Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are ubiquitous contaminants traceable to biogenic, petrogenic (natural), and pyrogenic (human-related) sources. Characterization of their sources can be determined using a modified method described by Stout et al. (2001). PAH contamination was characterized in two unique watersheds in Northwest Ohio. Otter Creek, deemed a dead stream, is an Area of Concern in Lucas County that has been highly altered from its original wooded character by human activities. Seven miles long and situated near a crude oil deposit, it passes through urban and industrial areas to empty into Maumee Bay and Lake Erie. The Maumee River, carrying the highest sediment load in the region, passes through rural, agricultural areas void of industrialization. Sediment samples collected from both surface and anoxic depths in 2004 and 2005 yield distinct patterns specific to the pyrogenic, petrogenic, and biogenic origins of PAH sources along the respective waterways.