H2Ohio wetland to benefit St. Marys

St. Marys, Ohio — As part of Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s H2Ohio Initiative, the Ohio DNR (ODNR) and the city of St. Marys held a ribbon-cutting ceremony recently to celebrate the completion of a water treatment project near the city just south of the St. Marys River. The project includes a series of wetlands spanning a 31-acre site to improve water quality throughout the region.

“St. Marys has an important history when it comes to water, from the development of the Miami-Erie Canal to Grand Lake St. Marys,” said DeWine. “H2Ohio fits perfectly into their story by improving water quality in the area with the creation of these wetlands.”

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The project created a series of wetland pools to trap sediment and reduce nutrients flowing northwest past the city of St. Marys and ultimately into the Maumee River and Lake Erie. The new wetland pool complex, referred to as a treatment train, can hold more water during storm events and will allow for greater nutrient removal for both phosphorus and nitrogen.

In addition to wetland creation, the project also has water intake pipes with flow control structures to regulate the volume of water entering the wetlands. A variety of wetland vegetation, including pollinator plants, forbs, and grass were planted to create habitat and stabilize wetland areas.