Officials: Toxin could impact tourism

Friday, 22 May 2009

By ANGELA WEAVER Staff Writer ST. MARYS — Area officials say the possible presence of an algal toxin in Grand Lake St. Marys will most likely have an impact on the business and tourism in the region. “Absolutely,” Auglaize and Mercer Counties convention and Visitor Bureau Director Donna Grube said. “It will definitely make a difference.” Grube said the many different choices for camping in the state may have a negative impact on the tourism at the lake because of the toxicity levels. “There’s a lot of camping for people’s free time, leisure time, leisure dollars,” she said. “If they feel there’s a problem, they’ll go somewhere else. There’s a lot of places in Ohio and they’ll find something without a negative.” Grube said the lake is the biggest tourist attraction in the area. “The well being of the lake is responsible for hundreds of jobs in the area — restaurants and other businesses here hire more during tourist season,” she said. “It’s an economic development issue.” Tom Rampe with the Lake Improvement Association said the LIA believes the possible presence of the toxin could affect tourism. “Unfortunately, there will be some effect on tourism and the economy in the area,” he said, noting that where he lives near the lake, there are 53 homes and an estimated 12 families who live there year-round. “The rest of the people have homes here for the value of the lake recreation.” Rampe said the presence would affect property values, as well. “And it will probably affect the property values in and around the water,” he added. “It indicates don’t get in the water. If you’re riding a Sea-Doo, you’d better be careful not to flip over into the water.” Grube  said she was hopeful that the news release by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency may have an impact on area legislators. “Maybe now this will be something to show our lawmakers to put some serious money into the lake,” she said. “Their inactivity has resulted in this algae.” Rampe noted that some states — like Wisconsin and Michigan — have regulations because of similar issues. “Other states have taken action against this and passed laws,” he said. Rampe also said the LIA sees the problem as fixable. “One way to do that is stopping the phosphorous runoff and eventually the levels will go down,” he said, noting that the biggest cause of the phosphorous runoff into Grand Lake St. Marys is agriculture. “Like 85 percent of the source of phosphorous is from agriculture. The LIA has been trying to convince people to minimize the amount of phosphorous they use on their lawns.” Rampe said monitoring the streams that feed into the lake — like Big Chickasaw, Beaver Creek and Grassy/Monroe Creek — for phosphorous would also make a difference. “There are steps that can be taken,” Rampe said. “I believe this can be reversed, but we’ve got to stop the phosphorous in the lake. We expect it will probably hurt the local economy, but this can be reversed.” Dan Manning, the owner/general manager of East Bank Marina, said he will have to wait and see if the presence will affect his business. “It’s something that’s been around and it’s no different,” he said. “I bet it’s nothing — the EPA is testing differently and more than ever before. We’re all in a wait-and-see mode right now.” Grand Lake/Wabash Watershed Alliance Watershed Coordinator Laura Walker encouraged residents to read the facts before taking any precautions about the toxin. “The release said that there’s potential and possibility and this has been here for quite a while,” Walker said. “There’s no reason to have a panic about this.” Walker encouraged residents to do what they have been doing. “People are still going to do their activities and as long as they shower after they’ve been in the lake and read everything,” she said. “Read that it’s been there.” Walker also noted that she has not seen any documented cases of people being affected by the toxin so far. “The toxins might be there, but it’s not to say they couldn’t be in other lakes, too,” she said. “It just happens our lake was tested.” Grand Lake St. Marys is Ohio’s largest inland lake at 12,900 acres, and visitors number 500,000 to 750,000 annually, bringing in an estimated $40 million to the area economy, according to a study done by the Lake Restoration Committee of the LIA.

Last Updated ( Monday, 15 June 2009 )