Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve is part of a national network of coastal reserves established as living laboratories for long-term scientific research and estuarine education. The Reserve was designated in 1980 and is managed as a cooperative partnership between the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Old Woman Creek is also dedicated as an Ohio State Nature Preserve. Located in Huron, Ohio on the south-central shore of Lake Erie, Old Woman Creek is one of the state's few remaining examples of a natural estuary. As a transition zone between land and water, the site contains a variety of habitats including marshes and swamps, upland forests, open water, tributary streams, barrier beach and near shore Lake Erie. The Reserve supports a diverse and important assemblage of native plants and animals representative of freshwater estuaries. Old Woman Creek is of particular regional and national significance because it is the only Great Lakes freshwater estuary in the National Estuarine Research Reserve System. The Reserve’s administrative offices are located in the Mike DeWine Center for Coastal Wetland Studies which overlooks the estuary's eastern shore. The Center also provides laboratories for ecological research and serves as a focal point for public visitation and educational programs. A comprehensive renovation completed in 2003 incorporated many green building materials and construction techniques. Please explore our website to learn more about  research, education, and volunteer opportunities at Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve and State Nature Preserve. 2007 Annual Report (1.7MB pdf) Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve 2514 Cleveland Road, East Huron, OH 44839 419-433-4601 phone 419-433-2851 fax info@oldwomancreek.org