The quiet work of restoration took a visible leap forward this fall as lake sturgeon, a species long absent from most Ohio waterways, were released into the Cuyahoga, Sandusky, Scioto, and Maumee rivers. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources says these 6- to 8-inch juveniles mark the beginning of a new chapter for a fish that once ruled the deeper channels of Lake Erie and the Ohio River.
A 150-Year Absence
For generations, lake sturgeon were a routine part of Ohio’s aquatic life. That changed as dams cut off spawning routes and harvest went unchecked. By the early 20th century, the state had lost every known spawning population. It has taken decades of water quality gains, habitat restoration, and dam removals to make reintroduction possible…