In 2014, the City of Toledo issued a “do not drink, do not boil” advisory to more 

than 400,000 residents due to a harmful algal bloom (HAB) in western Lake Erie. 

USGS research provides understanding of the conditions that give rise to HABs 

and helps managers develop strategies to improve local conditions.

Walleye are a renowned Lake Erie game fish that 

help bring 1.1 million anglers, who spend $1.1 billion 

on fishing-related expenses, to Ohio’s Lake Erie region 

annually. Using technological advances like acoustic 

telemetry, USGS and Ohio scientists discovered walleye 

using broader and deeper habitats than previously 

recognized. This information was used to improve 

sustainable management of the Lake Erie walleye fishery.

Biological and Ecological Science for

Ohio “The Buckeye State”

Ohio is home to lakes, rivers, streams, 

wetlands, forests, prairies, and 312 

miles of Lake Erie shoreline. These 

resources sustain Ohio’s communities 

by supporting vital sectors of the 

economy and cultural heritage such 

as fishing, hunting, and other outdoor 

recreation. Lake Erie provides drinking 

water for 3 million Ohioans, supports 124,000 Ohio 

jobs, and generates $1.8 billion in tourism revenue to the 

State. Outdoor recreation is enjoyed by nearly 60 percent

of Ohio residents. Annually, it is estimated that outdoor

recreation generates $24.3 billion in consumer spending

across the State, creates 215,000 jobs, and raises 

$1.5 billion in State and local tax revenue.

The USGS Ecosystems Mission Area

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Ecosystems 

Mission Area, the biological research arm of the 

Department of the Interior, provides science to 

help Ohio achieve sustainable management and 

conservation of its biological resources and the 

ecosystems that sustain these resources. This 

work is done within the broader mission of the 

USGS—to serve the Nation with science that 

advances understanding of our natural resources, 

informs land and water stewardship, and helps 

safeguard communities from natural and 

environmental hazards.

Sustaining Ohio’s Lake Erie Fishery

Fishing in Lake Erie provides an economic driver and 

a way of life for coastal communities in Ohio. Lake Erie 

supports a $750 million recreational fishery and well 

over one-half of all Great Lakes commercial fishing. For 

more than 50 years, the USGS has surveyed offshore 

waters for prey fish such as gizzard shad, emerald shiners, 

rainbow smelt, freshwater drum, and white perch. 

These surveys were done by USGS scientists using an 

oceanographic-sized research vessel stationed in Ohio. 

State and Canadian Provincial fishery managers rely 

on this information to ensure cooperative binational 

management of a sustainable Lake Erie fishery. 

Combatting Harmful Algal Blooms

An overabundance of nutrients and certain weather 

conditions can lead to harmful algal blooms (HABs) 

in western Lake Erie. HABs in the lake have 

harmed tourism and threatened human health by 

making water temporarily unsuitable for drinking, 

swimming, and recreation. The USGS partnered 

with the Great Lakes Commission to establish the 

Great Lakes HABs Collaboratory, which brings 

together leading scientists and local decisionmakers to improve understanding of and 

potential management solutions for HABs.

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Fact Sheet 2018–3034

August 2018 Printed on recycled paper
 Invasive zebra mussels are now part of many Ohio 

lakes and rivers. Ohio uses USGS science and technical 

assistance to control and prevent further spread of these 

and other damaging invasive species.

Great Lakes boating, fishing, hunting, and wildlife 

viewing generate an estimated $50 billion in economic 

activity annually. Ohio’s coastal wetlands contribute to 

the State’s economic vitality by absorbing nutrients from 

watersheds and providing habitat for fish and wildlife.

Restoring Ohio’s Coastal Wetlands 

and Waterfronts

Lake Erie’s coastal lowlands once 

supported vast tracts of wetlands that 

protected water quality, buffered changes in 

water levels, and provided habitat for fish 

and wildlife. Birds such as mallard ducks 

use the coastal areas and inland wetlands 

and forest lands on their migratory journeys 

each year through this internationally 

recognized flyway. Ohio has made 

substantial investments in revitalizing 

coastal communities and urban waterfronts 

with programs that restore coastal wetlands 

to enhance clean water, fishing, and other 

recreational opportunities. The USGS and 

partners developed tools that help Ohio’s 

coastal managers integrate information and 

visualize wetland restoration projects that will 

help achieve the State’s ecological vision.

Sharing Information about

Wildlife Diseases

 The USGS manages an internet-based tool, 

WHISPers, that provides managers with current 

information about wildlife diseases like chronic 

wasting disease, epizootic hemorrhagic disease, 

and avian influenza that can affect Ohio’s game 

populations. Ohio’s wildlife managers use WHISPers 

to monitor the health of wildlife and develop 

strategies for responding to disease events, as well 

as to share information about disease occurrences 

with other scientists and managers. This tool is part 

of USGS efforts to work with partners to safeguard 

human, wildlife, and ecosystem health.

Invasive species introduced to the Great Lakes 

have dramatically changed coastal and offshore 

ecosystems, affecting water quality and recreational 

fisheries. Several nonnative carp species, originally 

imported from Asia, are some of the most worrisome 

invaders currently threatening Lake Erie. Grass 

carp reproduction has been documented in 

Ohio tributaries to Lake Erie and research 

shows there is enough food to sustain 

bighead and silver carp in the lake. In Ohio 

and throughout the Great Lakes and upper 

Mississippi River region, the USGS provides 

managers with scientific information, 

risk assessment, and tools to improve 

surveillance, prevention and control strategies 

for managing these invasive carp species.

If they become established in Lake Erie, bighead 

and silver carp eventually could make up one-third 

of the total fish weight in the lake, potentially 

causing declines in the fishery. The USGS works 

with State and Federal managers to prevent the 

spread of these invasive fish to Lake Erie.

Surveillance and Control Techniques for Unwelcome Invaders

Quagga and zebra mussels have invaded some lakes and rivers in Ohio, 

requiring costly surveillance, education, prevention, and management programs. 

These invaders can have negative repercussions for drinking-water infrastructure, 

recreation, and native species and their habitats. The 

USGS supports Ohio’s managers as they work to 

prevent the further spread of these invaders with 

scientific detection and monitoring tools and

by developing control measures.

Author: U.S. Geological Survey

For more information:

Ecosystems Mission Area

https://www.usgs.gov/ecosystems/

https://www.usgs.gov/ask/

1-888-ASK-USGS (1-888-275-8747)

Photograph credits:

Photograph of zebra mussels by Amy Benson,

U.S. Geological Survey, bighead carp, algal bloom, and 

lily pads, public domain. All other images ©iStock.com

Keeping Ahead of a Looming Threat

Publishing support provided by the 

U.S. Geological Survey, Science Publishing Network 

Tacoma and Lafayette Publishing Service Centers 

Design: Natalie Trahan 

ISSN 2327-6932 (online)

https://doi.org/10.3133/fs20183034