Auglaize & Mercer

Grand Lake St. Marys Restoration Initiative

Click here to find out the latest information on plans to improve the water quality of Grand Lake St. Marys and to view the current test results.

View an Airy-Gators in action.

Great Lake St. Marys Restoration Commision

Grand Lake St. Marys Restoration Commission formed in January 2010, focusing on lake restoration goals. Charter Members include: Grand Lake St. Marys State Park, Wright State University Lake Campus, Cities of Celina and St. Marys, Counties of Auglaize and Mercer, Grand Lake/Wabash Watershed Alliance, Lake Improvement Association, Lake Development Corporation, and the Auglaize/Mercer Counties Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Leading local fund raising activity with Mercer County Civic Foundation and St. Marys Community Foundation: $550,000 YTD
Testing new technology by installing electric powered Airy Gators and Streamside Collection Units designed to increase constant aeration to sediment layers and remove sand, gravel, silt particulates from streams prior to entering lake
Monitoring water and data collection by Wright State University's partnership with Battelle Institute and other universities validating changes in biology, chemistry of lake environment to further problem solve solutions
Forming public/and or private partnerships with state departments of ODNR, OEPA, Health and Agriculture concerning our planning and activities in GLSM watershed
Seeking grants such as Surface Water Improvement Fund (SWIF) 319 Grant Award for "Treatment Train System" installation on Prairie Creek. Funded model includes stream stabilization, traditional and floating wetlands, embayment dredging and re-introduction of natural mussels to promote nutrient removal
Promoting agriculture conservation and nutrient management practices in watershed through educational teams and over $1.5 million of incentive funds for operators
- Supporting stricter guidelines, inspection, nutrient mgt plans for all farms
Prompting a variety of public and private entity solutions, resulting in pilot testing by EPA and ODNR, and other additives
- Teaming with Algae Ventures to replace cyanobacteria with non-harmful algae (diatoms) by adding silica
- Treating lake with alum to inactivate phosphorus
- Testing of Blue Planet project near Riley pond
- Harvesting of algae for energy purposes
Securing funding for new conservation district or operational body, and lead facilitator
Forming legislative subcommittee and lobbyist presence to increase funding sources
Creating formal master plan and developing timeline for project management
Sharing our knowledge, ideas and resources with one another to build awareness, leveraging any/all available funding sources through media and lake program updates

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