The Blanchard River Watershed Partnership is partnering with The Ohio State University on a study of how to reward producers and rural residents for their efforts to improve local water quality in the Blanchard River watershed. 

The study will be conducted by Dr. Richard Moore, emeritus professor of the School of Environment and Natural Resources and Yanting Guo, Ph.D student in the Environmental Science Graduate Program at The Ohio State University.

The proposed approach is Water Quality Trading, which is also known as nutrient trading. This approach allows the farmers and rural residents to earn credits by doing something to reduce nutrient loading from runoff from their farm or house. The earned credits can be sold to industries that need to meet their regulatory obligations. The end goal is to reduce phosphorus loading into waterways in the Western Lake Erie Basin by 40%.

A survey approach will be used to gain an understanding of what farmers and rural residents think about the local water quality and the water quality trading approach being proposed. Participation is totally voluntary and no identifiable information will be collected. The survey will take approximately 30 minutes.

 For further information or to participate, please email Ms. Guo at [email protected] or Phil Martin, watershed coordinator, at [email protected]. You may also call Mr. Martin at 419-422-6487.

The BRWP represents the six counties of the Blanchard River Watershed and is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving water quality through developing citizen involvement and watershed action plans. Volunteers are welcome to join activities at any time. Learn more about the Blanchard River on the BRWP website at www.BlanchardRiver.org.