Miami Conservancy District Seeks Groundwater Guardians

(Originally posted on 1greenseed.tumblr.com/ June, 2011)

From Groundwater Guardian Green Site workshop flyer:

Groundwater is important in so many ways. Over 90 percent of our region (Dayton, Ohio) utilizes groundwater as a source of drinking water. Industry, agriculture, and recreation also rely on groundwater to help their businesses thrive.

Theresa McGeady with the Miami Conservancy District talks about the Groundwater Guardian Green Site program during a workshop June 9, 2011 at the Aullwood Audubon Center, Dayton, Ohio.

I paid a visit last June to an old stomping ground from my youth, the Aullwood Audubon Center. It could be said that I grew up there as I have many fond memories of field trips away from grade school and weekends attending events to learn about nature and exploring the outdoors. I remember the early ‘70’s when I would ride shotgun as my mother drove to the center’s parking lot with a trunk-load of newspapers to be tossed into a semi-trailer for recycling. 


The center was the location for a workshop June 9^thhosted by the Miami Conservancy District (MCD) to promote the Groundwater Guardian Green Site program which honors those who practice good groundwater and environmental stewardship. The workshop attracted 27 people representing 19 local organizations and groups with an interest to learn about the program and how to participate. After opening remarks by MCD’s Michael Ekberg, manager, water resources monitoring and analysis, Theresa McGeady, program coordinator, delivered a presentation on the application process.


The Miami Conservancy District was awarded with a Groundwater Guardian Green Site designation in 2009 by the Groundwater Foundation based in Lincoln, Nebraska. The designation applies to more than 1,780 acres covering all dams and their respective flood protection features. How many dams are there? Glad you asked. The MCD is a system of five dry dams – Germantown, Englegwood, Lockington, Taylorsville and Huffman – and levees that protect the Miami Valley from flooding by the Great Miami River.

At present, in addition to MCD, there are five Groundwater Guardian Green Sites in our region. They include the city of Tipp City protecting prairies and wellfields; the Sports Complex in the city of Vandalia; the Historical Covered Bridge Park of Concord Township in Miami County; the MillerCoors Trenton Brewery (mmm, beer); and the Wright State University.


For more information about the MCD and the Groundwater Guardian Green Site program, contact Theresa McGeady by phone at (937) 223-1271 x3239 or email tmcgeadyATmiamiconservancyDOTorg.