Bela Clutter of the Ohio Scenic Rivers Program assists local Northwest Middle School students at the 2023 Annual Scioto Brush Creek Day, near Otway.
News Release
On June 22, 1969, something seemingly impossible happened: the Cuyahoga River at Cleveland caught fire. You read that right. The surface of the river caught on fire and had to be extinguished by firefighters. This wasn’t the first time it had happened but this time it was different. People were fed up with pollution degrading American rivers. Republicans and Democrats in Congress worked together to enact legislation that would put more emphasis on clean water – the very thing that all life on Earth needs to survive. In 1972, President Nixon signed the Clean Water Act after passing both houses of Congress nearly unanimously. The Ohio Legislature acted also, creating the Ohio Scenic River Program in 1969 to recognize outstanding rivers in Ohio and the good work that local communities were doing to keep their waterways clean.
In the past 55 years Ohio has recognized and designated over 830 miles of river in 15 different river systems as either “Wild”, “Scenic” or “Recreational”. Having a river with one or more of these designations has become a point of pride for cities and communities all across Ohio. Mostly considered a “badge of honor,” Scenic River status does come with one aspect of government oversite. Publicly funded projects (such as bridges, sewer lines, etc.) within 1,000 feet of a designated portion of the river are reviewed by the Director of the Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) to ensure that the design minimizes impact on the river. Interestingly, this very small aspect of the Scenic River Law has caused great confusion over the decades – causing some communities to fear designation as some sort of “land grab” by the Department of Natural Resources. Ironically, this very language in the Ohio Revised Code meant to specifically limit the Director’s authority to only public projects within 1,000 feet of the river can be confusing and result in the opposite, unintended effect.
FoSBC has been interested in exploring designation for quite some time, but we realize that the success of the program depends on the community welcoming the designation. Since the language in the law has caused so much confusion, FoSBC has waited for the language to be clarified. We believe communities will be more receptive to having their streams recognized if they clearly understand that government will have absolutely no authority over their private lands along the creek. Recently, Ohio Senate Bill 156 was introduced that proposes several amendments to the Scenic River Law, including this clarifying language.
FoSBC is supportive of these language changes and have invited a representative from ODNR to speak at the Annual Meeting on February 17th. This will be a great opportunity to learn more about the Scenic River designation process, the proposed changes to the law, and to ask questions. We also hope to have a farmer from the Big Darby Creek Scenic River attend as well so we can hear from a landowner about how designation has or has not impacted their community.
The Annual Meeting is open to the public and is a fun, pot-luck affair, with everyone bringing a dish to share. Join us at 10 a.m. on Saturday, February 17 at the Union Township Fire Station and Community Building, located at 50 Arion Road, McDermott, Ohio. This ison the corner of State Route 73 and Arion Road, 14 miles west of Portsmouth.
Contact Jody if you have questions at fosbc@scpwildblue.com or (740) 493-3062.
The Friends of Scioto Brush Creek, Inc. is an all-volunteer organization whose mission is to maintain and improve the water quality of Scioto Brush Creek through education, awareness, and involvement of local residents.
