The Miami Conservancy District Board of Directors is committed to evaluating the method of defining and calculating flood control benefits to ensure fairness and sustainability for property owners and communities. A study is underway to evaluate current procedures, explore additional direct and indirect benefits to a broader community, and consider alternative funding strategies. After alternatives are evaluated, a revised benefit and assessment methodology may be utilized in the future. Check here for updates.
Assessment Rates Increasing in 2025
This year, there are two assessments on your property tax bill – one for maintenance and one for capital improvement. To address the needs of the flood protection system and rising costs of maintenance while the study is underway, in June 2024, the Conservancy Court voted 6-1 to increase the maintenance rate to 3.35%. The previous rate was 2.19%. Rates can be adjusted annually by the Board of Directors and are subject to approval by the Conservancy Court.
In addition, the Conservancy Court approved a capital spending authority in February 2024. The revenue from the capital assessment will be used to rehabilitate aging infrastructure. This replaces the Dam Safety Initiative Assessment, which paid for capital improvements from 1999-2022. The rate used to calculate the capital assessment is 1.0%.
This is an increase to your total assessment of approximately 97% (maintenance and capital combined) in comparison to the annual amount you paid since 2012. The collection of assessments is performed by the county Auditor.
To see the amount of your total flood protection assessment*, please visit your county Auditor’s website.
Our assessments are sometimes identified by name (such as, 'Miami Conservancy District'), a special code number, or simply listed as 'Special Assessment'. For further clarification on which line item is our assessment on your tax bill, you should contact your county auditor:
*If your property is in the nine-county area that participates in the Aquifer Preservation Subdistrict of the Miami Conservancy District, you may also pay an assessment to support stewardship of the region's water resources. This is separate from the flood protection assessments.
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What is an assessment? Is this a tax?
Properties that flooded in 1913 and are now protected by the Miami Conservancy District flood protection system pay an annual assessment calculated using several factors including property tax values established by the county auditor.
Who pays to be protected?
Why do I pay a flood protection assessment?
Where does the Miami Conservancy District get the authority to charge this assessment?
MCD is organized under the Ohio Revised Code sections 6101.01-6101.90.
Helpful links: Organization | Governance | Funding | History | The Conservancy Act
How much is my assessment?
Your assessment appears on the bill you receive from the county auditor. You can see the amount of your assessment by visiting your county auditor’s website.
How is the assessment calculated?
The methodology was developed in 1917 and has been used for over 100 years. The assessment is calculated by multiplying a rate and benefit, which is comprised of several factors.
My assessment has not changed in 10 years, why is my assessment increasing now?
Assessment rates can be adjusted annually by the Board of Directors and are subject to approval by the Conservancy Court.
Is this increase related to the readjustment of the appraisal of benefits?
No, the update to the assessment rate is not the same as the readjustment. Your assessment is currently based on 2012 property values, but the rate update will affect the total amount of your assessment.
Is this related to the county’s reappraisal?
No, it is an entirely different process, but the assessment is based partly on the value of your property.
Why are there two (or three) assessments from the Miami Conservancy District on my bill?
What is the Capital Assessment, and how is that different than the Maintenance Assessment?
I’m from a church/non-profit. We should be exempt.
Your property may be exempt from taxes, but it is not exempt from assessments.
My property floods so why do I pay an assessment to Miami Conservancy District? You aren’t protecting me.
Full & Partial Protection Maps By County:
Why do I pay twice as much as my next-door neighbor?
My building wasn’t here in 1913. How can you assess me?
The property flooded during the Great Flood of 1913 and it is now protected by the Miami Conservancy District flood protection system. Properties protected by the flood protection system are assessed for the maintenance of the system.
How do you know how deep the flood was on my property in 1913?
Information from topographic mapping (property elevations) and high water elevations surveyed and recorded immediately after the Great Flood of 1913 is used to determine flood depth.
What is the flood factor/How do you determine percentage for my flood factor?
The flood factor is a percentage that is applied to your benefit calculation. It is based on the 1913 flood depth on your property and the type of protection you receive: either full or partial.
Why do I have to pay both flood insurance and a Miami Conservancy District assessment?
