Thousands of low dams sit in rivers across the United States, and most of them no longer do the job they were built for. They stopped running mills or generating power decades ago. What they still do is slow rivers down, trap sediment, and create dangerous currents that can trap and drown swimmers, boaters, and paddlers. Removing them is ...

Lake Fishing in the Great Miami River Watershed: A Southwest Ohio Guide The Great Miami River Watershed isn't just a river system — it's home to four major fishing lakes (Indian Lake, Lake Loramie, C.J. Brown Reservoir, and Acton Lake) plus dozens of smaller gravel-pit lakes and metropark ponds across its 15 counties. Anglers her ...

The Great Miami River is gaining recognition as one of Ohio’s premier fishing destinations — and anglers across the state are taking notice. According to the 2025 Fish Ohio program rankings from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife, the Great Miami River placed in the Top 10 inland waters in Ohio for ...

Take the Portage. Live to Paddle Again. Low head dams may look calm and harmless, but they are one of the most dangerous hazards found on rivers and streams. The water flowing over a dam creates a powerful circulating current that can trap boats and swimmers underwater. Escape from this current is extremely difficult. Recognizing the w ...

Sometimes the Great Miami River gets all the attention — but the Mad River has a way of stealing hearts. With its groundwater-fed clarity, cold water, scenic wooded corridors, and nationally recognized recreation, the Mad River offers more than just clear water. It’s a place where you can drift past forested banks, hear kingf ...

  By Angela Manuszak, Special Projects Coordinator Many everyday items that make life easier were invented in the Dayton region. The airplane. The pop-top can. The cash register. Dayton is also home to some pretty amazing, more natural creations, too, namely, our rivers – and the hiking and biking trails near them. And whil ...

By Mike Ekberg,Manager for Water Resources Monitoring and Analysis Do you like to canoe, kayak, or row on the Great Miami River? Have you ever flipped your boat and ended up soaked with a mouthful of river water? Did you worry about getting sick? River users frequently ask me, "Is the water safe?" The answer is yes, in most cases.  ...