Water Studies and Research

Miami Conservancy District and its partners conduct studies on water quality and quantity and issues of interest to the region.

There are links below to recent reports on: 

• Water Quanitity (groundwater and surface water)
• Water Quality (groundwater and surface water)
• Arsenic Removal in Drinking Water
• E. Coli Contamination
• Habitat Restoration
• Nutrient Pollution, Nutrient Loading
• PFAS Contamination
• Pharmaceutical & PPCP

WATER RESOURCES

Water Quantity 

• Water Quantity Report for the Great Miami River Watershed (2023)
• Water Quantity Report for the Great Miami River Watershed. (2022)
  Precipitation and runoff is increasing, groundwater levels are generally stable in the buried valley aquifer system, but long-term trends reflect climate changes.
• Water Quantity Report for the Great Miami River Watershed (2021)
  A cooperative partnership between USGS and MCD has facilitated long-term tracking of changes in water availability including precipitation, runoff and groundwater levels.
• Investigating Riverbed Hydraulic Conductivity (2008)
  Investigation to measure the hydraulic conductivity of the Great Miami Riverbed in the Hamilton and Fairfield area.
• Substructure Flooding Potential in Dayton, Ohio (2005)
  Substructure Flooding Potential in Dayton, Ohio reviews potential for groundwater levels in the buried valley aquifer beneath Dayton to flood building substructures during high river flows.

Groundwater Quantity/Levels 

• Groundwater levels in downtown Dayton (2023)
  Monitoring by MCD of groundwater wells in downtown Dayton show declining groundwater levels which could threaten geothermal systems.
• Groundwater Level Trends (2017)
  The Groundwater Level Trends is a study of historic groundwater level trends for major aquifer systems in the Great Miami River Watershed.

Groundwater Quality

• Groundwater Quality Survey and Contaminant Trends Study Report (2023)
  Summarizes analyses of water samples from monitoring wells in the buried valley aquifer.
• Groundwater Quality Survey and Contaminant Trends Study Report (2022)
  Summarizes analyses of water samples from monitoring wells in the buried valley aquifer.
• Groundwater Quality Survey and Contaminant Trends Study Report (2021)
  Summarizes analyses of water samples from monitoring wells in the buried valley aquifer.
• Groundwater Quality Survey and Contaminant Trends Study Report (2020)
  Summarizes analyses of water samples from monitoring wells in the buried valley aquifer.
• Groundwater Quality Survey and Contaminant Trends Study Report (2019)
  Summarizes analyses of water samples collected during the spring and fall of 2019 from 12 monitoring wells located in the buried valley aquifer.
• Groundwater Quality Survey and Contaminant Trends Study Report (2018)
  Summarizes the analyses of water samples collected during the spring and fall of 2018 from 12 monitoring wells located in the buried valley aquifer.
• Groundwater Quality Survey and Contaminant Trends Study Report (2017)
  Summarizes the analyses water samples collected during the spring and fall of 2017 from 12 monitoring wells located in the buried valley aquifer.
• Groundwater Quality Survey (2016)
  The Groundwater Quality Survey studies human impacts on groundwater quality across the buried valley aquifer.

Arsenic Removal in Drinking Water

• Residential Water Treatment Systems for Arsenic (2015)
  The Residential Water Treatment Systems for Arsenic is an investigation of the effectiveness of arsenic removal methods from drinking water in southwestern and central Ohio homes.

Water Resources
Summarizes data collected on water quality and quantity in the Great Miami River Watershed. The reports look at long-term trends in precipitation, runoff, and water quality. Reporting on this data can be found in separate quality and quantity reports post-2015.
2015 Water Resources Report
2014 Water Resources Report

HABITAT RESTORATION

• Biological and Habitat Assessment of the Great Miami River in Dayton (2018)
  
  
• Report on Conditions in the Great Miami River Near Downtown Dayton, Ohio After Low Dam Modifications and Construction of Kayak Chutes (2017-2018)
  An evaluation of the recovery of fish and macroinvertebrate communities in the Great Miami River as a result of modification to or removal of two low head dams in Dayton.
  
  
•  2022 Study in partnership with Miami University – Water Quality Benefits from a State Park
  A study in partnership with Miami University of how forest lands impact water quality.

HUMAN IMPACT/ POLLUTION

E. Coli Contamination

• E. coli Monitoring Report (2018)
  This study examines the relationship between Escherichia Coli (E. coli) and rainfall, runoff, and water quality conditions in the Great Miami and Mad rivers near Dayton, Ohio.
• E. coli Study (2013)
  The E. coli Study examines the relationship between Escherichia Coli (E. coli), and rainfall and runoff conditions in the Great Miami River in Dayton, Ohio.

Nutrient Pollution, Nutrient Loading

• Dual Isotope Tracing of Nitrate Contaminant Source in Surface and Groundwater in the Great Miami River Watershed, Southwestern Ohio (2019)
  An investigation of sources of nitrate in water using stable isotopes of nitrate.
• Summary of Nutrient Loads, Yields, and Mean Concentrations in the Great Miami River Watershed
  (2006 – 2016)
  A summary of nutrient loads, yields, and mean concentrations in the Great Miami River Watershed.
• Lower Great Miami River Nutrient Management Project (2017)
  The Lower Great Miami River Nutrient Management Project is a modeling study of the potential effects of nutrient load reduction on water quality in the Great Miami River.
• Benthic Phosphorus Fluxes in the Lower Great Miami River (2016)
  The Benthic Phosphorus Fluxes in the Lower Great Miami River quantifies fluxes of phosphorus from sediment at locations along the Lower Great Miami Rivers. 
• Nutrients in the Great Miami River Watershed (2012)
  Nutrients in the Great Miami River Watershed reviews nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations and loads in the Great Miami River Watershed from 2005 to 2011.
• Nitrate Concentrations and Sources in the Elk Creek Watershed (2006) 
  Nitrate concentrations and sources in surface water and groundwater in the Elk Creek Watershed during 2003 and 2004.

PFAS Contamination

• Full Report – 2023 PFAS Study under a cooperative agreement between USGS and MCD.
  Evaluated concentrations of selected per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the buried valley aquifer system of southwest, Ohio. Fact Sheet here 
• Blog on PFAS

Pharmaceutical & PPCP

• Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) in the Streams and Aquifers of the Great Miami River Basin (2011)
  Survey of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in the streams and aquifers of the Great Miami River Basin.