Our Region’s Water:
Protecting. Preserving. Promoting.
The Miami Conservancy
District protects
communities in
Southwest Ohio from
flooding, preserves the
quality and quantity of
water, and promotes
Potential underseepage at levees
the enjoyment of our
waterways.
Workers drill deep into
the levee to retrieve soil
samples for analysis.
theDeed
The Miami Conservancy District’s Annual Report to the Miami Valley
Expensive fix
Miami Conservancy District levees have
withstood every storm event since their
construction nearly 90 years ago. But an
extensive engineering analysis has revealed a
potential vulnerability with the foundation of
the levees.
MCD is doing the engineering analysis to
comply with the Federal Emergency Management
Agency’s (FEMA) effort to update flood
insurance rate maps nationwide. For levees to
be shown on the new maps as offering protection,
the levees must protect to the 100-year flood
(a storm event that has a 1-percent chance of
occurring in any given year).
“There are eight different requirements that each
levee section must pass, “says Kurt Rinehart,
MCD chief engineer. “After extensive studies in
Butler and Warren counties where FEMA began
the process locally, MCD levees have exceeded
most of the standards. One area of concern is
foundation stability or underseepage.”
Underseepage is water that seeps through a
dam or levee foundation. Water flowing under
pressure through the foundation soils can cause
soil particles to move, creating voids in the
foundation which in turn allow more water to
flow. This situation is called piping because the
flow creates a “pipe” in the foundation and can
lead to instability and potential levee failure.
Science was not advanced enough to know
about the effects of underseepage when the
MCD dams and levees were built. MCD has
addressed underseepage at three of its five dams
and expects to finish capital improvements at
Englewood and Lockington dams by next year.
2010
“We’re working to determine how many miles
of levee will need improvements,” says Janet
Bly, MCD general manager. “The analysis is
under way in Butler, Warren, and Miami counties
but hasn’t yet begun in Montgomery County.
Since the foundations all have similar geology,
it’s likely there could be problem areas in
each county.”
Unfortunately, if a levee section doesn’t meet
every single requirement, FEMA will deaccredit
that levee section. This means cities will have
to enforce floodplain regulations regarding
development, and many homeowners will be
required to purchase flood insurance. Flood
insurance is available to virtually everyone but
currently is optional. (More information on
flood insurance)
“It’s important to note that if a levee section is
deaccredited, that doesn’t mean the levee will
fail,” Bly says. “The probability of a storm
large enough to put this kind of pressure on the
levees remains small, and the risk of piping is
even smaller. Plus, there are flood-fighting steps
that can be taken to further reduce the risk of
levee failure. And remember, these levees have
withstood every storm since 1922.”
The process
More than 18 miles of levee have been evaluated
in Butler and Warren counties, and another
7.5 miles of levee in Miami County are under
review. FEMA provides only a two-year window
to complete the extensive review and submit
the report including detailed data, drawings and
analyses for each levee section.
Underseepage story continued on page 8.
 2
“The concrete below the
waterline is in excellent
shape,” says Kurt Rinehart,
MCD chief engineer, “but
there are problems above
the waterline—a result of
freezing and thawing over
the years.”
Workers inspect concrete in
the dewatered stilling basin
at Lockington Dam.
Protecting
Dam Safety Initiative
In 1999, MCD began a multi-year Dam Safety
Initiative (DSI) capital improvement plan to ensure
the integrity of the dams for future generations.
The schedule was aggressive and the costs
were conservative.
The plans called for addressing underseepage—
water that seeps through a dam’s foundation
and can lead to dam failure—at all five dams by
constructing projects along the downstream toes
of the dams.
The plans also included modifying the crest at three
dams by constructing impermeable cut-off walls to
prevent stored flood waters from seeping through
the embankments. In addition, major repairs
would be made to concrete at the dams. Concrete
floodwalls and revetment would be replaced at
several locations.
By the end of 2009, MCD had:
n Addressed underseepage at three of the five dams
(Germantown, Taylorsville and Huffman) using
combinations of relief wells, weighted toe berms
and toe drains.
n Completed relief well projects at the other
two dams (Englewood and Lockington) along with
a weighted toe berm and toe drain project
at Lockington Dam.
n Completed crest walls at Huffman, Taylorsville
and Englewood dams. MCD completed crest
remediation projects at Germantown and
Lockington dams before the DSI in 1970 and 1993,
respectively.
n Repaired concrete revetment and floodwalls
in Troy, Dayton, and Hamilton.
n Completed concrete inspection at Lockington
Dam.
Final underseepage projects
The geology at Lockington Dam is more complex
than at the other four dams. The dam’s foundation
sits on fractured limestone bedrock. The unique
geology required more testing—and creativity—
to determine a solution to control the underseepage.
While relief wells and weighted toe berms have
been installed to help address the problem, grouting
of four large areas in the foundation east and west
of the spillway also is necessary. Grouting is
expected to start in 2010.
At Englewood Dam, MCD installed additional
relief wells in 2009. A weighted toe berm and toe
drains will complete the underseepage control.
Concrete repairs needed at the dams
As part of the DSI, MCD completed a thorough
inspection of the concrete at Lockington Dam. In
2009, MCD hired a contractor to dewater the dam’s
east conduit to inspect the concrete.
The dam’s concrete was visually inspected for
cracking and spalling (surface pieces falling off),
and the entire surface was mapped. In addition,
workers drilled into the concrete, taking samples to
be analyzed at a lab.
MCD last inspected the concrete in the 1970s and
subsequently performed repairs to the concrete.
The 2009 inspection showed a good news/bad
news scenario.
“The concrete below the waterline is in excellent
shape,” says Kurt Rinehart, MCD chief engineer,
“but there are problems above the waterline—a
result of freezing and thawing over the years.”
Despite needing repair, there is no immediate
threat to the dam. The deterioration, however, will
continue if not repaired. Repairs to Lockington
Dam concrete will be more extensive than in the
past, with some repair work as deep as 2 feet into
the spillway walls. The total estimated cost for
repairs to Lockington Dam concrete is about
$10 million.
“Given that the concrete at the dams is about 90
years old, it has held up very well,” Rinehart says,
“but like bridges and roads and other concrete
structures, repairs are necessary and can be
expensive.”
Although MCD hasn’t inspected the concrete at the
other four dams, it anticipates similar findings at
each. MCD will add the concrete repair projects at
the dams to its list of capital improvement projects
that will be needed in the coming years.

2009 high water
events
When it comes to high-water events, 2009 was
significant not because of the size of the events but
for the lack of it.
Consider this:
n For the first time in 16 years, there were no high
water events big enough to cause all five dams to
store water simultaneously, according to MCD
records.
n In all, there were 13 storage events—when the
pool elevation exceeds the top of the dam outlet
conduits—about a third less than the 19 events we
average each year.
n None of the 13 storage events had more than
two dams storing floodwaters at any one time.
n Huffman Dam did not have any storage events
in 2009—the first time that’s happened in 19 years.
The largest event of 2009 took place February 8-
12, resulting in total peak storage of 10,955 acre-
feet (3.6 billion gallons). The high water event was
triggered by melting snow on February 8 and 9,
followed by 0.7 to 1.2 inches of rain falling within
the Great Miami River Watershed on February 10,
11, and 12. The heaviest rainfall occurred north
of Dayton in Darke, Miami, Logan, and Shelby
counties.
“From a financial standpoint the lack of high-
water events was beneficial in that we didn’t have
a lot of costs in overtime,” says Janet Bly, MCD
general manager. “In this economy, every little bit
of savings helps.”
For the first time in 19 years, Huffman
Dam had no storage events.
3
Flood Protection
Like virtually every
community and organization
in the watershed, MCD has
been looking carefully at its
budget and tightening its belt.
Some of the actions we have
taken include:
n Freezing wages for 2010
n Reducing health insurance
benefits
n Restricting travel
n Obtaining grants from state/
Floodwall exercise
federal sources
n Revising equipment
replacement schedules to
Practice makes perfect delay equipment purchases
It would take a massive storm—even larger than n Using seasonal staff in place
the 1913 flood—for the river in downtown Dayton of full-time staff when
to rise high enough to flow through the open possible
levee at RiverScape. Still, MCD prepares for
all possibilities.
That’s why staff members from MCD, the City of
Dayton and Five Rivers MetroParks installed a Flood Protection Revenues
floodwall at the RiverScape plaza last fall as part of (2009 Actual)
a flood protection exercise.
n Assessments ($4,422,356)
“When RiverScape was developed, a portion of the
n Intergovernmental ($135,202)
levee was removed,” says Kurt Rinehart, MCD chief
engineer. “The floodwall provides protection for n Other ($120,348)
that section of the levee should the water ever get n Fees & Charges ($107,276)
that high. Every few years, we work with the City n Interest ($38,348)
of Dayton and MetroParks to practice installing
the floodwall to keep everyone current on the
procedure.”
To install the floodwall, caps are removed from the
plaza floor area and posts put into the openings.
A backhoe is used to install sections of aluminum
stoplogs. The main floodwall is about 3 or 4 feet
high and about 160 feet wide with another smaller
opening—about 30 feet wide­—west of the plaza.
The installation takes about three hours.
 4
Water Resources Report
for the Great Miami River
Watershed documents
the overall state of water
resources in the watershed
for 2008. The report
focuses on the buried valley
aquifer and water quality
and quantity. The report is
available on the MCD
web site.
Preserving
Take-back program keeps drugs out of water supply
DUMP unused medications
One in 10 high school seniors admits to abusing
prescription painkillers, often found in parents’
or grandparents’ medicine cabinets. Properly
disposing of unwanted medications can be tricky.
They shouldn’t be flushed because trace amounts
are being found in our rivers and streams.
Throwing them in the trash isn’t a good option
either. But there is another way. Residents can
take advantage of the Dispose of Unwanted
Medications Properly (DUMP) events.
H2Open for Business
Group highlights water to bring jobs to region
Water – 21st century gold, some say. The Great
Miami River Watershed and its buried valley
aquifer are rich with it, yet many people hardly
notice. But that’s beginning to change.
In April of 2009, the Dayton Development
Coalition launched its H2Open for Business
campaign featuring the abundance of good
quality water to attract new, conservation-minded
businesses to the region.
The campaign began with a news conference hosted
at the Miami Conservancy District (MCD) and an
ad in the Wall Street Journal.
A group of local government, education and
business leaders­—including MCD staff­—
continues to meet to coordinate efforts that
promote the Dayton Region as water-rich both
in quantity and expertise.
The Miami Conservancy District worked with
DUMP campaign organizers to promote six DUMP
events in the last half of 2009. Together, the events
collected nearly 120,400 pills, more than 7,850
inhalers and other materials. MCD also worked
with the City of Miamisburg on a prescription take-
back program that collected more than 22,600 pills.
The events were part of an overall effort by MCD to
raise awareness of pharmaceuticals in our streams
and aquifers, and the need to dispose of unwanted
medications without polluting our water supplies. 
The United States Geological Survey says water
samples from across the country and locally are
showing traces of drugs in our rivers, streams,
groundwater and untreated drinking water sources.
 All of the prescriptions collected are disposed
of safely and responsibly without impact
to the environment. The DUMP events are
sponsored by MCD and Help Out Ohio, a
local non-profit organization. Check out upcoming
DUMP events in your area.
Already the group has landed the 2010 national
conference of the Water Innovations Alliance to be
held in Dayton in May. The Alliance is an industry
association focused on developing and promoting
cutting-edge water technologies and the problems
they solve. The Alliance’s previous conference
was held in Chicago in 2009 with more than
300 attendees.
“While we—in the Dayton Region—have an
abundant water supply, we don’t take it for granted,”
says Jim Leftwich, president and CEO of the
Dayton Development Coalition. “Several local
counties partner with the Miami Conservancy
District to study and report on the sustainability
of this vital resource.”
Learn more about the Dayton Water Conference.

Project helps map aquifer’s future
In the future when local decision makers need to
know how decisions—such as a new pumping well
—might affect the aquifer, they’ll have a new tool
to help them. MCD has completed contour maps
between Middletown and south of Miamisburg.
“It gives us a snapshot—a picture in time of water
stored, the direction it’s moving and the speed or
flow,” says Mike Ekberg, MCD water resources
manager. “We can then compare these baseline
results to future snapshots to see what changes
have occurred.”
The results also can be used as a model to show
effects of certain projects on the aquifer.
MCD by the numbers
Sometimes the goal of cleaning up our waterways
can seem overwhelming. How can one person, one
event, one program really make a difference?
You might be surprised.
MCD successes by the numbers in 2009
120,000 — The number of pounds of nitrogen/
phosphorus that will be removed over 15 years from
our waterways through 45 new Water Quality Credit
Trading projects funded in 2009.
30, 65, 6 — The number of citizen, students and
teachers trained as volunteer Miami Valley Stream
Team monitors in 2009. These volunteers monitor
the quality of area streams and waterways.
288 and 945 — The number of private-well
owners who took advantage of free nitrate testing
in the Test Your Well program in 2009, and the total
participants since Test Your Well began in 2007.
Stream Team Teaches
volunteers how to
test water quality
in local rivers and
streams.
5
Aquifer Preservation Revenues
“Let’s say a business wants to drill three new (2009 Actual)
pumping wells,” Ekberg says, “using this baseline
n Assessments ($912,370)
information, we can model how it will affect
the aquifer.” n Grants ($42,685)
n Interest ($8,703)
MCD previously completed map contouring
projects from New Baltimore (south of Hamilton)
to Middletown. Over time, MCD plans to complete
map contouring along the Great Miami River
throughout the watershed. The next project will
focus on the area between Miamisburg and Dayton.
During a training
event on preventing
pollution at municipal
facilities, stormwater
managers study a site
to determine what
practical changes
could reduce runoff
and potential spills.
$103,750 — Funds awarded to three communities
partnering with MCD to implement projects that
protect the region’s drinking water. The projects
include innovative practices that prevent runoff
by allowing precipitation to infiltrate, easing
flooding on streets and sidewalks, and removing
contaminants from storm water. Another project
involves developing a model to determine the
source water protection area for a city’s well field.
$47,427 — The grant amount given to MCD
from The Ohio Environmental Education Fund of
the Ohio EPA to train 50 storm water managers
and 200 municipal maintenance staff members
about storm water pollution prevention in the Great
Miami River Watershed.
640, 680 and 2,140 — The number of
pounds of trash, recyclables and tires collected
by MCD employees during the July 17 Great Miami
River cleanup.
 6
Play It Safe!
You wouldn’t ride your
bike without a helmet. You
wouldn’t run through an
intersection without look-
ing both ways first. So why
would you ever consider
kayaking on a river without a
life vest or a safety map? We
hope you wouldn’t.
That’s why for the past sever-
al years MCD has sponsored
the Play It Safe! campaign
and free river safety maps.
The maps are available for
the Great Miami, Mad and
Stillwater rivers. Each map
features information about
river hazards, how to stay
safe on the river, and access
points to the river.
Order your free maps.
Promoting
Great Miami River Recreation Trail
Trail counters
You’re being watched –
well at least counted
If you ride the Great Miami River Recreation Trail,
you know—by seeing all the people you pass—that
the trails are popular. But have you ever wondered
just how much use they really get? We have.
There can be a lot at stake with accurate trail
counts. That’s why MCD invested in three trail
counters in 2009 and will be adding two more
in 2010.
Trail counts:
n Help identify the months and days of the
week when trail use is highest, allowing MCD
to increase trail maintenance during high-use
times and reduce maintenance during lower-use
periods.
n Provide statistics to ODOT to justify detours
around state construction projects rather than just
closing the trails for the duration of a project.
n Identifywhere the highest and lowest use is,
helping to determine if additional or improved
access is needed.
n Allow MCD to provide firm numbers about
trail use to city councils and administrators,
helping them understand the impact trails have
in their community.
n Help
identify hour-of-day use trends
(commuter versus recreational use).
n Help bolster grant applications when asking
for funds to expand a trail.
“MCD recently provided trail count data to the
City of Dayton to strengthen its Bike Friendly
Community Application to the League of American
Bicyclists,” says Hans Landefeld, Recreation
Trail Manager.
MCD installed three counters in May 2009—two
in Montgomery County in Dayton and West
Carrollton and one in Warren County in Franklin.
From June through November 2009, more than
25,000 people were counted at the three locations.
The two remaining counters will be placed in
Moraine to provide additional data on trail usage.
Great Miami River Recreation Trail construction
MCD supports the efforts of communities and park
districts to construct and maintain recreation trails
on MCD property. MCD reviews the plans for each
project to ensure it doesn’t affect the operation or
maintenance of the flood protection system.
“Major gaps are closing rapidly, especially in the
north, on this 90-mile trail,” Landefeld says.
Piqua
The City of Piqua partnered with the Miami
County Park District to complete a 2.75-mile trail
extension. The new trail section travels south from
Lock Nine Park. About 25 percent of the new trail
section is on land owned by MCD.
Concord Township (Miami County)
The Miami County Park District completed a 1.8-
mile trail extension north from Eldean Road. About
1 mile of this extension is on land owned by MCD.
Middletown
The City of Middletown completed a new 1.9-mile
addition to the trail. Middletown has obtained a
$490,600 Energy Efficiency & Conservation Block
Grant from the Department of Energy to build an
additional 1.8 miles of trail.

Riders explore cities in
River Rides
When people think of the Great Miami River
Recreation Trail, they often associate it with fitness
and transportation. But as 160 participants in the
summer River Rides learned, the ride is only half
the fun—exploring the charming cities along the
trail can be even better.
“Our experience in Troy was eye opening,” said Jim
Elking. “The downtown area is very interesting,
architecturally and (has a) variety of businesses.
The materials we were given made us aware of so
many things in Troy that we did not know existed.”
MCD sponsored the two River Rides—a south ride
featuring the cities of Miamisburg and Franklin
and a north ride in Troy. The rides were part of the
Drive Less, Live More campaign which encourages
drivers to take the bus, bike, walk or carpool
whenever possible.
Each ride was about 14 miles long. Besides
exploring the recreation trail, riders visited
historical landmarks and businesses in the cities.
“Two of my friends joined me for this wet and
gloomy ride,” said Andi Miner of the Troy ride
which featured a few summer downpours. “We
had never ridden this path before and enjoyed it so
much we returned several times over the summer.”  most popular and fastest growing of all outdoor
MCD—along with the Miami Valley Regional
Planning Commission, the Greater Dayton RTA
and Five Rivers MetroParks—sponsored the third
annual Drive Less, Live More campaign in 2009.
Go to drivelesslivemore.org for more information
on the River Ride and 2010 campaign.
The new hand-carried-boat ramp just above the Ohio 73 bridge over the Great Miami River
7
Handrail
accents
river flow River Corridor
Improvement Revenues
A great place to take a stroll in downtown Dayton is
(2009 Actual)
the Dayton RiverWalk—a shaded gravel walkway
looking over the river from the Main Street Bridge n Assessments ($249,223)
to the Dayton View Bridge. It sits atop the floodwall
n Intergovernmental ($214,000)
behind the Wine Gallery, First Baptist Church, the
Landing, YMCA and Code Credit Union. n Grants ($101,508)
n Interest ($13,124)
A new handrail along the Dayton RiverWalk has
improved safety after a badly deteriorated railing
was replaced. A wave design in the railing is
intended to mimic the flow of the river. Besides the
RiverWalk, MCD replaced handrailing at four other
locations – Helena Street at Riverside Drive, Robert
Boulevard at Third Street, Edwin Moses Boulevard
just downstream of US 35 and at the Tait Station
Low Dam parking lot. In all, about 2,850 feet of
railing was replaced.
Middletown
Boat ramp improves access to
Great Miami River
Recreation and paddlesports are among the
activities. According to the Ohio Department of
Natural Resources, Ohio saw a 43-percent increase
in canoe and kayak registration from 2003 to 2009.
About 86,000 kayaks and canoes are now registered
in Ohio.
And MCD’s latest hand-carried-boat ramp may help
those numbers climb even higher. MCD completed
construction of a hand-carried-boat ramp just above
the Ohio 73 bridge over the Great Miami River in
the summer of 2009. Previously, the closest hand-
carried-boat ramp was in Germantown.
“We built the boat ramp downstream of the Armco
Low Dam so users won’t have to portage around the
dam,” says Hans Landefeld, MCD trail manager.
“And we picked a location adjacent to the parking
lot that serves the recreation trail. That parking
lot can now be used by cyclists, walkers, skaters,
kayakers and canoeists.”
The boat ramp was built with a $50,000 grant from
the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division
of Watercraft and has been open since July.
 8

Conservancy Court
MCD is governed by a
Conservancy Court comprised
of one common pleas court judge
from each of the counties within
the Conservancy District bound-
aries. The Conservancy Court
appoints MCD’s Board of
Directors and Board of Appraisers,
and approves their plans.
Butler County
Honorable Keith M. Spaeth
Clark County
Honorable Richard J. O’Neill
Greene County
Honorable J. Timothy Campbell
Hamilton County
Honorable Robert P. Ruehlman
Miami County
Honorable Jeffrey M. Welbaum
Montgomery County
Honorable Barbara P. Gorman
Preble County
Honorable David N. Abruzzo
Shelby County
Honorable James F. Stevenson
Warren County
Honorable Neal Bronson
Board of Directors
Gayle B. Price, Jr.
President
William E. Lukens
Vice President
A message from the general manager
Levee accreditation process creates challenges
The Miami Conservancy District (MCD) has Underseepage story continued from page 1
been a long–time advocate of robust flood Levee accreditation does not guarantee the levee
protection infrastructure to ensure public safety or its performance, it simply is an indicator of
and economic prosperity. MCD supports the
compliance with certain FEMA requirements.
FEMA Map Modernization program to update
Addressing underseepage to meet FEMA
flood maps and accurately identify flooding risks
across the country. However, MCD—like many standards could require millions – or tens of
communities nationwide—faces challenges in millions – of dollars in capital improvements.
Even more extensive improvements could be
dealing with the levee accreditation process of
Map Modernization. The process requires that necessary to meet MCD’s Official Plan Flood
standards, which are higher than a 100-year
levees meet rigorous compliance standards to be
accredited by FEMA. New FEMA maps will flood. MCD will calculate the cost of improving
show accredited levees as providing protection. levees once all of the levee systems have
If levees are not accredited the maps will be been through the levee accreditation process.
published as though the levees did not exist. These costs would be added to MCD’s capital
improvement needs.
Some of the challenges include:
n Tight deadlines and unexpected costs to
Levee Accreditation Process
evaluate the levees and certify that compliance
standards are met. To even begin the Levee Accreditation process,
n Inadequate time and funds to complete
levee owners must provide FEMA information
repairs to levees before the flood insurance (including a Maintenance, Operations and
Inspection manual; maintenance records; and
maps are finalized.
levee height estimates) that would lead FEMA
n Potential economic impacts new flood maps
could have on the communities MCD protects. officials to expect the levee can be accredited.
Below is a brief diagram of the process and
Levee owners have been given only a two-year potential outcomes.
window to complete the extensive evaluation of
their levees. Miami Conservancy District staff Provisionally Accredited Levee (PAL)
is working hard to assure we meet the two-year
deadline for levee evaluation submittals. FEMA
has not allowed any time for levee repair.
2 years to submit more in-depth
Reducing the risk of flooding is our primary
information plus geotechnical borings
goal. Preventing flooding—by allowing time
and analysis to FEMA.
for levee repairs—seems a better approach
than simply requiring that property owners
purchase insurance.
Some Congressmen agree. Proposed legislation FEMA Accreditation Decision

Thomas B. Rentschler
in both the House of Representatives and
Member Senate would suspend flood insurance rate Yes No
map updates in areas where levees are being
Board of Appraisers repaired. Another bill in the House would allow n Cities must enforce
David K. Galbreath, Jr. FEMA to temporarily extend the deadline for n No changes floodplain regulations
Realtor, Troy, OH reaccreditation if “a good faith effort to upgrade n Flood insurance required
Robert Harris a levee to the accredited level is being made.”
Appraiser, Dayton, OH
To contact us…
James E. Sherron
By phone: (937) 223-1271
Attorney, Middletown, OH
By fax: (937) 223-4730
By e-mail: bgibson@miamiconservancy.org
Internet: www.miamiconservancy.org

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