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Point Source Pollution
Agriculture and Non-point Source Pollution
Bacterial Contamination and Septic Systems
The Effects of Urban Sprawl
Point Source Pollution
The production of steel has had a major impact on environmental quality in the area around Lorain. The environmental effects of steel production was a major factor in the International Joint Commission’s listing of the Black River as one of forty-three Areas of Concern in 1987 for pollution in the Great Lakes basin. The earliest effort to reduce environmental pollution by the steel industry occurred in 1971 when the National Tube Company invested $120 million to install two bar mills and a Basic Oxygen Process furnace. Founded at the turn of the century, the mill now produces about 2,000,000 tons of steel each year. The furnace, which blasts pure oxygen into the molten mix, raises productive efficiency while reducing air pollution through more complete combustion. As a result of National Tube’s upgrade, twelve open hearths and the last of the Bessemer furnaces were removed. These old furnaces polluted Lorain’s air with a thick plume of orange smoke. Their installation of the new furnace helped to lift the orange tint that would collect in the area above Lake Erie, obscuring views and filling the air with particulate matter. Additional equipment upgrades further cut water and air emissions during the process of making bar steel for the automobile industry. These equipment upgrades greatly reduced the impacts of steel production on the local environment. Since the 1960’s, the time environmental concerns began to surface, the steel industry has reduced water and air emissions by 90%.
In 1983, the Black River and the steel plant received negative attention when a fish consumption advisory was issued for the five miles of the river south of Lake Erie. The fish, particularly brown bullhead catfish, experienced high incidences of cancerous tumors as a result of exposure to high concentrations of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH’s) in river sediment. Tumors and deformities in fish continued to plague the Black River mainstem through 1994. USS/KOBE Steel closed its coking facility in 1983, eliminating the primary source of this pollution. Despite this, tumor rates did not decline until after 1990 when the river bottom was dredged and toxic contaminants were contained in a hazardous waste landfill installed on-site. While PAH’s have been reduced, high levels of PCB’s, mostly from other industries, remain a major problem. PCB’s particularly affect wildlife that consume fish, mussels, or other bottom feeders. The water quality around the steel plant has improved significantly, causing the ban on fish consumption to be changed to an advisory to restrict brown bullhead, freshwater drum, and carp consumption. In 1998, as an acknowledgement of their progress in improving environmental quality through pollution prevention and waste reduction, USS/KOBE steel received an award from the Ohio Environmental Council.
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Agriculture and Non-point Source Pollution
In addition to the problems of failing home septic systems, run-off from agriculture remains the top problem in the watershed. It is estimated that roughly 64% of the pollutants in the Black River come from agricultural sources. Of the total percent of pollutants in the Black River, 47% come from sediment run-off (soil erosion), 13% come from the run-off of chemical fertilizers or untreated manure, and about 3% are pesticides. Soil erosion is a problem primarily in the southern portion of the watershed where steeper slopes from the glacial end-moraines lead to higher levels of sediment run-off. A portion of the 319 funding addresses agricultural pollution by evaluating a Precision Farming program and its impact on the watershed. Precision Farming involves the use of satellite technology to monitor the nutrient conditions on a farm.  A satellite receiver is placed on the fertilizer applicator to regulate flows according to nutrient needs. Nutrient conditions in the topsoil will vary across a farm field; precision-farming reduces the use of fertilizers by delivering only the amount needed in a particular area. It is thought that Precision Farming will reduce both physical and biological damage to soil structure and also minimize pollution to the Black River. Seventh Generation and the Soil and Water Conservation District worked closely with the Ohio EPA to establish an appropriate evaluation method for these techniques. Project activities will continue through the summer of 2001.
Overall, most efforts to address agricultural pollution have relied on voluntary programs aimed at encouraging producers to take erodible land out of production and pursue best management practices (such as conservation tillage, precision-farming, cover crop management, or riparian zone restoration).  Several farmers in the area have participated in a variety of programs and projects that have helped to improve water quality in recent years. In 1992, a $200,000 federally funded farm equipment buy-down effort helped farmers acquire no-till or conservation tillage farm equipment. In 1995, the Ohio EPA approved a $15 million (5 year) low-interest loan program for non-point source pollution abatement activities in the watershed. This money offers loans at 2-3% below market rates to purchase conservation equipment, install grass strips, improve waste management equipment, or restore riparian zones. This program has not been fully utilized and has resulted primarily in over 100 acres of planted grass strips which reduce sediment run-off into streams and rivers. In 1998, the Precision Farming Program enrolled 8,000 acres in the watershed through the Section 319 grant from the Federal EPA. This program has measurably reduced the level of chemical fertilizers leaching into the Black River. Finally, about 2,500 acres of land have been enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program, and taken out of agricultural production. Several old riparian areas have also been converted or returned to original wetland conditions.
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Bacterial Contamination and Septic Systems
Despite these improvements in point sources, non-point source pollution remains a major long-term challenge. One major non-point source pollutant is outflow from failing septic systems throughout Lorain County. The Lorain County General Health District estimates that approximately half of the home sewage disposal systems (HSDS) in the county are not functioning properly and contribute to use impairments in the watershed. In 1993, recognizing the need for an alternative to the conventional design of HSDS, the Health District initiated an experimental project using constructed wetlands to treat sewage effluent from single family homes. The constructed wetlands are engineered ecosystems of bacteria, algae, plants, snails, fish and other organisms that clean water by natural filtration. Twelve single family home systems were installed by 1994 and are being monitored by the Health District as a possible alternative system for treating home-sewage.
Many of the older home sewage disposal systems are near failure due to age, poor maintenance, hydraulic overload or damage. Existing bacteriological data from the Ohio EPA demonstrates a connection between septic systems discharge and bacteria contamination in the water. Additionally, systems installed before 1950 have no records of location and type. A federal grant of $300,000 through the Ohio 319 Non-point Source Pollution Program was matched with local funds to implement steps to reduce nutrient and bacterial contamination and sediment loading. The Medina County Health Department and the Lorain County General Health District are working together on the HSDS portion of the 319 project. The health departments are investigating the locations of known and suspected problem sites through a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) inventory and on-site inspections. Bacteriological sampling is being conducted to verify failure rates. Through the 319 project, volunteers have been used to perform sampling and data collection. The monitoring and analytical data will support the implementation of home sewage disposal system maintenance and inspection programs. As a part of this project, educational outreach efforts are being directed toward homeowners to address their individual contributions to NPS pollution.
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The Effects of Urban Sprawl
The high rate of urban development throughout the watershed is further degrading conditions of the Black River. The primary problem with urban developments is the increase in impervious surface. As the percent of land-cover in turf and asphalt increases, stormwater rushes off of urban land, carrying sediments and other pollutants into the Black River. Alternative conservation developments use filter strips and over-flow wetlands to absorb stormwater and filter it before it flows into the Black River. In an effort to address water quality issues relating to non-point source pollution in urban and urbanizing areas, the council of Great Lakes Governors initiated a demonstration project in Ohio and seven other Great Lakes states and two Canadian provinces. Through a voluntary program that integrates economic and environmental goals, developers are being encouraged to adopt management practices that reduce runoff (incuding more open space, wet retention ponds, and natural filter strips). In Ohio, the Lorain County Building Industries Association, the Conservation Fund, the Black River RAP and the Ohio EPA are currently working toward this goal.
Developments as a source of non-point pollution is also the topic of a project initiated in 1997 in the Carlisle Township. Funded by the Lake Erie Protection Fund and local sources, the goal of the project is to esign a comprehensive Township Plan in Carlisle Township that will serve as a model for other townships. The plan will incorporate natural resource and open space protection, flood control and non-point source pollution abatement measures. A volunteer team of natural resource and conservation experts will participate in formation of the plan. Lorain County will also be assisted in the development of a Community Guide on how to create Comprehensive Land Use-Plans for townships. Partners in the project include the Lorain County Commissioners, the Lorain County Community Development Department, and the Ohio EPA.
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