The Areas of Concern water cleanup program shows what is possible when water resources become a national priority.

OpinionBlack River cleanup shows what concerted federal, state and local action can achieve: George A. ElmaraghyThe Black River used to be known as the “river of fish tumors” after carrying the weight of heavy industry’s discharges. Today, after years of sediment cleanup, habitat restoration and cooperation among federal, state, local partners, the Black River is finally ready to be delisted as no longer an Area of Concern, joining the Ashtabula River, delisted in 2021, and with the Cuyahoga River getting closer (and cleaner). The Maumee River, meanwhile, is making slow progress. (John Pana, cleveland.com)By Guest Columnist, cleveland.comMore than 40 years ago, the United States and Canada realized that something needed to be done to clean environmentally impaired areas in the Great Lakes region. The region was suffering from decades of industrial pollution, inadequate wastewater treatment systems and impaired fish and wildlife habitat. In response, the two countries signed the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) and created a new program to identify and restore the most impaired areas in the basin. These places were designated as Areas of Concern (AOCs). Forty-three areas were identified, including four in Ohio.This designation is an acknowledgment that these watersheds could not meet basic ecological uses that make their waters drinkable, fishable and swimmable due to impairment such as degraded habitat, contaminated sediment, polluted discharges and others. Once a water body is designated as an AOC, a Remedial Action Plan -- a roadmap for restoring the watershed and eliminating all impairments -- must be developed. Once all these cleanup and restoration actions are completed and beneficial uses are restored, the watershed could be removed from the list. Ohio’s AOCs include the Black River in Lorain, the Cuyahoga River stretching from Akron to Cleveland, the Maumee River in the Toledo region, and the Ashtabula River. The Ashtabula River was successfully delisted in 2021. Each of these waterways once were examples of environmental neglect and abuse. The Black River is now poised to become Ohio’s next major success story. After years of sediment cleanup, habitat restoration and cooperation among federal, state, local partners, the river is finally ready to be delisted. In July 2026, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved removal of the last use impairment (known as Degradation of Benthos), clearing the way for official delisting. The river that once was a dumping ground for steel mills is now an example of a successful ecological recovery.The Cuyahoga River that caught fire in 1969 is also moving forward. The contaminants that resulted in beach closings were cleaned up by 2024, marking an important milestone. However, the most important work is still ahead. The planned removal of the Gorge Dam will result in the removal of approximately 850,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment. Once complete, it will eliminate several impairments, achieving multiple environmental improvements and accelerating the delisting process.George A. Elmaraghy is a former Ohio EPA official who now serves as a commissioner for the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission and a member of the International Joint Commission Water Quality Board.The Maumee River AOC, the largest and most complex AOC in Ohio, is steadily progressing, as well. All actions to eliminate wildlife habitat impairment are complete and sediment remediation is underway across eight project areas. Challenges remain, especially around benthic health and nutrient-driven algae, but the watershed is moving in the right direction.These successes did not happen by accident. They happened because of the hard work and dedication of local, state and federal partners. Also, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) and the federal Great Lakes Legacy Act provided hundreds of millions of dollars of consistent and targeted federal funding. This investment has restored watersheds and made our waters drinkable, fishable and swimmable and accelerated economic development.The AOC program shows what is possible when local, state and federal partners treat our water resources as a national priority. The progress achieved in Ohio’s AOCs offers a powerful incentive to duplicate these efforts in the Ohio River Watershed.George A. Elmaraghy spent most of his career in state government, serving among other roles as chief of the surface water division of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. He currently is a commissioner for the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission and a member of the International Joint Commission Water Quality Board. He writes from Columbus.MORE BY GUEST COLUMNIST CLEVELAND.COMHave something to say about this topic?* Send a letter to the editor, which will be considered for print publication.* Email general questions, comments or corrections on this opinion column to Elizabeth Sullivan, director of opinion, at esullivan@cleveland.com.