Business Failing At Toxic Grand Lake St. Marys

People who have spent decades on Grand Lake St. Marys said they don't recognize the place they love.

Buzz Goodwin said, "I've seen the lake in many different conditions but nothing like this."

Algae and the toxins it produces are killing Grand Lake.

Only pockets of the blue-green blooms are visible on the lake now. Just a few weeks ago, it was everywhere.

Linda Severt said, "When you looked at it, it looked like an oil spill. I had never seen anything like that in my whole life."

Large sections of algae covered the lake and beaches usually covered by waves of people were awash in blue-green.

"This is our oil spill," said Severt.

How did it get this way? There are several reasons; shallow lake depth, more development, and mother nature. But mostly, there are too many nutrients from homes, septic systems, and farms running into Grand Lake.

The lake is in the heart of Ohio's farm country. The fertilizer and manure from crops and livestock feeds the algae.

When it bloomed, it fell to the bottom of the lake and released toxins. Those toxins have never been seen before in Grand Lake and they're extremely dangerous to humans and animals ... targeting the brain and liver.

The state does not want people to swin, boat or even get splashed by the toxic water.

"You should be able to look behind me and see boats every which way, and there's nothing. Our tourismis gone," said Severt, of Duckfoot's Bar and Grill.

The lake draws more than seven hundred thousand visitors annually, and the $150 million they spend. This summer, it is not coming in.

Severt said, "This is the time we should be making enough money to put back for the winter months and it's not happening."

Restaurants sit empty except for the local folks. Homes and boats are not selling.

"We're down 700-K just this year in gross sales," said marina owner Buzz Goodwin. His boats are sitting on dry land with no lake to cruise.

Goodwin and others said the state has been cruising too long and not taking care of the lake.

Stanley Grimm said, "All those years, they looked the other way. They got to quit looking the other way. When you look at this stuff you can't deny that."

Buzz Goodwin said, "We have people passing the buck and are afraid to make a decision because they might not get elected next year."

The people who live and work at Grand Lake St. Marys want answers. They want to know why their lake is toxic and what the state is going to do to fix the problem.

News Center 7 reporter Mark Bruce took a sample of the lake in a glass jar to Mike Shelton of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources in Columbus. That is the department responsible for Grand Lake St. Marys State Park.

"It's beyond unfortunate. It's really a disaster, " said Shelton. He said the state's priority right now, is keeping people out of the toxic lake.

Shelton said, "You could become significantly ill and have long term health ramifications from long term ingestions."

He said all levels of state government are working to fix grand lake.

In the short term, the state is going to pay for a pilot program to see if a chemical called alum can make the lake safe again. "Essentially, it clumps together nutrients in the lake and makes them unavilable for algae to grow on," said Shelton.

Shelton also said state and federal authorities are focusing on farmers. "To apply best management practices to keep that nutrient coming off form their land into streams that feed the lake, " Shelton said.

Some farmers are already helping out and in fact, the lake was the cleanest it's been in years this spring. State officials said Grand Lake won't be clean again any time soon. Shelton said, "It is going to be challenge to have clear waters in the coming days."

That answer won't work for Buzz Goodwin, who said frustration is turning to desperation as people at Grand Lake St. Marys watch their lives wash away.

Goodwin said, "If anybody wants to get down on government, we have a perfect example right here. It's their lake. It's ours, but they aren't taking care of us."

Ohio estimates a quick fix of Grand Lake will cost around $10 million. Long-term solutions could push $100 million.

Business owners said that is how much they stand to lose this year.