Maintaining high water quality for drinking water use, recreational, agricultural and industrial purposes has been challenging in Ohio. Monitoring by the Ohio EPA indicates that while water quality is improving, it is still impaired.
Sedimentation causes impairment for Ohio watersheds, while Ohio’s large rivers are generally impaired by over-enrichment and habitat modification, providing a variety of potential research areas. There are numerous ways that researchers and other stakeholders are working to ensure that lake and river water quality and use improves, ranging from removing low head dams, returning ecosystems to a more natural state, tracking septic tanks pollution, and improving technologies for sustainable and efficient drinking water and wastewater treatment. The Ohio Water Resources Center is working with researchers to improve all aspect of water resources management and treatment, in order to maintain this resource for future generations.
Current Research Projects
- Hyporheic Exchange Enhancement During Stream Restoration, Anne Jefferson, KSU
- Dam Removal Effects on River Channel Structure and Fish Assemblages, Kristin Jeager, OSU
- Real-time Distribution System Network Modeling, Dominic Boccelli, UC
- Biochar Use to Improve Runoff Water Quality from Vegetated Roofs, Ishi Buffam, UC
