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Old Woman Creek

Old Woman Creek is a 27-square-mile watershed consisting of east and west branches. These branches meet upstream of a natural estuary that flows into Lake Erie just east of the City of Huron. Located on the southernmost shore of the Great Lakes, a unique microclimate in this watershed supports diverse agriculture including row-crops, orchards, and vineyards.The watershed is made up of over 66% agricultural land, predominantly in the upper (southern) reaches followed by 20% natural areas in the lower (northern) reaches. At the center of the watershed is a small community, the Village of Berlin Heights.

Key drivers

Old Woman Creek estuary is isolated from the lake by a barrier beach that opens and closes according to stream flow and lake wave action. When the mouth is closed, water accumulates in the estuary, allowing wetland processes to filter out pollutants. The Old Woman Creek estuary is one of the best examples of an intact coastal wetland in the Lake Erie watershed. However, like the lake, the estuary is impacted by natural and human factors. Storms in the upper reaches of the watershed during spring planting and fall harvest cause sediment to move downstream. Nutrients from field runoff, animal waste, and failing septic systems also enter the Creek during storms. Habitat quality influences water quality and the Creek’s response to storms. Intact natural habitats are more resilient, filtering out pollutants and supporting improved water quality, than those that are degraded.

2020 Old Woman Creek Watershed Report

Find out about the Ohio EPA Assessment of this watershed here.

Monitoring Sites at Old Woman Creek