Ohio Governor Mike DeWine launched H2Ohio in 2019 to improve the quality of Ohio’s rivers, lakes, and streams for future generations. H2Ohio was designed to address the complex water issues facing Ohio, including removing harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie, reducing phosphorus runoff from farm fields, and improving aging water and sewer systems.
H2Ohio is a collaborative initiative between the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA), Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA), and the Ohio Lake Erie Commission (OLEC). Each department strategically addresses water quality with specific funding and projects. However, much of H2Ohio’s work is built around partnerships with the people who live and work on the land: farmers.
A focus on farms
Working closely with local Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs), ODA incentivizes farmers to enroll their cropland acres into H2Ohio and implement proven, science-based, and cost-effective best management practices (BMPs) that focus on water quality. After six years, more than 3,200 producers have enrolled more than 2.5 million acres of farmland across the state, the highest level of participation to date.
Farmers know that clean water and healthy soil go together, and H2Ohio gives them the tools and support to make lasting changes. One of the four BMPs offered to producers is the voluntary nutrient management plan (VNMP). The VNMP uses soil testing to determine the right amount of nutrients needed on farmland. It is the cornerstone of H2Ohio and is a requirement for all participants. Additional practices offered through the program are overwintering cover, subsurface phosphorus placement, and manure incorporation and utilization.
Putting plans in place
Livestock producers enrolled in H2Ohio are developing and implementing a comprehensive nutrient management plan (CNMP), which also considers the manure being produced on the farm. This plan aims to manage manure to reduce runoff risk, provide insight into using manure as fertilizer, and replace inputs of commercial fertilizer on the farm.
All plans within H2Ohio are written and implemented to meet Tri-State Fertilizer Recommendations and the NRCS 590 standard. ODA, local partners, agricultural retailers, and certified crop consultants work to ensure fertilizer is going only where it is needed for plant growth to help minimize the runoff risk of fertilizer leaving the field and entering waterways. To help support this work, ODA recently received a $1 million federal grant to fund four conservation agronomists located within ag retail facilities. These positions will assist in the enrollment and development of VNMPs.
At the heart of delivering H2Ohio are SWCD staff on the local level. SWCDs help to administer participant contracts, provide technical assistance, and support producers with the implementation of BMPs. Providing leadership and assistance to farmers in their own community is critical to the success of H2Ohio. This trusted connection has been an integral part of H2Ohio’s accomplishments.
Delivering real results
Based on 2024 completed BMP data, ODA estimates that agricultural producers enrolled in H2Ohio reduced phosphorus runoff by more than 532,000 pounds in the Western Lake Erie Basin, which contributes significantly to the health of Lake Erie.
H2Ohio also incentivizes farm practices that improve water management and quality through drainage water management systems and conservation ditches. In addition, funding opportunities for agricultural retailers and crop consultants help support H2Ohio’s progress through the Technical Assistance Reimbursement Program.
Clean water doesn’t just benefit farmers. It helps communities, wildlife, and industries that rely on healthy lakes and rivers. For farmers, many of these practices also improve soil health. Through H2Ohio, a voluntary program, farmers are choosing to make changes with cost-effective options and technical support.
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H2Ohio has also already expanded from northwest Ohio to the entire state, and momentum is growing. As ODA continues to track nutrient reduction progress with modeling, monitoring, and edge-of-field data, a strong measurement of success is the estimated source reduction of phosphorus. All H2Ohio practices combined are making an impact on phosphorus load reduction from the source, indicating H2Ohio is progressing on the right course for long-term results.
This article appeared in the November 2025 issue of Journal of Nutrient Management on page 22.
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