Maumee River's 50th anniversary as a scenic and recreational waterway is celebrated

Blessed by some of this summer’s more pleasant weather, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources marked the 50th anniversary of the Maumee River’s state scenic and recreational designation on Thursday.

Yes, hard as it is to believe, there was a sunny blue sky and a soft, summer breeze, near-perfect conditions that were a far from the kind of dangerous heat, humidity thick enough to choke on, or wicked thunderstorms that seemed so commonplace this year.

It was as picturesque of a day as northwest Ohio could have expected as a few dozen people gathered at 3 p.m. inside Providence Metroparks to hear a few brief remarks by Ohio DNR Director Mary Mertz and Metroparks Toledo Executive Director Dave Zenk, followed by a number of activities until 7 p.m.

Those included food trucks, with a mobile kitchen offering walleye sandwiches and 50th anniversary cupcakes.

There were educational booths and exhibit tables, with some netting demonstrations.

Also offered were guided hikes, live music, paddling demonstrations, discussions about plants and aquatic species, and an additional trip offered aboard a popular Metroparks feature, The Volunteer, a reproduction of a mule-drawn canal boat that once was a primary source of transportation in the 1800s.

“People were just relaxed and having a good time,” Ms. Mertz told The Blade after giving her remarks.

The original 1974 “scenic” designation includes 43 miles of the Maumee River from the Ohio-Indiana state line to the U.S. Route 24 bridge, west of Defiance. The scenic river section is characterized by a broad meandering floodplain, with heavily forested stream banks, the Ohio DNR said.

An additional 53 miles, from the U.S. 24 bridge west of Defiance to the U.S. 20/S.R. 25 bridge at Perrysburg and Maumee, was later designated as “recreational.” That section of the river was also received the special designation because some of the historical features within the river corridor, as well as its natural beauty.

Although the Maumee River designation does not apply to the portion of the river near downtown Toledo that has been used for commercial shipping and other industry, Ms. Mertz lauded Metroparks for bringing people down to the river there with its Glass City Metropark and the five-mile Glass City Riverwalk under construction now.

There has been a lot more activity along the waterfront in recent years, such as kayaking and rowing clubs, plus concerts and more outdoor recreation in general.

“You have the same sense of majesty whether you're in the city or in one of the scenic areas,” Ms. Mertz said.

Mr. Zenk said the Maumee River figures prominently into seven of the park district’s properties, starting with Side Cut Metropark in Maumee - the first metropark it created. The other six are Fort Miamis, Bend View, Middlegrounds, Providence, Farnsworth, and Glass City metroparks.

“It was a great event not only to celebrate the designation, but also the river,” he said. “It’s really shaped the course of Metroparks.”

Gov. Mike DeWine is soon expected to sign legislation that attempts to clarify the rights of private property owners along rivers, Ms. Mertz said.

Anxiety about that has kept the state from designating more rivers than it would like as scenic and recreational, she said.

There are currently 15 designated. The main restriction imposed by such designations is on municipalities wanting to put large structures, such as bridges, over them, Ms. Mertz said.

In her prepared remarks, Ms. Mertz said northwest Ohio has benefited from “the foresight of the communities and agencies who supported the designation and have served as caretakers for this magnificent river for 50 years.”

“The high quality of the river has been maintained and not only provides habitat for native flora and fauna, it also enhances the quality of life in northwest Ohio,” she said.

Mr. Zenk noted in his prepared remarks that the seven metroparks along the Maumee River consist of 924 acres and 11.4 miles of shoreline.

“The Maumee River is part of our history and our future, both as a community and a park system,” he said.

The river’s watershed encompasses more than 5,000 square miles, and it drains some of America’s richest farmland, the Ohio DNR said.