 3 gpm. In these areas dry holes are not uncommon and it is often necessary to supplement wells with additional storage systems, such as cisterns. An overview of the ground-water resources in the county is given in Summit County Ground-Water Resources, AEX-490.77.

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 Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Div. of Water.

Where Does the Water Go?

Based on long-term 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 38 inches, 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 will result in runoff and how many inches have the potential to reach aquifers. Based on statewide averages of runoff and ground-water recharge, Summit County's 37 inches of average annual precipitation result in about 9.6 inches of runoff to streams and lakes, and about 6.0 inches have the potential to recharge aquifers, annually. Values for particular locations will differ according to local conditions.

Water Use

Water use for each of Summit 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 Akron, which uses surface water from Lake Rockwell in Portage County for its supply. Hudson Township, Stow and Tallmadge purchase water from the City of Akron. The City of Barberton uses Barberton Reservoir in Norton Township for its supply. All other public water systems in the county use ground water for their supplies.

Ground water is a major water source for rural and urban households in Summit County. Ground-water supplies water for about 45 percent of the population. Thirty percent of the county's population draws their ground water from private wells, withdrawing a total of about 11.4 million gallons per day (gpd). Additional private water uses include industry (2.6 million gpd), golf course and crop irrigation (40,000 gpd), and livestock use (20,000 gpd), and are drawn mostly from ground-water sources. The remaining 55 percent of households use public-water supplies with surface water as the source, as identified in Table 1.

Some water users in Ohio must register their withdrawals with the ODNR Div. of Water. Through the Water Withdrawal Facility Registration Program, owners of facilities that could withdraw 100,000 gpd (70 gpm) or more must register those facilities. Information collected through this program includes withdrawal capacity, ground- or surface-water sources, location and type of water 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 determine the availability of water for projected needs and better manage and protect Ohio's water resources. Documenting water use also provides official records for individual uses. For more information, contact ODNR, Div. of Water.

Summit County also has 102 non-transient non-community public water supplies. Non-transient non-community systems are small public supplies, such as some schools and businesses, that serve more than 25 of the same people during six months of the year. In Summit County, 20,336 people are served by non-transient non-community systems, and the approximate usage is 450,000 gpd.

Table 1. Water Use in Summit County, Ohio.1
Public Water System	Population Served	Primary Water Source	Water Usage (GPD)2	Treatment Plant Capacity (GPD)
Akron3	223,019	Surface Water	47,600,000	67,000,000
Barberton	28,600	Surface Water	4,460,000	12,000,000
Copley Square	1,213	Ground Water	85,000	216,000
Cuyahoga Falls	48,000	Ground Water	6,600,000	14,000,000
Hudson Village	5,100	Ground Water	800,000	1,500,000
Lakemore Village	2,684	Ground Water	250,000	NA4
Munroe Falls5	5,300	Ground Water	480,000	3,800,000
Shepard Hills (Sagamore Hills)	863	Ground Water	60,000	227,000
Silver Lake5	3,000	Ground Water	250,000	1,000,000
Summit Co.-Brentwood	535	Ground Water	55,000	150,000
Summit Co.-Copley Meadows	368	Ground Water	34,000	162,000
Summit Co.-Country Club	1,600	Ground Water	260,000	0
Summit Co.-Hudson Township6	2,788	Surface Water	160,000	0
Summit Co.-Stow6	20,830	Surface Water	3,400,000	0
Summit Co.-Montrose	1,195	Ground Water	492,000	1,500,000
Tallmadge6	10,800	Surface Water	1,250,000	3,000,000
Other7	6,745	Ground Water	729,150	265,200
1 Estimates from Ohio EPA using 1993 data, adjusted by Leonard Black, ODNR Div. of Water.
2 GPD = gallons per day.
3 Source of water is Lake Rockwell in Portage County.
4 Information not available.
5 Water supplied by Cuyahoga Falls.
6 Water supplied by Akron PWS (Lake Rockwell, Portage County).
7 Other - includes Copley Meadows and approximately 47 other apartment, multiple-home, condominium, trailer park and nursing home systems.

Water Quality

Natural processes and human activities affect the quality of our water supplies. Throughout Ohio, human activities contribute to nonpoint source pollution, through which a major portion of the sediment, nutrients, acids and salts, heavy metals, toxic chemicals and pathogens enter the state's water resources. Nonpoint source pollution is the introduction of impurities into a surface-water body or an aquifer, usually through a non-direct route and from sources that are "diffuse" in nature. This type of pollution affects both ground and surface water. Examples include automobile emissions, runoff from parking lots, runoff and drainage from agricultural fields, feedlots, and home gardens, and runoff and drainage from construction, mining and logging.

Ground Water

As water moves through the sand, gravel, clay, shales and sandstones underlying Summit County, it dissolves and carries in solution minerals contained in these deposits. Ground water under certain areas of Franklin and Coventry Townships and the cities of Barberton and Akron contains high salt concentrations which make it unsuitable for consumption. AEX-490.77 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 study by Heidelberg College during 1989 and 1990, 61 wells in the county were sampled for nitrate content, of which 48 (78.7 percent) 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. Six wells (9.8 percent) were tested in the range of 0.31 to 3.0 ppm; these values may or may not indicate human influence. The 7 wells (11.5 percent) that tested in the range of 3.1 to 10 ppm, may indicate elevated concentrations resulting from human activities. No well tested over 10 ppm nitrate-nitrogen, which exceeds the safe drinking-water standard. Design, location, and condition of a well, as well as the characteristics of the soils and geologic formations in which the well is constructed, influence the potential for pollutants to enter the well. Bacterial counts are another indicator of ground-water quality. The Summit County Health Department tests water samples for concerned citizens. Results of these tests indicate that very few wells have consistently high levels of bacteria in the water. Health Department officials report that most wells respond to simple chlorine treatment for bacteria problems. Wells that fail to respond to chlorination almost always are found to have been improperly constructed or contaminated by surface water.

In addition to the above, certain wells in the Uniontown area of Stark County and adjacent area of Green Township in Summit County have been found to be contaminated with volatile organic chemicals. Contact the Stark County Extension office for more information.

Surface Water

Runoff and sediment from residential development, construction sites and agricultural lands may enter the county's streams and lakes. Also, runoff may carry other pollutants, such as lawn and agricultural chemicals (pesticides and fertilizers), effluent from septic systems, oil and gas from spills, and industrial wastes. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) tabulated suspended solid loads on the Cuyahoga River at Independence and calculated total sediment loading based on total drainage area and average annual flow. The average sediment load for the Cuyahoga River is 300,000 tons per year, which means that about 1159 pounds of soil per acre in the watershed enters surface waters through erosion each year. Rates of erosion from land vary, depending on land use. One measure of the relationship between erosion and water resources is the sediment delivery rate. The sediment delivery rate is the amount of sediment generated at its source compared to the amount of sediment actually reaching a water resource. For northeast Ohio, the sediment delivery rate is 20% for farmland and roadsides, meaning that for every ton of sediment that is generated, 20 percent reaches the water resource. The sediment delivery ratio for streambanks and floodplain scour, as well as for land development, is 30%; it is 40% for urban sediment.

Through the Ohio Nonpoint Source Assessment and Water Resources Inventory, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) and ODNR have found that 13,000 stream miles in Ohio have been affected by nonpoint source pollution. Summit County contains portions of several streams and their tributaries that have been classified by the Assessment as being affected by nonpoint source pollution. Based on the findings of the Assessment and Inventory, the Ohio Nonpoint Source Management Plan has been implemented to help improve the quality of the state's waters. For specific information on results of the Assessment and details of the Management Plan for the county, contact the Ohio EPA Northeast District Office (2110 E. Aurora Rd., Twinsburg, OH 44087). Overall, Summit County has a safe supply of water. County citizens have a major challenge to protect water resources from pollutants that could affect the quality of the water supply. For more information about nonpoint source pollution, refer to Nonpoint Source Pollution: Water Primer, AEX 465, available from your county Extension office.

Summary

Water availability and quality are important public concerns. Water problems can be both costly and inconvenient. While the present and future availability of water is good for Summit 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 provided information on water facts for Summit County. For more information on water resources and drinking-water quality in the county, contact the Stark/Summit Regional Extension Office of Ohio State University Extension. In addition, the following agencies may be able to provide information on other water resources topics in the county: Summit Soil and Water Conservation District; Summit County Health Department; ODNR Div. of Water (Fountain Square, Col., OH 43224); USGS, Ohio District (975 W. Third Ave., Col., OH 43212); Ohio EPA (1800 WaterMark Dr., Col., OH 43266); and Ohio Department of Health (P.O. Box 118, Col., OH 43226).

Bibliography

Estimated Water Use in Ohio, 1990, Public Supply Data. 1993. USGS. Open-File Report 93-72.

Floods at Barberton (Summit County), Ohio. 1962. USGS Hydrologic Investigations Atlas 49.

Gazetteer of Ohio Streams. 1960. Ohio Water Inventory Report No. 12. ODNR Div. of Water.

The ground-water resources of Summit County, Ohio. 1953. ODNR Div. of Water Bulletin 27.

Ground-Water Resources of Summit County. 1979. J.J. Schmidt. 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. 1992. 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.

Northeast Ohio Water Plan. 1972. ODNR Div. of Water.

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.

Ohio Nonpoint Source Management Program. 1993. ODNR. Fountain Square, Col., OH 43224-1387.

Ohio Surface-Water Resources. USGS National Water Summary - Ohio. 1985. USGS. Water-Supply Paper 2300.

Ohio Water Resource Inventory: Executive Summary and Volumes 1-4. 1992. Ohio EPA. Col., OH 43266-0149.

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.

Soil and Water Conservation District Resource Inventory. 1985. USDA-SCS.

Southeast Ohio Water Plan. 1978. ODNR Div. of Water.

State of Ohio Nonpoint Source Assessment: Volumes 1-6. 1990. Ohio EPA. Col., OH 43266-0149.

Summit County Health Department. 1993. John Gable. Personal Communication.

Summit County Ground-Water Resources. 1993. E.F. Oelker, Jim Raab, L.C. Brown and K.M. Boone. AEX-490.77. Ohio State University Extension.

Summit County, Ohio Soil Survey, 1968. USDA-SCS.

Surface and Ground Water Terminology. 1990. L.C. Brown and L.P. Black. AEX 460. Ohio State University Extension.

Time of travel of solutes in the Tuscarawas River basin, Ohio, August and September 1974. 1977. USGS. WRI Report 77-23.

Water - Ohio's Remarkable Resource. 1982. ODNR Div. of Water.

Withdrawal and Distribution of Water By Public Water Supplies in Ohio, 1985. USGS. Open-File Report 89-423.

Acknowledgments

This publication was produced through the Ohio Water Resources Education Project, in cooperation with: ODNR Div. of Water; Ohio EPA; USGS, Ohio District; and Ohio Department of Health (ODH). Project leaders are Larry C. Brown and Kristina M. Boone. Support was provided, in part by: the cooperating agencies; Stark/Summit office of OSU Extension; Summit County Council; USDA Water Quality Initiative Funds; Overholt Drainage Education and Research Program; and USDA Extension Service Grant No. 90-EWQI-1-9018.

The project leaders express appreciation to the following reviewers: Dan Ross (USDA-SCS); James M. Raab, David Cashell and Leonard Black (ODNR Div. of Water); Scott Golden (Environmental Health, ODH); Steve Hindall and Ron Veley (USGS, Ohio District); James Wade (USDA-SCS); Chris Khourey (Ohio EPA, Northeast District); Jay Fleming (Ohio EPA Div. of Drinking and Ground Water); and Larry Antosch (Ohio EPA Div. of Surface Water).

A special thanks to Michelle Roby and Ross A. Roberts (Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Assistants) for help in manuscript and graphics preparation, and Judy Kauffeld, Publications Editor (Section of Communications and Technology, Ohio State University), for editorial and graphic production.