Thousands of Ohioans are taking to the rivers and lakes of the Buckeye State for recreation. Summer is also the peak working season for those who make a living on or near Ohio’s many waterways.
More people on and near the water increase the risk of injury. From those who visit the water for recreation to those who make the water their career, everyone has a right to use Ohio’s precious natural resources safely, hence the need for essential safety tips and best practices for a safe summer season.
Ohio’s Lake Erie, Inland Lakes, and Rivers
Ohio has more freshwater than most realize. According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ohio is home to 110 natural freshwater lakes that are five acres or larger. Ohio’s natural lakes can be found in 21 counties, and most of them formed from either glaciers or by meandering rivers that created oxbow lakes.[1]
Ohio also has 172 human-constructed reservoirs that are greater than 25 acres. In fact, the total acreage for reservoirs across the Buckeye State comes out to about 130,000 acres. When the Ohio Department of Natural Resources adds private and public ponds and smaller human-made reservoirs to the list, the state will have over 5,000 lakes, reservoirs, and ponds.
Ohio is also home to more than 3,000 rivers and streams, totaling about 29,113 miles of waterways. Some of the major waterways most used for commercial activity and recreation include the Ohio River, Scioto River, Great Miami River, Maumee River, and Cuyahoga River.
Last but not least, Ohio claims 316 miles of Lake Erie shoreline, the 11th-largest lake in the world by water surface area. These waterways provide natural beauty and resources to Ohioans when they work and recreate. Unfortunately, thousands of Ohioans also injure themselves on or in the water each year, and according to the Ohio Department of Health, the state consistently ranks high in the nation for unintentional drownings.[2]
Obstructions: What to Watch for Above the Water
Ohio’s waterways receive significantly more traffic and use in the summer, typically in the form of recreational boating, commercial shipping, swimming, small watercraft use (kayaks, canoes, paddle boards), float plane use, tow sports, fishing, scuba diving, or snorkeling.
Above-water health hazards one must constantly be on the lookout for include:
- Commercial freighters
- Other watercraft
- Swimmers
- Fixed hazards
- Diver-down flags
- Channel markers
- Floating debris
- Algae blooms
- Fishing line and tackle
The Biggest Above-Water Risk is the Weather
Whether one is working or recreating on the water, physical obstructions may be the most apparent health hazard, but all physical hazards combined are dwarfed by one other above-the-water factor: the weather.
According to the Ohio DNR, inclement weather is the leading cause of water-related emergencies in the state. Summer’s warm weather shifts the northern hemisphere’s weather patterns, making thunder, windstorms, and hurricanes more likely. In fact, weather-related risks are so severe on Lake Erie and throughout the Ohio River Valley that the Ohio DNR released a “Weather or Not to Boat” PSA to inform the public about safe boating practices during inclement weather.[3]
The Hidden Danger: What to Watch for Below the Water
In the first few months of 2026, much of Ohio experienced severe to extreme drought conditions that affected groundwater aquifers and surface water levels in rivers and lakes across the state. Recent moisture has helped most water systems return to normal throughout Ohio’s 88 counties, but the dangers one may encounter beneath the water’s surface remain.
What do we mean by this? When boating, whether for recreational purposes or for commercial shipping or fishing, one may encounter an obstruction or obstacle submerged below the surface, low enough that it cannot be seen with the naked eye, but close enough to the surface that one’s vessel may run aground on it. These dangers are more prominent when water levels are low, but they are always there and pose some risk, no matter the water levels.
Boaters must always proceed with caution, observe all speed limits, and ensure all radar and sonar equipment is in working order to avoid such obstructions.
Flood Risk is Also a Factor to Consider
Ohio’s meteorologists have reported an uptick in flooding throughout the state, and while only 6.9% of the state is in a flood zone, the Ohio Emergency Management Agency recently reported that flooding is now the state’s most common natural disaster.[4]
What does this mean for people who are recreating on or near the water?
The safety tip is simple. When relaxing or camping near a body of water, always set up camp above the hundred-year high-water line. When recreating at DNR-managed sites, DNR staff should have information on flood-safe zones where one can still enjoy the water while staying safe from the risk of an overnight flash flood.
Waterborne Illnesses
The Ohio Department of Health BeachGuard program was established to warn the public about the health risks associated with waterborne illnesses caused by harmful algal blooms and other contaminants. These are especially prevalent in the western basin of Lake Erie and in major rivers such as the Ohio River and the Maumee.
The two illness-related issues to watch out for most are cyanobacterial (blue-green algae) contamination and E. coli contamination. BeachGuard utilizes a flag system to warn of bacterial contamination at beaches and rivers. The system’s website also maintains up-to-date information on the health of Ohio’s lakes and rivers.[5]
Hypothermia and River Currents
Last but not least, Ohioans who work or play in or near the water this summer need to be mindful of the risk of hypothermia from cold-water immersion. They also must be aware of dangerous river and lake currents.
Ohio summers may be getting warmer, but that doesn’t mean the water will warm up as quickly or to the same degree as the air will. According to the Ohio DNR, even in late spring or fall, water temperatures below normal body temperature (98.6°F) tend to cool the body about 25 times faster than air does.[6]
And while hypothermia risks decrease during summer, prolonged exposure to even “warm” water can increase risk for body cooling and potential hypothermia. Boaters, swimmers, and workers must limit their exposure to the water and, if they must be in it for extended periods, wear protective equipment such as a wetsuit.
Even on calm days, Ohio’s rivers, inland lakes, and Lake Erie can have dangerous, invisible currents that one may not be aware of until it is too late. Breakwaters, piers, jetties, and river mouths create fast-moving currents in the water that cannot be seen or heard; they can only be felt.
Particularly in southeastern Ohio, higher-elevation areas can produce fast-moving river currents that are difficult to navigate without professional training. People working or recreating in or near the water must be aware of their surroundings, the weather, water conditions, and the specific factors influencing that body of water’s behavior.
NRS Injury Law is Ohio-born and Raised and is Ready to Help You and Your Loved Ones
As a state that made its name in shipping and manufacturing, Ohio is known for professions that involve workers who perform their duties in or near rivers, lakes, and canals. To name a few:
- Shipping freighter deckhand
- Commercial dockworker (longshore laborer)
- Harbor crane operator
- Dredge operator
- Heavy equipment operator working on shoreline projects
- Marine diesel mechanic
- Boat and marine engine technician
- Shipyard welder
- Marine fabricator or steelworker
- Commercial diver
- Charter vessel operator
- Commercial fisherman
- Bridge maintenance worker
- Lock and dam maintenance technician
- Fisheries technician
- Aquatic vegetation/lake maintenance technician
- Marina dock technician
- Water transfer technician
- Marine biologist and researcher
- Marina operator
- Canal shipping operator or maintenance technician
- Coast Guard or Sheriff’s Department (aquatics or marine unit)
Any one of these roles puts one near, in, or on the water quite often, especially during the busy season (summer).
As for recreational water opportunities, these too skyrocket in prevalence during the summer. The ice has left, the water is as warm as it’s ever going to be, and water sports are at their peak in Ohio’s most popular lakes and rivers like Lake Erie, the Ohio River, Alum Creek Reservoir, Buckeye Lake, Indian Lake, Mosquito Lake, Caesar Creek Lake, Salt Fork Lake, East Fork Lake, the Mohican River, Little Miami River, and the Cuyahoga River.
Water sports and activities put recreating Ohioans near the water, too, with many adopting the following as their hobbies:
- Fishing
- Boating
- Kayaking
- Canoeing
- Paddle-boarding
- Swimming
- Jet skiing
- Sailing
- Water skiing
- Wakeboarding
- Tubing
- Dragon boat racing
- Windsurfing
- Kiteboarding
- Scuba diving
- Snorkeling
- Beach-combing
If you live, work, play, or spend time on or near a body of water in Ohio, and you become injured this summer, please get in touch with NRS Injury Law.
NRS Injury Law represents injured Ohioans and injured workers as a leading workers’ compensation and personal injury law firm. With six offices across the state, the firm is well-equipped to handle injury cases in all 88 Ohio counties and to give each case the attention it deserves.
The firm’s vast resources and proven track record are leveraged to the advantage of clients, so if you or someone you know has been hurt in a water-related accident, please get in touch with NRS Injury Law today.
We are Ohio’s best injury law firm and workers’ compensation law practice, and we can help.
Disclaimer: The information in this blog post (“post”) is provided for general informational purposes only and may not reflect the current law in your jurisdiction. No information contained in this post should be construed as legal advice, nor is it intended to be a substitute for legal counsel on any subject matter. No reader of this post should act or refrain from acting based on any information included in or accessible through this post without seeking the appropriate legal or other professional advice on the particular facts and circumstances at issue from a lawyer licensed in the recipient’s state, country, or other appropriate licensing jurisdiction.
Sources:
[1] ODNR. “Natural Lakes in Ohio.” Ohio Department of Natural Resources, 2026. ohiodnr.gov
[2] ODH. “Safe Swimming and Drowning Prevention.” Ohio Department of Health, 2026. odh.ohio.gov
[3] ODNR. “Weather or Not to Boat.” Ohio Department of Natural Resources, 2026. ohiodnr.gov
[4] OEMA. “Mitigation & Recovery.” Ohio Emergency Management Agency, 2026. ema.ohio.gov
[5] ODH. “BeachGuard.” Ohio Department of Health, 2026. odh.ohio.gov
[6] ODNR. “ODNR Reminds Ohioans to Stay Safe on the Water at Temperatures Drop.” Ohio Department of Natural Resources, 2025. ohiodnr.gov
