TOLEDO, OH (WTOL) - The Nutrient Source Inventory released its second phase findings on the health of water in the city of Toledo.
The NSI released the findings after doing testing for an entire year.
Phase one involved setting up equipment to monitor data in the Western Lake Erie Basis.
The NSI is an interactive map using locations to pinpoint what fuels the harmful algae blooms.
"It actually documents all the sources, whether it's runoff from [agriculture] or [concentrated animal feeding operation] farm runoff," Lucas County Commissioner Tina Skeldon Wozniak said. "All those kinds of things that are being seen, then it shows you where the runoff is."
As Lucas County continues to develop, the increasing amount of impermeable surface areas contributes to rising volumes of runoff during rain events.
"And then what it can tell you is if those are the areas with the greatest concern that the state of Ohio, EPA, farm bureau, federal EPA, can send resources to the areas where the hot spots are to achieve that goal of a 40% reduction so we can maintain and save our lake," Wozniak said.
Some of the sources found were wastewater treatment plants, livestock farms, sewage overflows, row crop agriculture, unsewered overflow areas, NPDES permitted industry. The findings were from mapping in the Lower Maumee watershed.
"This phase really helps us to pinpoint those other areas," Mayor Paula Hicks-Hudson said. "So from there, if anything, it will be to refine it so it's easier whether they're academicians, scientists or people that have an interest in it, to be able to use it."
They said the model is not to point fingers, but to determine where resources should go to help maintain a healthy lake.
