Rule 3745-1-31 | Lake Erie standards.
(A) Lake Erie is designated exceptional warmwater habitat, superior high quality water, public water supply, agricultural water supply, industrial water supply and bathing waters, and will meet the criteria set forth in, or derived in accordance with, rules 3745-1-01 to 3745-1-07 and 3745-1-33 to 3745-1-43 of the Administrative Code. However, criteria set forth in this rule supersede the rules listed in this paragraph where applicable. These criteria apply outside the mixing zone.
(B) Water temperature in lake Erie shall not:
(1) Fluctuate as a result of human activity that causes mortality, long-term avoidance or exclusion from habitat, or adversely affect the reproductive success of representative aquatic species.
(2) Exceed the average or daily maximum temperatures indicated in paragraphs (A) and (B) of table 31-1 of this rule.
(3) Exceed at any time the daily maximum temperatures indicated in paragraph (C) of table 31-1 of this rule in hypolimnetic waters.
Table 31-1. Temperature criteria.
(A) Lake Erie western basin - includes the area of lake Erie west of a line drawn from Pelee point, Canada to Scott point on Catawba island. Shown as degrees Fahrenheit and (Celsius).
| Jan. 1-31 | Feb. 1-29 | Mar. 1-15 | Mar. 16-31 | Apr. 1-15 | Apr. 16-30 | May 1-15 | May 16-31 | June 1-15 | |
| Average: | - | - | - | - | - | 53 (11.7) | 59 (15.0) | 65 (18.3) | 75 (23.9) |
| Daily Maximum: | 35 (1.7) | 38 (3.3) | 39 (3.9) | 45 (7.2) | 51 (10.6) | 56 (13.3) | 64 (17.8) | 72 (22.2) | 78 (25.6) |
| June 16-30 | July 1-31 | Aug. 1-31 | Sept. 1-15 | Sept. 16-30 | Oct. 1-15 | Oct. 16-31 | Nov. 1-30 | Dec. 1-31 | |
| Average: | 80 (26.7) | 83 (28.3) | 83 (28.3) | 78 (25.6) | 76 (24.4) | 66 (18.9) | 60 (15.6) | 53 (11.7) | - |
| Daily Maximum: | 83 (28.3) | 85 (29.4) | 85 (29.4) | 83 (28.3) | 81 (27.2) | 71 (21.7) | 65 (18.3) | 58 (14.4) | 46 (7.8) |
(B) Lake Erie central basin - includes the area of lake Erie east of a line drawn from Pelee point, Canada to Scott point on Catawba island to the Pennsylvania-Ohio state line. Shown as degrees Fahrenheit and (Celsius).
| Jan. 1-31 | Feb. 1-29 | Mar. 1-15 | Mar. 16-31 | Apr. 1-15 | Apr. 16-30 | May 1-15 | May 16-31 | June 1-15 | |
| Average: | - | - | - | - | 43 (6.1) | 53 (11.7) | 59 (15.0) | 63 (17.2) | 75 (23.9) |
| Daily Maximum: | 35 (1.7) | 38 (3.3) | 39 (3.9) | 45 (7.2) | 48 (8.9) | 56 (13.3) | 63 (17.2) | 72 (22.2) | 78 (25.6) |
| June 16-30 | July 1-31 | Aug. 1-31 | Sept. 1-15 | Sept. 16-30 | Oct. 1-15 | Oct. 16-31 | Nov. 1-30 | Dec. 1-31 | |
| Average: | 80 (26.7) | 83 (28.3) | 83 (28.3) | 76 (24.4) | 71 (21.7) | 66 (18.9) | 58 (14.4) | 48 (8.9) | - |
| Daily Maximum: | 83 (28.3) | 85 (29.4) | 85 (29.4) | 81 (27.2) | 76 (24.4) | 71 (21.7) | 63 (17.2) | 53 (11.7) | 46 (7.8) |
(C) Seasonal daily maximum temperature limitations for the hypolimnetic regions of lake Erie. Shown as degrees Fahrenheit and (Celsius).
| Month | Daily Maximum |
| January | 44 (6.7) |
| February | 44 (6.7) |
| March | 44 (6.7) |
| April | 47 (8.3) |
| May | 51 (10.6) |
| June | 54 (12.2) |
| July | 59 (15.0) |
| August | 59 (15.0) |
| September | 55 (12.8) |
| October | 46 (7.8) |
| November | 41 (5.0) |
| December | 38 (3.3) |
Last updated April 5, 2024 at 8:05 AM
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