The Ohio River Channel
A Periodic Update From The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission
September 2023
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Protecting Our Great Natural Resource, the Ohio River | |
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ORSANCO 75th Anniversary
This year, ORSANCO celebrates 75 years of dedicated efforts to improve the water quality in the Ohio River Basin, ensuring the river can be used for drinking, industrial supplies, recreational purposes, and can support a healthy and diverse aquatic community.
On Wednesday, June 28th, ORSANCO celebrated the signing of our compact by hosting an environmental festival at Smale Riverfront Park in downtown Cincinnati. This event featured over 20 partner agency booths that provided educational information for all ages on the work being done to protect the Ohio River. Also featured was our 2,200 gallon mobile aquarium full of Ohio River fish! The event was a great success and was attended by over 300 people!
The event was kicked off with a press conference where Ohio EPA Director Anne Vogel joined ORSANCO and partners to promote major water quality improvements in the Ohio River. Watch the full press conference on our youtube channel below!
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Richard Harrison, ORSANCO Executive Director
Anne Vogel, Ohio EPA Director
Andrea Yang, Greater Cincinnati Water Works Interim Director
Lindsey Rechtin, Northern Kentucky Water District President/CEO
Diana Christy, Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati Director
Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney, City of Cincinnati Vice Mayor
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In addition to the environmental festival at Smale Riverfront Park, a documentary on the history of ORSANCO was created by West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection Videographer, Mike Huff, as well as an anniversary edition of the State of the Ohio River by ORSANCO staff in honor of our 75th Anniversary.
The Good River - A Celebration of 75 Years of ORSANCO
A look back at the organization's early years and its impact on reducing pollution in the Ohio as it faces the challenges of the future.
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John M. Hoopingarner Appointed as New Commission Chair
John M. Hoopingarner was appointed to the ORSANCO Commission by Ohio Governor John Kasich on November 6th, 2015, and assumed the chair role beginning July 1st, 2023.
Hoopingarner previously served as Vice Chair to the ORSANCO Commission as well as Secretary and Treasurer. He enjoyed a 30-year career as Executive Director of the Muskingam Watershed Conservancy District and recently returned to private law practice with McMahon DeGulis LLP.
Read More
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ORBA/ORBCRE Summit
Ohio River Basin Alliance and Ohio River Basin Consortium of Research and Education are hosting a summit on October 5th & 6th In Covington Kentucky.
To register, submit online or via check:
ORSANCO in care of ORBA
5735 Kellogg Avenue
Cincinnati OH 45230
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Early Bird-$125 through September 18th
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Regular-$150 deadline September 29th
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Student-$25 deadline September 29th
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Banquet-$50 deadline September 29th
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Giving Tuesday
November 28th, 2023
For Giving Tuesday this year, consider making a donation to the Foundation for Ohio River Education (FORE).
FORE is a 501(c)(3) supporting organization of ORSANCO that connects students with the environment by getting them outside and on the water learning the scientific sampling and assessment techniques that our staff perform. FORE also conducts STEM outreach activities throughout the basin along the Ohio River and encourages people of all ages to protect our river's vital resources.
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It's Ohio River Sweep Season!
Our litter clean up work in the Ohio River Valley is not done! The Ohio River Sweep program is continuing with a seasonal format in 2023 that supports numerous cleanup events between the dates of March 1st - October 31st. In 2023, we anticipate reaching even further into the Ohio River Basin watershed to include more local creeks and tributaries, further extending the message that litter throughout the watershed can eventually end up in the Ohio River and beyond.
How to Participate:
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Plan a cleanup with a group or organization. There are many opportunities for a variety of groups including Scout groups, city and county parks & recreation, universities, rotary clubs, local businesses, and more!
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Find a cleanup near you using our online interactive map.
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Donate to support a cleanup event. Your contribution will provide t-shirts, gloves, and trash bags to volunteers.
End the Ohio River Sweep Season with ORSANCO!
Please join us for a season closing Ohio River Sweep!
Tuesday, October 31st
9:00 AM - 12:00
Schmidt Boat Ramp and Ballfields
Pizza and drinks will be provided to celebrate volunteers. Participants are encouraged to bring their kayaks and canoes to help pick up litter along the shoreline.
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Environmental Education Programs | |
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FORE is currently partnering with BB Riverboats to use the River Queen as a floating classroom and educational laboratory. The River REACH program engages students in applied STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) disciplines through hands on-water quality monitoring, habitat assessments, and studies of aquatic organisms, including fish and macroinvertebrates, that are used to study the health of the river system.
Enroll your class for Fall programming today! Currently, this program is only offered in the greater Cincinnati region. However, please let us know if you would like to see us in your area too!
Visit our website and contact our Environmental Education and Outreach Coordinator, Nick Callahan to learn more about this program and other environmental education programs we offer for students, teachers, and the general public.
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ORSANCO Foundation for Ohio River Education
Public Events
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September 16th- Lawrenceburg, IN Ohio River Sweep cleanup event & Environmental Education presentation
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We're Hiring!
Full-Time Environmental Educator
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ORSANCO
Technical Programs Updates
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National Rivers and Streams Assessment (NRSA)
The Biological crew is wrapping up their NRSA work for the 2023 season in September. In 2023-2024 between the months of June and September, they will be completing 92 sites across 4 states (OH, KY, IN, & IL) in addition to their annual pool surveys on the Ohio River.
NRSA is an EPA collaborative survey that provides information on the ecological condition of the nation's rivers and streams and the key stressors that affect them, both on a national and an ecoregional scale. These surveys are based on chemical and biological data collected and analyzed using standardized field and laboratory methods.
Read more about NRSA
The Biological crew is continuing with their annual pool surveys on the Ohio River. These surveys consist of 15 sites in each pool where biological and environmental data are collected and used to assess the biological condition of each. These year, they are sampling New Cumberland and Cannelton pools.
Read more about their survey work
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Broad Scan Survey 2023
The Broad Scan Survey, last completed in 2012, is underway in 2023. This two part survey takes place at three locations along the Ohio River: upper (Parkersburg mile 193), middle (Louisville mile 633), and lower (Paducah mile 912).
This survey tests for 114 pollution control standards analytes in both high and low flow conditions. For 2023, the high flow conditions were sampled in May at all three locations and sampling is resuming in September for the low flow conditions.
This program is meant to identify pollutants with criteria that should be routinely monitored for in Ohio River.
Algae Training
Technical staff attended a multi-day algae training and workshop in August at Ohio State University Ohio Sea Grant Stone laboratory on Gibralter Island on Lake Erie. This training will aid in better identifying algae species and sources in the Ohio River.
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