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I.
Watershed Setting
The Darby Creek Watershed encompasses about 355,000 acres
(555 square miles) and is located just west of the City of
Columbus. From its headwaters in Logan
County to its confluence with the Scioto River near Circleville the watershed
flows across seven counties, Logan, Clark, Union, Champaign, Madison,
Franklin, and Pickaway. The
Darby
Creeks
traverse rolling hills in the headwaters, large flat expanses in the
midsection, and drop into large floodplain valleys near the mouth.
Glacial activity created large expanses of relatively flat, poorly
drained soils well suited for agriculture with proper drainage throughout most
of the watershed.
Big and Little Darby Creeks are designated as National and State
Scenic
Rivers
for 82 out of 117 stream miles. A
few of the outstanding stream features are the 100 recorded fish species, and
43 mussel species of which 36 are endangered or rare.
Many streams in the Darby Creek Watershed are classified as
“Exceptional Warmwater Habitats” by the Ohio Environmental Protection
Agency (Ohio EPA) and recognized as one of the top streams in biological
quality in the
Midwest
and Nation.
Today, the watershed’s primary use is agriculture, with about 75% in
farmland. The rural character of
the watershed has helped maintain the creek’s exceptional water quality.
However, the sustainability of the watershed is in question as
urbanization pressures increase, forested areas along stream corridors are
removed, and sediment is not properly controlled.
A more detailed look at the multiple problems in the watershed will be
examined in the Community Based Watershed Plan.
Sections:
A. Location
B. Geology
C. Soils
D. Topography
E. Infrastructure
F. Climate
and Precipitation
G. Water Resources
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