Among the most comprehensive indicators in Ohio are those that deal with water resources. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) is a national leader in water quality monitoring and assessment. Ohio EPA has extensively sampled and documented surface water quality in the state since the early 1970s. Ground water quality is as important as surface water quality in Ohio, and several of the indicators below a relative to ground water in the state.
| WATER | ||
|---|---|---|
| INDICATOR | VALUE | DATA SOURCE |
| Sampled streams in Ohio with impaired uses | 1979-88: 44.0% 1989-92: 29.1% |
Ohio EPA, 1992 Ohio Water Resources Inventory |
| Total number of fish kills caused by pollutants in 1992 in Ohio | 54 | Ohio EPA, 1992 Ohio Water Resources Inventory; U.S. EPA National Water Quality Inventory, March 1994 |
| Total number of fish killed by pollution, 1992 | 41,318 | Ohio EPA, 1992 Ohio Water Resources Inventory; U.S. EPA , March 1994 |
| 1992 Ohio fish kills as a percent of the nation | 6 | Ohio EPA, 1992 Ohio Water Resources Inventory; U.S. EPA National Water Quality Inventory, March 1994 |
| Number of public water bodies cited for having contaminated fish since 1983 | 18 | Ohio Department of Health, 1994 |
| Number of stream miles in Ohio (named and designated streams and rivers) | 29,000 | Ohio EPA, 1992 Ohio Water Resources Inventory |
| Number of stream miles impaired in 1992 | 1,704 | Ohio EPA, 1992 Ohio Water Resources Inventory |
| Number of fish tissue advisories in 1992 | 20 | Ohio EPA, 1992 Ohio Water Resources Inventory |
| Number of stream miles affected by nonpoint pollution sources in 1992 | 12,463 | Ohio EPA, 1992 Ohio Water Resources Inventory |
| Streams and rivers in Ohio fully supporting aquatic life uses | 33.1% | Ohio EPA, 1992 Ohio Water Resources Inventory |
| Approximate number of point discharges to Ohio streams | 3,800 | Ohio EPA Division of Surface Water, 1995 |
| Approximate number of combined sewer overflows in Ohio | 2,000 | Ohio EPA, 1992 Ohio Water Resources Inventory |
| Percent of stream miles monitoried that were impaired by sedimentation | 17.87% | Ohio EPA, 1992 Ohio Water Resources Inventory |
| Percent change in point sources as a major source of impairment in reassessed streams | -56% | Ohio EPA, 1994 Ohio Water Resources Inventory; Ohio EPA |
| Major water uses in Ohio | Power: 73% Manufacturing: 14% Public supplies: 10% Other: 2% Rural: 1% |
ODNR, Division of Water, Water: Ohio's Remarkable Resource |
| Number of water supplies in 1992 with detected levels of VOCs | 97 | Ohio Environmental Council, 1992. Safe Drinking Water: A Guide to Wellhead Protection for Ohio Citizens and Communities. |
| Approximate percent of private water wells containing high levels of bacteria | 23-40% | Ohio Department of Health (personal communication); Ohio Environmental Council, 1992. Safe Drinking Water: A Guide to Wellhead Protection for Ohio Citizens and Communities. |
| Number of scenic rivers (percent total Ohio river miles) | 10 (8.9%) | ODNR, 1993. Division of Natural Areas and Preserves |
| Number of state park beaches closed or posted by local health departments due to elevated coliform counts in 1993 & 1994 | 17 | ODNR, Division of Parks and Recreation |
| Estimated percentage of on-site residential wastewater systems that are failing to adequately treat wastewater | 27% | Mancl, Karen.1 990. A survey of small sewage treatment facilities in Ohio. Ohio Journal of Science 90, 4: 112-117. |
| Approximate number of idle/orphan water wells in Ohio | 200,000 | ODNR, Division of Water |
| Number of sole source aquifers in Ohio | 5 | ODNR, Divsion of Water |
| Approximate number of people with public water systems exposed to trihalomethanes above the maximum contaminant level | 1993: 34,960 1994: 20,690 |
Ohio EPA, Division of Drinking and Ground Water (NOTE: 9,690 people in 1994 were the same people also exposed in 1993) |