Members from H2Ohio, the Allen County Engineers Office, Ohio Department of Natural Resources among others celebrated the recently completed Baughman Project on Monday in Lima.
Cade Higgins | The Lima News
LIMA — Water quality, reduced threat of flooding and water life habitat are all part of a new wetland project taking place near the Loyal Order of Moose Lima Lodge 199, 2929 N. West St., Lima.
As part of Gov. Mike DeWine’s H2Ohio initiative, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources celebrated the completion of the Baughman H2Ohio Wetland Restoration Project on Monday. The project began in 2019.
Eric Sass, H2Ohio program manager, explained the project and its multiple functions.
“The 19-acre restored wetlands will reduce flooding, store flood water and remove nutrient and sediment load,” he said.
The overall total price for the Baughman project was $3.7 million and was paid for by grant funding from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and H2Ohio, as well as assessments to the watershed and contributions from Allen County.
Sass said, before the project, floodwater was a major issue for nearby houses and buildings.
“This gives a chance for the wetland soils and wetland vegetation to take up nutrients that otherwise would fuel the algae blooms in the lake,” he said.
Sass said similar projects in the works in Allen County, specifically in Harrod and Spencerville.
Steven Gray, assistant director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, said the emphasis of this project is placed on the Maumee River basin that runs into Lake Erie.
“The water that we’re conserving here today through these wetlands will run into the Auglaize River, then Maumee River, where it will finally go into Western Lake Erie,” he said.
This is one of 195 projects around the state, Gray said.
Improving water quality and reducing local flooding is what this project aims to address. Gray said the community will see the benefits of flooding instantly, while the water quality may take a series of years.
Joe Gearing, Allen County drainage engineer, explained the role the Allen County Engineer’s office played in this project.
“We got the construction of this done,” he said. When asked about the most important things to consider with this project, Gearing said, “Reducing flooding and affordability to the watershed.”
Gearing and his team were presented with many challenges along the way.
“Property value, acquiring the property and how to go about getting this project rolling and how to keep it affordable,” he said.
Grant money is what got construction started.
The watershed is 520 acres, and 430 of them were detained. This will lead to reduced erosion and reduced flooding all while providing habitat for wildlife, Gearing said.
Reach Cade Higgins at 567-242-0351
