A hydrologic model of the Maumee River basin in NW Ohio was constructed to determine the relative effects of different drivers (weather, tillage practices, crop planting) on sediment and nutrient flow in the river. The Maumee River watershed is the largest in the Great Lakes region, draining an area over 16,000km (super 2) . Though it only contributes a small percentage of the water into the Western Basin of Lake Erie, it contributes by far the largest volume of sediment. The area, previously known as the Great Black Swamp, was drained and clear cut for agricultural development in the 19 (super th) century. Today around 80% of the watershed is agricultural land usage. The rich organic soil contributes excessive sediment/nutrient loading [...]
