Ohio Water Resources Center (Ohio WRC) co-directors, Linda Weavers and John Lenhart, and graduate assistant, Haleigh Fernandez, attended the 2023 Annual National Institutes for Water Resources (NIWR) meeting in Washington D.C. in February. The annual meeting provides an opportunity for all 54 Water Resource Research Institutes (WWRIs) to meet and discuss experiences and challenges in advancing the goals of NIWR and the Water Resources Research Act program.

Linda, Haleigh, and John dedicated one day on Capitol Hill to discuss with Ohio's representatives the importance of the work at the Ohio WRC as well as at all 54 WWRIs. They met with staffers from Senators JD Vance and Sherrod Brown and Representatives Warren Davidson, Joyce Beatty, and Greg Landsman. These meetings with representatives are essential to communicate how researchers being funded by the Ohio WRC are meeting the needs of Ohio and to highlight the importance of the work conducted by the WRRIs.

Have a news article you'd like us to feature? Email us at OhioWRC@osu.edu!

Ohio EPA: Final Filing of Rules - Water Quality Standards, OAC Chapter 3745-1 and 3745-2

The Ohio EPA, Division of Surface Water (DSW) is seeking review and comments of the Draft 2024 Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Report. The draft report can be found here. Comments on the draft list can be submitted by email to EPATMDL@epa.ohio.gov or in writing to Ohio EPA, Division of Surface Water, P.O. Box 1049, Columbus, Ohio 43216-1049 Attn: 303(d) Comments, by 5:00 p.m. on March 8, 2024.

Ohio EPA: Early Stakeholder Outreach - Maximum Contaminant Levels & Point of Entry Devices

The Ohio EPA, Division of Drinking and Ground Waters (DDAGW) announced that Chapter 3745-81 of the Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) was reviewed to satisfy the five-year rule review requirements of section 106.03 and 106.031 of the Ohio Revised Code. The DDAGW is seeking comments on the review. Comments can be sent to ddagw_rulecomments@epa.ohio.gov by 5:00 p.m. on March 22, 2024. More information and a fact sheet detailing the changes can be found here.

Ohio EPA: Public Notice - Interested Party Review "Amend" Rulemaking Governing Water Distribution System Disruption of Service

The Ohio EPA, Division of Drinking and Ground Waters (DDAGW) is soliciting comments on rule 3745-83-02 of the Ohio Administrative Code (OAC). DDAGW has reviewed this rule to satisfy the five-year rule review requirements of section 106.03 and 106.031 of the Ohio Revised Code. Comments can be sent to ddagw_rulecomments@epa.ohio.gov by 5:00 p.m. on March 22, 2024.

Ohio EPA: Final Filing of Rules - Water Quality Standards, OAC Chapter 3745-1 and 3745-2



The Ohio EPA, Division of Surface Water (DSW) has adopted final revisions to four rules in Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) Chapter 3745-1, Water Quality Standards, and added a new rule to Chapter 3745-2, Implementation of Water Quality Standards. The effective date of these rules is April 4, 2024. The final rule can be found here.

To find more resources offered by Ohio WRC, please visit: https://wrc.osu.edu/resources

2024 Ohio Rivers Symposium

March 22, 2024 • Columbus, OH

The one-day symposium will feature topics such as groundwater, urbanization, cold-water stream habitat, aquatic finds, and the new H2Ohio Rivers Initiative. Registration is open.

Water Week 2024: The National Water Policy Fly-IN

April 9, 2024 • Washington, DC

Hosted by the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), the Water Environment Federation (WEF), the Water Research Foundation (WRF), and the WateReuse Association, this event will focus on the achievements in the water sector, their implementations, and the outlook over the next year. Register and learn more here.

Virtual Conference: Emerging Contaminants in the Environment Conference

April 24-25, 2024 • Virtual

The conference will feature 15-minute presentations and lightning talk sessions on the latest in emerging contaminant research, policies, and outreach in the soil, water, and air. Registration is open.

Conference: 2024 Ohio Stormwater Conference

May 8-10, 2024 • Sandusky, OH

The conference will be held at the Kalahari Resort and Conference Center located in Sandusky, Ohio. Environmental issues, new technologies, regulatory information and pollution prevention will be covered during the conference. The conference is built for those who are working to comply with municipal, industrial, and construction NPDES stormwater permits. Registration information can be found at their website.

Conference: 2024 AWRA/UCOWR/NIWR Water Resources Conference

September 30-Octobter 2, 2024 • St. Louis, MO

Hosted by the American Water Resources Association (AWRA), the Universities Council on Water Resources (UCOWR), and the National Institutes for Water Resources (NIWR), the conference will be held in St. Louis, MO focusing on water-related research, management, extension, and education topics. Registration will open soon.

Have an event you'd like us to feature? Email us at OhioWRC@osu.edu!