Ashtabula River AOC (Delisted)

August 19, 2021. The Ashtabula River Area of Concern was delisted as an Area of Concern under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, Annex 1 on August 10, 2021, through U.S. EPA in partnership with the Ohio Lake Erie Commission, Ohio EPA and the Ashtabula River AOC Advisory Council. The Final Delisting Report is available on the U.S. EPA Ashtabula AOC webpage. 
 

The Ashtabula River lies in northeast Ohio, flowing into Lake Erie's central basin at the city of Ashtabula. Its entire river drainage basin covers an area of 137 square miles, with 8.9 square miles in western Pennsylvania. Major tributaries include Fields Brook, Strong Brook, Hubbard Run and Ashtabula Creek. Native American inhabitants referred to the river as the Hash-tah-buh-lah or “river of many fish."
 
The  Ashtabula River Area of Concern encompasses the lower 2.32 miles of the Ashtabula River main stem, from the 24th Street Bridge in the City of Ashtabula to the mouth at Lake Erie, the Outer Harbor, within the east and west shore arms in Lake Erie, and near the Lake Erie shoreline from Walnut Beach, west of the river mouth, to Lakeshore Park Beach, east of the river mouth. 
 
Due to its historical industrial uses as a working river, the Ashtabula River over time became affected by various sources of contamination. Through the Ashtabula AOC Advisory Council and the Ashtabula River Partnership, remediation and restoration activities were conducted beginning in 2003. Today, the Ashtabula River continues to recover and expand its uses for recreational and commerce activities that support the local community. As of 2020, Ashtabula River AOC had completed all of its Management Actions and removed all six of its beneficial use impairments. 
 
On August 10, the Ashtabula River Area of Concern received approval to be removed as an Area of Concern. The Ashtabula River has completed all of its management actions, removed all of its beneficial use impairments as an Area of Concern and has improved conditions in the river as a result of the work completed.
 
The Delisting brings the work of over 30 years together as a significant milestone to this local resource and its path for continuing restoration and use for years to come. The Delisting is a result of the partnerships with federal, state and local entities to accomplish the AOC goals in the Ashtabula River.

Ashtabula AOC Boundary Map

Beneficial Use Impairments(BUI) for Ashtabula Area of Concern

  • Restrictions on Fish Consumption - BUI Removed in 2014
  • Fish Tumors or Other Deformities - BUI Removed in 2019
  • Degradation of Fish and Wildlife Populations - BUI Removed in 2014
  • Degradation of Benthos - BUI Removed in 2018
  • Restrictions on Navigational Dredging Activities - BUI Removed in 2020
  • Loss of Fish and Wildlife Habitat - BUI Removed in 2014

For more information on the Ashtabula River AOC and BUI Removal Documents