8/9/2019 Welcome to the Olentangy Watershed Brochure
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F riends of the Lower lentangy WatershedOYour watershed,
a special place
A Watershed is the land area that drains intoa specific body of
water such as a stream,river, lake or ocean.
The Olentangy River is 88.5 miles long and
spans 5 counties including Franklin, Delaware,Marion, Morrow and
Crawford. The lower Olentangy River is the last 32 mile stretch
ofthe river, extending from the Delaware Dam tothe Olentangys
confluence with the Scioto indowntown Columbus.
The lower Olentangy watershed encompassesabout 150 square miles
of land that drainsinto the river and its streams. The water-
shed is home to over 250,000 people and thepopulation is
growing.
After the water in the Olentangy River flows
to the Scioto, it travels south to the Ohio River,down the
Mississippi and into the Gulf ofMexico, where many water
qualityproblems are evident. We are partof the larger Mississippi
watershed.
Your river,a valuable resource
The Scenic RiverThe Olentangy was designated a State ScenicRiver
in 1973 because of its natural habitat and
notably high water quality. Scenic River extends22 miles from
the Delaware Dam to the OldWilson Bridge Road. The river valley
containsforested areas, steep shale banks, clearstreams, deep
ravines and exposed large spher-ical ironstone concretions of
geologic interest.
Drinking Water SourceThe Olentangy River provides drinking
waterfor at least 50,000 residents along with somelocal hospitals,
schools and industry.
WildlifeThe river and surroundinglands provide habitatfor more
than 188species of birds, atleast 14 species of
living freshwater mussels and 54 varietiesof fish, many of which
are endangered,threatened or special interest species.Sport
gamefish, including SmallmouthBass, Largemouth Bass, Crappie,
Bluegilland other varieties of Sunfish, can also befound in the
river.
RecreationPaddlers, hikers,cyclists, campers,fishers and
birdwatchers all takeadvantage of exten-sive
recreationalopportunities onthe Olentangy. Parks, trail systems,
andrecreational areas are accessible throughoutthe river
valley.
Threats to your river
Water quality in the Olentangy River rangesfrom excellent to
poor. Water quality problemsexist due to stagnation behind low head
dams,sanitary sewer overflows, home sewage leaks,and a multitude of
problems associated withstorm water runoff.
Storm water runoffcauses special problems inurban landscapes
wherehard surfaces (roofs, park-ing lots,and pavement) prevent
therain water from
soaking into the ground. Instead, the water flowsthrough storm
sewers to our rivers and streams,where it causes erosion, flooding,
andcontamination.
Quality: Storm water carries contaminants fromour landscape to
our river, including:
Automotive chemicals Nutrients from fertilizers Sediments from
construction sites Chemicals from home & garden use Bacteria
from animal, septic and sanitary waste
Quantity: The rapid accumulation and largevolume of storm water
dischargingto the river cause additionalproblems, such as:
Increased flooding Sewage overflows Erosion of streambanks and
property Inadequate recharge of groundwater supplies
Factors that contribute to storm water problems: Impervious
surfaces and compacted soil Loss of wetlands, streamside trees
and vegetation
Street and storm drains that transportpolluted stormwater
directly to streams Stream alterations including straightening
and culverts
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