"The Maumee River Basin is the largest watershed in the Great Lakes region, collecting runoff from more than 6,600 square miles in Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan and depositing it in Lake Erie--though as the lake's largest tributary the river's influence is not entirely positive. In this lively, ruminative book, Ryan Schnurr takes us on a journey down the Maumee River, walking and canoeing it from headwaters to mouth. Along the way, he traces the history, ecology, and culture of the river, from the influence of glaciers, through its role in Native American and American history, to its relevance for contemporary environmental issues. Part cultural history, part nature writing, part personal narrative, 'In the Watershed' is a lyrical work of nonfiction in the vein of John McPhee and Ian Frazier with a timely and important warning at the core. 'What is happening in Lake Erie,' Schnurr tells us, 'is a disaster by nearly any measure--ecologically, economically, socially, culturally.' "--Back cove