Dress for it
Rain gear has advanced tremendously in recent years. Previously actual waterproof gear meant bulky and restricting. That’s not ideal for activities, whether fishing or just walking the dog. Or something listed as “water resistant” that would resist water right up until the point that it didn’t.
That might be 15 minutes or a dash from the car to the store. That’s no longer a problem. I have a jacket from a company that makes boots in Maine that looks and fits just like a water resistant wind breaker, but is actually water proof. Similar pants and waterproof boots and I’m set for most of what an Ohio spring can dish out.
Ready for the worst
While weather patterns across the country seem altered recently, thanks to the community response to the devastation of the Dayton flood of 1913, local worries about the massive flooding on that scale are tempered. From March 23rd to March 26th of that year, 8-12 inches of rain fell on Southwest Ohio ground that couldn’t absorb any more.
The Great Miami River came out of its banks, destroying levees and rising to 20 feet above normal in downtown Dayton. When the water receded, more than 360 people were left dead and scores of buildings and property destroyed. Almost immediately, engineer Arthur Morgan was hired by local leaders to design a regional flood protection system.
The result was the Miami Valley Conservancy District, covering Piqua to Hamilton and the drainages into the Great Miami, with 55 miles of levees and 5 dry dams that operate essentially autonomously. It was built to withstand the flood of 1913, plus 40%. When it was finished, it was awarded the 1922 Engineering Record’s distinguished “Project of the Year,” joining the company of such renowned engineering marvels as the Eiffel Tower, Empire State Building and Golden Gate Bridge that also received the same recognition.
It’s now part of the local landscape with little thought, but standing guard until quietly called into duty.
That’s in contrast to places like Houston, Texas where the landscape has been altered to be less capable of dealing with huge rain events and flooding. The population growth in that area has led to fewer wetlands and prairies, and more concrete. That makes it unable to effectively deal with large amounts of rain in a short amount of time, events that are occurring with increasing frequency.
Getting Outside
In addition to flood control, the Miami Valley Conservancy District provides abundant recreational opportunities. The land behind the dry dams serve as storage basins, with 36,350 acres available to be called upon when needed. When it’s not needed, it’s used for recreation and agricultural purposes. The Five Rivers MetroParks manages access through Englewood MetroPark and Taylorsville MetroPark, among others.
They provide great opportunities for hiking, biking, fishing and river access. Their websites provide interesting and impressive stats on rain events since the district was formed, how the system performed and the flood damage that was averted throught their construction.
If you’re interested in learning more about the largest drainage in our area and what’s happening, the Five Rivers Metro Park is hosting an EcoTalk series that will address Fisheries and Wetland Research on March 10th.
Devin Meister is a local outdoors and wildlife enthusiast and has a blog called “Average Guy Outdoors.” He is an Ohio University graduate. Reach him at meister.devin@gmail.com.
EVENT
EcoTalk: Fisheries and Wetland Research at Cox Arboretum, March 10, 6 - 7:30 p.m.
Donnie Knight, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, will discuss fish passage projects, habitat restorations and stream and wetland fish reintroductions. Mike Porto, Fisheries Biologist, ODNR will be talking about sport fish management from a state agency perspective.
metroparks.org/programs-events-finder/?program_number=V212&api=programs&type=program
MORE ONLINE
Remembering the Great Flood of 1913: mcdwater.org/blog/history/exploregreatfloodhistory
Germantown Dam: mcdwater.org/flood-protection/germantown-dam
Huffman Dam: mcdwater.org/flood-protection/huffman-dam
Taylorsville Dam: mcdwater.org/maps/taylorsville-metropark
Englewood Dam: mcdwater.org/flood-protection/englewood-dam
Lockington Dam: mcdwater.org/flood-protection/lockington-dam
Flood problem in Houston, TX: theguardian.com/environment/2017/jun/16/texas-flooding-houston-climate-change-disaster?CMP=share_btn_tw
About the Author
