Lower Maumee watershed

• Jan 11, 2023 4300 gallons of cooling water reported spilled in Toledo – Lucas County
• Jan 12, 2023 1500 gallons of ferrous chloride reported spilled in Toledo – Lucas County

Middle Ohio River – Brush-White Oak Watershed

• Jan 4 – unknown amounts of printing ink and unknown material reported spilled in a waterbody in Sardinia – Brown County – 3 gallons of printing ink recovered*

Tuscarawas watershed

• Jan 10, 2023 3000 gallons of diesel and gasoline reported spilled in Canton – Stark County

Upper Scioto River watershed

• Jan 9 – unknown amounts of mercury reported spilled in Scioto Township – Delaware County

Paint Creek watershed

• Jan 3 – 10000 gallons of sewage sludge reported spilled into Paint Creek in Union Township – Ross County*

Updates from Ohio EPA, spokesperson Dina Pierce, response to WTOH spill inquiries received Friday, January 6, 2023

The following updates apply to spill investigations underway and those with final reports completed.

Lake Erie South basin:

Grand River Watershed - incident reported as a spill of unknown amount of styrene and unknown trade name solution

OEPA: “Oct. 17 - (Lake Co): Company reported that a small amount of polystyrene beads were released to a retention pond onsite and storm sewer system with a discharge to a ditch. The company cleaned up the release. (Polystyrene beads are solid beads – like Styrofoam – used for things like beanbag filler.)

Ashtabula – Chagrin Rivers watershed incident reported in WTOH Spill Tracker Oct 31, 2022

OEPA: “Oct. 26 - (Ashtabula Co): Landfill company reported a hose malfunction that resulted in an estimated 48,000 gallons of leachate flowing to a building containment area and an unnamed tributary of Whitman Creek. Leachate in the building and hard surfaces was pumped back into the tanks; leachate that escaped to a wetland on site was not recoverable. Facility monitored the surface water to check for wildlife impacts. The incident was referred by Ohio EPA’s emergency response staff to two Ohio EPA regulatory divisions for follow-up.”

Cuyahoga River watershed - incident reported as a spill of unknown amount of petroleum products

OEPA: “Nov. 7 - (Cuyahoga Co): Release of hydraulic oil and firefighting water from a garbage truck fire reached a storm sewer. Sorbent boom was placed in the storm sewer and creek to prevent migration. An environmental contractor responded to clean up.”

Black – Rocky Rivers watershed – incident reported as a spill of 1048 units of wastewater

OEPA: “Oct. 28 - (Lorain Co): A company reported that about 1,000 pounds of wastewater containing bleach and corrosives spilled from a portable tote. The spill was contained with sand and surrounding soil was scraped up. Company cleaned up and incinerated the wastes.”

Lake Erie West basin

Lower Maumee watershed (Lake Erie West basin)

Nov. 4 - (Henry Co): Caller reported a waterway, South Turkeyfoot Creek, with black water and dead fish. Upon investigation, the source was determined to be natural decay after it was tracked to an area with significant leaf and walnut debris.

OEPA: “Nov. 9 - (Lucas Co): 90 pounds of granular pesticide and 2 gallons of liquid pesticide were spilled due to a vehicle fire in Toledo. The pesticides were contained; no waterways or storm sewers were affected.”

Blanchard River watershed (Lake Erie West basin) incident initially reported as a 3000 gallon spill of diesel fuel from a vehicle on or off the road.

OEPA: “Oct. 21 - (Hancock Co): Highway crash on Interstate 75 northbound involving four commercial trucks and a car. Diesel fuel, clean motor oil (for servicing locomotives) and sand spilled to the roadway and soil along the berm. The towing company responding cleaned the roadway and the affected soil. No waterway affected.” 

Tiffin River Watershed (Lake Erie West) incident reported as 3000 gallons of “other-trade name solution”

OEPA: “Oct. 20 - (Defiance Co): Citizen reported an overturned truck was releasing contents to land and a roadside ditch. There was a release of glycerin wastewater from the truck to a ditch without water flow. A towing service tanker offloaded the wastewater from the truck and the material in the ditch was vacuumed out.”

Ohio River minor tributaries

Mahoning River watershed - Incident reported as a spill of 500 gallons of crude oil in Hiram Township:

OEPA: “Nov. 1 - (Portage Co): Citizen reporting crude oil spill; does not believe any waterway impacted. Final report pending.”

Incident reported as unknown amount of unspecified acid dumped:

OEPA: “Nov. 12 - (Mahoning Co): Caller reported a company was dumping acid in the waterway. Ohio EPA emergency response contacted caller and local fire department, which investigated. Foaming was observed, but there was no indication of pollutants and foam was dissipating a short distance downstream. Foaming appeared to be natural - caused by local heavy rain in an area of the stream with dense vegetation.”

Raccoon – Symmes watershed - incident reported as a spill of unknown material into the waterway

OEPA: “Nov. 10 - (Jackson Co): Discoloration in a stream was reported as suspected discharge from an industrial site turned out to be caused by natural decomposition of leaf litter and low water flow in the creek.”

Brush – White Oak watershed – incident reported as swine manure spill

OEPA: “Sept. 26 - (Highland Co): A manure leak from a hog farm barn impacted the waterway. The leak was stopped, and manure was transferred to a different barn. An estimated 30,000 gallons of manure was released between Aug. 30 and Sept. 14. Responsible party hired an environmental contractor to pump out a culvert and a downstream area. The pumping continued as needed for several weeks. Sampling was conducted during this time. Sampling confirmed ammonia levels in the creek were at acceptable levels on Nov. 21. A Notice of Violation was issued. Ohio EPA coordinated with the county soil and water conservation district and Ohio Department of Agriculture.” 

The water body impacted remains unnamed as of January 9, 2023.

Muskingum River basin

Wills Creek watershed incident reported as a spill of 1000 gallons of hydraulic oil

OEPA: “Oct. 17 - (Guernsey Co): Citizen called to report a hydraulic oil spill from a power plant. Approximately 1,259 gallons of turbine oil was spilled to enclosed tanks onsite. An estimated 20 gallons discharged to a stormwater pond on the site. A contractor was hired by the company to recover the spilled oil from the pond and block outflow from the pond. No offsite impacts were observed.”

Scioto River basin – Upper Scioto watershed fish kill incident

OEPA statement: “Oct. 5 - (Franklin Co): Fire department and a citizen reported a small fish kill in Republican Run. Cause of the fish kill was attributed to temperature shock resulting from high water temperature in the creek due to hot weather and low water flow and the sudden impact of cold water from a water line break a day earlier flowing into the stream.”

Paint Creek watershed - incident reported as a manure spill

OEPA: “Nov. 9 - (Fayette Co): Citizen reported discolored water in Paint Creek and suspected a manure spill. Source appeared to be caused by heavy leaf decay and low water flow in the creek. A small fish kill was noted.”

See the WTOH Spill Reports for the complete list of toxic materials spills, spills impacting water bodies and spills over 40 gallons of petroleum products, as reported by the public and emergency responders to the Ohio EPA.

Ohio EPA Spill Hotline 1-800-282-9378

“Report emergencies involving the release of any material that impacts public health or the environment, including chemicals, petroleum, manure, fires/explosions, or to make an emergency notification to Ohio EPA as required by law or by permit.”