Ohio EPA: It's safe to touch Grand Lake again

ST. MARYS — The algae blooms destroying the tourism economy of the Grand Lake St. Marys area have taken a dive with the temperatures.

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency removed a toxin advisory for the lake Friday. The state will continue sampling from the lake, although the blooms are not as prevalent when temperatures drop, according to a news release from the agency.

Brian Miller, chairman of the Grand Lake St. Marys Restoration Commission, could not be reached for comment.

At the height of the problem this summer, Grand Lake had a “no contact” advisory, meaning the lake was unsafe for any recreational activity, including launching a boat into the water. The state has experimented later this summer and into the fall with fixes for the problem, both in the water and out, at pollution points.

On Oct. 20, the commission explained to the community what it has done this year to help the lake. The group has raised nearly $2.7 million from local sources and state and federal grants.

The Ohio EPA and Ohio Department of Natural Resources are working on solutions to battle the bacteria known as blue-green algae, fed by manure and chemical runoff from area farms.

Two advisories remain in effect in the state, toxin advisories for Lake Alma State Park and Wingfoot State Park.