Did you know that no matter where you live, everyone lives in a watershed? Yep, you read that right. Every part of Warren County, the state of Ohio, and the United States is all part of a watershed. So now you may be wondering, what is a watershed? A watershed is a land area that drains to a central location, such as a lake, river, or ocean. Think of it as a shallow depression or bowl in the landscape where the “rim” is a ridge or hill. Here in Ohio, we have two main watersheds: the Lake Erie Watershed and the Ohio River Basin Watershed. In Warren County, we are part of the Ohio River Basin Watershed, but when broken down even further, Warren County is made up of several smaller watersheds that drain to either the Great Miami River or the Little Miami River. The Great Miami River is in the northwest corner of Warren County and flows through 15 counties in Ohio into the Ohio River. The Great Miami River’s watershed is comprised of urban development and agricultural land. The Little Miami River runs nearly the entire length of Warren County and, like the Great Miami River, flows into the Ohio River. The Little Miami River’s watershed spans across a large portion of southwestern Ohio, encompassing all or part of 11 counties. Much of the watershed that feeds into the Little Miami River is comprised of agricultural land, but the watershed still contains urban development. After the water from the Great Miami and Little Miami Rivers flows into the Ohio River, it makes its way to the Mississippi River and then reaches its destination in the Gulf of Mexico.
To understand more about how water systems are connected, it is important to note that even the smallest of actions can affect a watershed. Runoff from fields, lawns, and pavement could carry potentially harmful materials into the watershed. In Ohio, harmful algal blooms caused by phosphorus runoff, failing drinking water systems, wastewater, and aging water infrastructure are some of the top water issues that are being addressed. In 2019, Governor Mike DeWine launched H2Ohio, “a comprehensive water quality initiative that is working to strategically address serious water issues that have been building in Ohio for decades” (H2Ohio, 2019). The top priorities of H2Ohio include reducing phosphorus, creating wetlands, addressing failing septic systems, and preventing lead contamination. H2Ohio in action locally! The Warren County Soil & Water Conservation District is in the process of securing a H2Ohio Wetland Grant that will fund the creation of a wetland to address stormwater flooding in Turtlecreek Township. For more information on the Ohio River Basin visit https://www.savelocalwaters.org/ohio-river-watershed.html and for more information on H2Ohio visit https://h2.ohio.gov/about-h2ohio/. For more information regarding watersheds, Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District programs and/or technical assistance, contact our offices at 513-695-1337 or [email protected].
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Warren County SWCD Staff BlogA blog to keep you informed on all the latest news at Warren County SWCD and in the conservation world. Archives
October 2024
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