Figure 1. Average monthly precipitation (in inches) in Van Wert County, Ohio (1961-1990); data collected at Van Wert.
Water is a resource often taken for granted. In recent years, water availability and quality have become important public concerns in Van Wert County. The county's population of 30,223 (1992 Ohio Department of Development estimate) is approximately one third urban and two thirds rural with 61 percent of the residents relying on ground water from private and public systems for their water supply. This fact sheet provides a brief overview of Van Wert 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 36.7 inches of precipitation falls on Van Wert 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 (2.0 inches each) typically being the driest months, 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 Van Wert County, Ohio (1961-1990); data
collected at Van Wert.
All of Van Wert County drains into Lake Erie to the north and east. The largest watershed, the Little Auglaize River, drains the county from south to north. The Little Auglaize River flows to the north and joins the Auglaize River, which then joins the Maumee River in Defiance, Ohio and flows northeast to Lake Erie. Major creeks in the Little Auglaize River watershed include Prairie, Hagerman, Hoaglin, Maddox, Town, and Dog Creeks which all flow to the north and east and join the Little Auglaize in Paulding County. A small portion of southeastern Van Wert County drains into the Auglaize River in Allen County by way of Jennings Creek and West Jennings Creek. The southwest corner of Van Wert County is part of the St. Mary's River Basin. Water in this watershed takes a longer route to Lake Erie, first going into Indiana. The St. Mary's flows from southeast to northwest crossing into Indiana near Willshire and joining with the St. Joseph and the Maumee Rivers in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. The Maumee then flows to the northeast crossing into Ohio in Paulding County near Antwerp. Major Van Wert County creeks in this basin are Twentyseven Mile, Duck, and Black Creeks.
The Northwest corner of Van Wert County falls into the Upper Maumee River Basin. Most of this area drains into Blue Creek which flows to the northeast into Paulding County and flows into the Auglaize River which then joins the Maumee River in Defiance. Some water in this basin flows across the Indiana/Ohio border in three areas. Water in Adams County, Indiana that drains into Flatrock Creek flows northeast into Ohio then northwest back into Indiana near the Adams/Allen County, Indiana line. Flatrock Creek then flows back to the northeast crossing into Ohio in Paulding County flowing into the Auglaize River which then flows to the Maumee River. A generalized surface-water map of Van Wert County is given in Figure 2.
Figure 2. Surface-water
resources in Van Wert County, Ohio (adapted from ODNR Division of Water
river basin maps; illustration prepared by K.A. Weber).
Surface waters are affected by the soil type, geology, the topography of adjacent land, and the way people use the land. Land use, such as residential development and agricultural production, may increase 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 261,760 land acres, of which 97 percent is farmland. Ten soil associations have been identified in the county and vary in drainage quality from moderately well drained to very poorly drained. As part of the "Black Swamp" of Northwestern Ohio, farming was delayed until drainage methods developed in the late 1800's. The majority of the soils are classified as poorly drained but respond well to subsurface drainage.
The county water acreage consists of about 240 acres of quarries, borrow pits, small ponds, and lakes, including approximately 120 acres in two Van Wert City up ground reservoirs. The county contains approximately 313 linear miles of major streams and rivers [estimated from river basin maps, Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Water]. In addition, 104 miles of county-maintained ditches and numerous miles of privately- maintained ditches are used for land drainage.
Van Wert County's primary ground-water source is the carbonate aquifer composed of limestone and dolomite bedrock. Limestone is composed of calcium carbonate, while dolomite is composed of calcium and magnesium carbonates. Together they form a popular construction material that most Ohioans refer to as limestone.
The limestone aquifer underlies all of Van Wert County. Yields in excess of 750 gallons per minute (gpm) have been obtained at depths of less than 275 feet. Regional yield ranges from 100 to 500 gpm at 121 to 360 feet. Farm and domestic supplies of about 10 gpm are usually developed at depths of less than 90 feet.
A remnant ancestral drainage channel runs north and south from southwest of the City of Van Wert south beyond the Mercer County line, lying west of the village of Ohio City. This ancestral channel is partially filled with thick layers of clay interbedded with thin layers of water-bearing sand and gravel. Few wells are developed in the sand and gravel layers, and most are drilled into the underlying bedrock. Cautious drilling is recommended in attempting to secure public and industrial water supplies near the City of Van Wert. Test drilling and pumping tests are necessary to secure minimal yields because of a large amount of pumping in the vicinity. An overview of the ground-water resources in the county is given in Van Wert County Ground-Water Resources, AEX-490.81.
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, the concentration of other wells in close proximity, 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 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 may result in runoff and how many inches have the potential to reach aquifers. Based on statewide averages of runoff and ground-water recharge, Van Wert County's 36.7 inches of average annual precipitation result in about 9.5 inches of runoff to streams and lakes, and about 6 inches have the potential to recharge aquifers annually. Values for particular locations will differ according to local conditions.
Water use for each of Van Wert 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 Van Wert system, which uses Town Creek, two wells, and two up ground reservoirs for its supply. The Villages of Ohio City, Convoy, Middle Point use ground water; Willshire uses surface water.
Ground water is a major water source for rural households in Van Wert County. Approximately 50 percent of the population obtains their water from private wells. Based on an estimated usage of 75 gallons per person per day, 1.14 million gallons per day (gpd) from private wells are used. Additional private water uses may include industry, crop and golf course irrigation, and livestock use. The remaining households use public-water supplies, as identified in Table 1.
| Table 1. Water Use in Van Wert County, Ohio.1 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Water System | Population Served | Primary Water Source | Water Usage (GPD)2 | Treatment Plant Capacity (GPD) |
| Van Wert | 11,000 | Ground & Surface Water | 1,604,000 | 3,888,000 |
| Convoy | 1,200 | Ground Water | 137,000 | 194,000 |
| Ohio City | 850 | Ground Water | 120,000 | 641,000 |
| Middle Point | 639 | Ground Water | 40,000 | 129,000 |
| Willshire | 600 | Surface Water | 36,000 | 113,000 |
| Other3 | 293 | Ground Water | 20,170 | N/A |
| 1 Estimate from Ohio EPA 1996; information is based on data available at time of publication. | ||||
| 2 GPD = gallons per day. | ||||
| 3 Includes Conrad Mobile Home Parks and Lincolnway Home; treatment plant capacity figure not available. | ||||
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 and to better manage and protect Ohio's water resources. Documenting water use also provides official records for individual uses. 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 pollution. Point source pollution is the introduction of impurities into water (ground water or surface water) from an identifiable, known location. Examples of point sources can include industrial plants, power plants, commercial businesses, and wastewater treatment facilities.
Nonpoint source pollution also involves the introduction of impurities into a surface-water body or an aquifer, 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 pollution sources, affecting both ground and surface water. Examples include automobile emissions, runoff from parking lots, and 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 that receives the rainfall.
As water moves through the fractured limestone underlying Van Wert County, it dissolves the minerals contained in these formations and carries them in solution. Publication AEX-490.81 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, 509 wells in the county were sampled for nitrate-nitrogen content, an indicator of water quality. Results showed that 484 wells (95 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. Twenty wells (4 percent) tested in the range of 0.3 to 3.0 ppm, values that may or may not indicate human influence. The four wells (0.8 percent) that tested in the range of 3.0 to 10 ppm may indicate elevated concentrations resulting from human activities. Only one well (0.2 percent) tested over the safe drinking-water standard of 10 ppm nitrate-nitrogen. The average nitrate-nitrogen concentration for the 509 wells tested was 0.17 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 Van Wert 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 county health department (140 Fox Road, Van Wert, OH 45891).
The Van Wert Soil and Water Conservation District has been conducting a surface and ground water quality monitoring program since 1989. The water quality monitoring program's purpose is to establish baseline data in Van Wert County and the influence of rainfall and sampling date on surface water quality. One well in each of the county's 12 townships and six municipal supplies in the county are tested annually in June for nitrates and five herbicides commonly used in agriculture. Surface water in Town Creek is sampled twice annually at three locations for 27 pesticides commonly used in lawn care and agriculture. Additionally Town Creek is sampled monthly at three locations for nitrate and phosphate analysis. For more information about this monitoring program, contact the county Soil and Water Conservation District (1354 E. Ervin Road, Van Wert, OH 45891).
Runoff and sediment from residential development, construction sites and agricultural lands may enter the county's streams and lakes. Also, runoff may carry pollutants such as lawn and agricultural chemicals (pesticides and fertilizers), oil and gas from spills, and industrial wastes.
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 indicates that all or parts of the following Van Wert County streams are affected by nonpoint source (NPS) pollution: Black Creek, Dog Creek, Dry Creek, Hagerman Creek, Little Auglaize River, Long Prairie Creek, Prairie Creek, and Town Creek. These streams are affected by one or more of the following NPS pollution categories: agriculture, channelization, crop production, hydromodification, in-place pollutants, livestock, on-site wastewater treatment systems, streambank modification, and urban runoff. Other county streams are affected by point source pollution (municipal and/or industrial wastewater). Point source affected streams include: Hagerman Creek, Jennings Creek, Long Prairie Creek, and Town Creek. Van Wert County also contains streams that have good water quality and are attaining chemical and biological water quality standards. Monitoring has shown that the St. Mary's River (Twelve Mile Creek to Black Creek) has good water quality. For specific information about the streams listed in the Assessment and Inventory documents, and details about the Nonpoint Source Management Program for the county, contact the Ohio EPA Northwest District Office (347 N. Dunbridge Rd., Bowling Green, OH 43404). 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 Van Wert County affected streams and streams with good water quality 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 Van Wert 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 about the water resources in Van Wert County. For more information concerning water resources and drinking-water quality in the county, contact the Van Wert County office of Ohio State University Extension (1055 South Washington, Van Wert, OH 45891; 419-238-1214). In addition, the following agencies may be able to provide information on other water resources topics in the county: Van Wert Soil and Water Conservation District; Van Wert County Health Department; ODNR Division of Water (Fountain Square, Columbus, OH 43224); U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Ohio District (975 W. Third Ave., Columbus, OH 43212); Ohio EPA (P.O. Box 1049, Columbus, OH 43216-1049); and Ohio Department of Health (ODH; P.O. Box 118, Columbus, OH 43266).
1990 Census and 1992 Estimates of Ohio's Population: State, Counties, Cities, and Villages. 1994. Ohio Department of Development.
Doane's Agricultural Report. 1992. Farm Water Systems.
Estimated Water Use in Ohio, 1990, Public Supply Data. 1993. USGS. Open-File Report 93-72.
Ground-Water Resources of Van Wert County. 1982. 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.
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 Nonpoint Source Management Program. 1993. ODNR.
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.
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.
Report of Analysis-Van Wert County Water Quality Study. 1994. Van Wert Soil and Water Conservation District.
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.
Van Wert County, Ohio Soil Survey. 1979. USDA-SCS.
Van Wert County Ground-Water Resources. 1997. S. D. Lichtensteiger, A. W. Jones, L. C. Brown and K. T. Ricker. AEX-490.81. Ohio State University Extension.
Van Wert Soil and Water Conservation District Resources Inventory. 1986. USDA-SCS.
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 Karen T. Ricker. Partial financial support for this publication was provided by these cooperating agencies and programs: Van Wert County office of OSU Extension; Van Wert County Foundation, Overholt Drainage Education and Research Program; and the Ohio Management Systems Evaluation Area Project (USDACREES Grant No. 94-EWQI-1-9057).
The project leaders express appreciation to the following reviewers: George Brake (Van Wert Solid Waste Management District); Steven Brown and David Sanders (USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service); 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 and Richard McClay (Ohio EPA Division of Surface Water).
A special thanks to Marilyn Reed and Jeannine Roediger (Van Wert County Extension), and to Kim Wintringham, Associate Editor (Section of Communications and Technology, Ohio State University Extension), 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