Volume 20, Issue 1, 1995 March/April 1995

In its December 1994 review of the Black River Stage 1 Remedial Action Plan (RAP), the International Joint Commission commended the Black River Coordinating Committee for its commitment to taking a comprehensive ecosystem approach. Diffuse sources of pollutants are documented, including pollution from agriculture and home septic systems. Habitat restoration and streambank improvements have been made through partnerships between agencies and landowners and the RAP also provides meaningful socioeconomic information. The Black River is located in north-central Ohio and discharges into Lake Erie at the City of Lorain.

Recent data on actions undertaken before the RAP process began, such as sediment removal by the USS/KOBE Steel Company in 1990, confirm the cause-effect linkage between contaminated sediments and brown bullhead tumors. Tumor rates in the fish increased shortly after the sediment removal due to resuspension of contaminants. The dramatic drop in tumor rates since 1992 demonstrates that cleanup actions directly address this problem.

The Black River RAP process is striving to make human health concerns an important aspect of the plan. Long-term health studies of charter boat captains and their families, as well as fish and wildife consumption studies, are underway in the watershed. In closing, the Commission's review noted that the public has been actively participating in and guiding the development of the Black River RAP process. In addition to direct participation, innovative surveys of residents and businesses have helped gauge awareness and attitudes in the community at large (see Focus, July/August 1994, pages 20-21).

The Cuyahoga River Remedial Action Plan (RAP) has had an active year. A comprehensive fish tissue study has been completed, the Cuyahoga Clean Waterways Storm Drain Stenciling Project is gaining momentum, and public events continue to create a better awarenesss of the Cuyhaoga River, Lake Erie and the RAP process. The Cuyahoga River discharges into Lake Erie at Cleveland, Ohio.

Four years of collecting and sampling fish taken from the Cuyahoga River, nearshore Lake Erie and less impacted reference sites has yielded a wealth of information about the variety of fish throughout the river and the levels of contaminants. This collaborative effort among many Cuyahoga River stakeholder groups revealed that PCB levels were significantly higher in Area of Concern fish than fish taken from reference river sites, but were similar to samples taken from the Lake Erie reference sites. When compared with results from a national study, contaminant levels found in the Cuyahoga River and lakefront fish are similar to those collected in more than 100 urban, agricultural and industrial areas nationwide.

Storm drain stenciling -- a hands-on project to make citizens aware that any materials dumped into storm drains empty into local waters -- has started in more than 10 Cleveland area communities. Volunteers include school groups, scouts, service clubs and some local municipal government departments. More than 1,500 drains have been stenciled and volunteers have distributed at least 10,000 fish-shaped door hangers. The goal is to organize projects in every community in the Area of Concern in addition to Akron area communities.

Since the RAP encourages public involvement, it is important to get information out to the public in a simple, straightforward manner. In addition to community displays and the RAP-UP newsletter, the Cuyahoga RAP coordinates a yearly event called Cuyahoga Caravan. This year the RAP is inviting citizens to boat on the navigation channel in the lower Cuyahoga River. In addition to learning about the RAP and wildlife habitat in the river, the trip will focus on particular water quality issues such as increasing oxygen levels in the navigation channel to help fish fry successfully reach the lake. So far, many urban residents have made reservations, which will help the Cuyahoga RAP's outreach efforts in the inner city communities.

For more information about RAP activities, please contact Janine Rybka, Cuyahoga River Community Planning Organization, 323 Lakeside Avenue West, Suite 400, Cleveland, OH 44113-1010. (216)443-3730.

Of the 94 leaking or uncontrolled abandoned landfills, dumps and impoundments located in the Maumee River Area of Concern, the Dura Avenue Landfill, located on the nearby Ottawa River, is the most notorious. The 70-acre municipal landfill is a source of PCBs, organic contaminants and heavy metals, and a major cause of fish consumption advisories in the Area of Concern. The Maumee River drains into Lake Erie at Toledo, Ohio.

From 1952 to 1980, the Dura Avenue Landfill received municipal waste and, prior to 1968, substantial quantities of commercial and industrial waste. The eastern third of the site consists of wastes pushed into and built on a former channel and marsh adjacent to the Ottawa River. The landfill contains 3.56 million cubic meters (4.65 million cubic yards) of waste.

Eyewitness accounts from 1952 to 1968 include dumping of a wide variety of potentially hazardous liquid and solid wastes, both in bulk and drum form. The Southeast Chemical Disposal Area within the landfill has been identified as the area where concentrated chemical disposal took place. A nonaqueous liquid layer of material floats on the ground water in this area. Nonaqueous liquid leachate, estimated as high as 50,000 gallons per day, was visible along the riverbank, and for years was controlled only by the use of a containment boom and absorbents.

In fall 1993, under pressure from concerned citizens, local environmental groups, the Maumee River Remedial Action Plan (RAP) and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, the City of Toledo contracted for a 215-meter (700-foot), $4.5 million containment wall and leachate collection and treatment system. This system, known as the "immediate containment measure" has been operating since the spring of 1994 and is viewed as a big success. However, it is only the beginning -- the landfill still must be capped and the wall may have to be extended.

The local RAP continues to be involved in the process. The dumps and landfills action group is presently reviewing proposed plans for the permanent closing of the Dura Landfill site. In addition, the group continues to be concerned about the many other potentially hazardous sites in the Area of Concern, including Ottawa River sediments, where many of the contaminants may have accumulated.

For more information contact Rob Peterson, Cousins Waste Management, 1801 East Matzinger Road, Toledo, Ohio 43612. (419)726-1500.

Revised: April 8, 1997
Maintained by Kevin McGunagle, mcgunaglek@ijc.wincom.net