Figure 1. Average monthly precipitation (in inches) in Highland County, Ohio (1961-1990); data collected at Hillsboro.
K. Troy Putnam
Karen T. Ricker
Larry C. Brown
Water is a resource often taken for granted. In recent years, water availability and quality have become important public concerns in Highland County. The county's population of 37,203 (1992 Ohio Department of Development estimate) is predominantly rural, and 83 percent of the households rely on ground water for their water supply. This fact sheet provides a brief overview of Highland County's water resources, and is intended to help increase public awareness and understanding about this vital resource. By understanding where water is obtained and how it is used in the county, residents can gain a better appreciation for their water supply. Water resources terminology used in this publication is included in Surface and Ground Water Terminology, Fact Sheet AEX 460, which provides a listing of generally accepted water resource definitions. Ohio State University Extension publications are available through all Ohio county Extension offices.
An average of approximately 43 inches of precipitation falls on Highland County annually. Figure 1 illustrates the average monthly precipitation for the county for the period 1961 to 1990. Based on this 30-year record, the average precipitation is 3.6 inches per month, with February (2.5 inches) typically being the driest month, and May (4.7 inches) the wettest. However, there can be extreme variations in some years and in certain months within a year. Such seasonal and yearly extremes may have serious consequences and are not always apparent from the long-term precipitation information.
Figure 1. Average monthly precipitation (in inches) in Highland
County, Ohio (1961-1990); data collected at Hillsboro.
Highland County has four drainage basins: Ohio Brush Creek, Upper Paint Creek, Whiteoak Creek, and the East Fork of the Little Miami River. All of these are a part of the Ohio River drainage system. The Upper Paint Creek Basin, which includes Rocky Fork and its tributaries, feeds into the 6517-square mile, 22-county drainage area of the Scioto River basin. The Ohio Brush Creek basin drains 435 square miles in Highland, Adams, and Brown counties. Whiteoak Creek basin drains 235 square miles in Highland and Brown counties. The East Fork, in northwestern Highland County, is part of the 1,757-square mile, 21-county drainage area of the Little Miami River basin. A generalized surface-water map of Highland County is given in Figure 2.
Surface waters are affected by soil type, geology, the topography of adjacent land, and the way people use the land. Land use, such as residential development and agricultural production, may increase the amount of sediment and other pollutants entering a body of water. The soils and terrain also influence the amount of runoff because of infiltration, percolation, and water holding characteristics. With some soils, rainfall is more likely to run off, while other soils allow water to infiltrate more readily.
The county contains approximately 351,360 land acres, of which 72 percent (254,000 acres) is farmland. Seventy-five soil types have been identified in the county. Most of the soils (74 percent) are formed from glacial till and vary in drainage quality from very poorly to well drained. The remaining soils are composed of residual limestone, sandstone, and shale or water deposited stratified material and is somewhat poorly to well drained.
The county water acreage consists of about 3,380 acres of lakes; Rocky Fork Lake accounts for 2,080 acres and Paint Creek Lake for 1,190 acres. Numerous quarter-acre, half-acre, or larger ponds are used for livestock and recreation throughout Highland County. The county contains approximately 434 linear miles of major streams and rivers [estimated from river basin maps, Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Water]. In addition, numerous miles of privately-maintained ditches are used for land drainage.
Figure 2. Surface-water resources in Highland County, Ohio
(adapted from ODNR Division of Water river basin maps;
illustration prepared by K. A. Weber).
Highland County's primary ground-water sources are consolidated aquifers composed of either layers of limestone and dolomite, or interbedded gray shales and thin limestone. Wells in deep lenses of sand and gravel in clay beneath the floodplain of Paint, Clear, and Lees creeks may yield in excess of 50 gallons per minute (gpm). However, the shale-limestone bedrock formations that surround these lenses in the eastern half of Highland County typically yield 3 to 10 gpm at well depths of 55 to 135 feet.
The limestone and shales of western Highland County are less productive; well yields are often below 3 gpm and dry wells are common. Well depths are usually less than 100 feet. Occasional lenses of sand and gravel in the western part of the county may supply small domestic needs. An overview of the ground-water resources in the county is given in Highland County Ground-Water Resources, AEX-490.36.
The yield of a well will vary considerably depending on the age and depth of the well, well construction, the diameter of the casing, pump capacity and age, and more importantly, properties of the geologic formation. Specific information on ground-water availability and wells can be obtained by contacting the ODNR Division of Water.
Based on long-term statewide weather records, Ohio receives an average of 38 inches of precipitation per year. These 38 inches move through a complex path called the hydrologic cycle. Of these 38 inches, about 10 inches (26 percent) become runoff, which moves immediately to surface-water bodies such as streams and lakes. Two inches are retained at the ground surface and evaporate back into the atmosphere in a relatively short period of time. Twenty-six of the 38 total inches enter the soil surface through infiltration. Twenty of these 26 inches go into soil storage and later are returned to the atmosphere by the combination of evaporation and transpiration (evapotranspiration). The remaining 6 inches of precipitation (16 percent of the total) have the potential to recharge the ground-water supply. Two of these 6 inches eventually move to springs, lakes, or streams as ground-water discharge. The remaining 4 inches either return to the atmosphere by evapotranspiration or are withdrawn to supply water needs. For more information, please refer to Ohio's Hydrologic Cycle, AEX 461.
Statewide averages applied to the county's average annual precipitation provide a rough estimate of how many inches will result in runoff and how many inches have the potential to reach aquifers. Based on statewide averages of runoff and ground-water recharge, Highland County's 43 inches of average annual precipitation result in about 11.2 inches of runoff to streams and lakes, and about 6.9 inches have the potential to recharge aquifers annually. Values for particular locations will differ according to local conditions.
Water use for each of Highland County's public water supply systems is given in Table 1. For each water system, this table presents an estimate of the population served, water source, estimated daily usage and treatment plant capacity. The county's largest public water system is the Highland County Water Company Inc. which uses ground water for the majority of its supply. The City of Greenfield, and the villages of Leesburg and Lynchburg also use ground water for their supply. The City of Hillsboro maintains its supply with surface water sources.
Ground water is a major water source for rural households in Highland County. Approximately 30 percent of all households obtain their water from private wells. Based on an estimated usage of 75 gallons per person per day, 842,325 gallons per day (gpd) from private wells are used. Additional private water uses include industry (1.2 million gpd) and livestock use (340,000 gpd), from a combination of ground and surface-water supplies. The remaining 70 percent of households use public water supplies with ground or surface water as the source, as identified in Table 1.
Some water users in Ohio must register their withdrawals with the ODNR Division of Water. Through the Water Withdrawal Facility Registration Program, owners of facilities capable of withdrawing 100,000 gpd (70 gpm) or more must register those facilities. Information collected through this program includes withdrawal capacity, ground- or surface-water sources, location and type of water use, and location of discharge points. The program is for registration only, and not for allocation or permission. Registered withdrawers file annual reports of their water use. This information helps planners at ODNR to determine the availability of water for projected needs and to better manage and protect Ohio's water resources. Documenting water use also provides official records for individual uses. For more information, contact the ODNR Division of Water.
| Table 1. Water Use in Highland County, Ohio.1 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Water System | Population Served | Primary Water Source | Water Usage (GPD)2 | Treatment Plant Capacity (GPD) |
| Highland County Water Co. | 12,0003 | Ground & Surface4 | 1,744,000 | 2,010,000 |
| Hillsboro | 6,326 | Surface Water | 817,000 | 1,000,000 |
| Greenfield | 5,239 | Ground Water | 850,000 | 1,200,000 |
| Lynchburg | 1,302 | Ground Water | 89,000 | 125,000 |
| Leesburg | 1,105 | Ground Water | 122,000 | 160,000 |
| 1 Estimates from Ohio EPA using adjusted 1994 data; information is based on data available at time of publication. | ||||
| 2 GPD = gallons per day. | ||||
| 3 Number of people served by Highland County Water Company who reside in Highland County. | ||||
| 4 Surface water supplied by Paint Creek (less than 5% of total water source). | ||||
Human activities and natural processes affect the quality of our water supplies. Throughout Ohio, human activities contribute to both point and nonpoint source pollution. Point source pollution is the introduction of impurities into water (ground water or surface water) from an identifiable, known location. Examples of point sources can include industrial factories, power plants, commercial businesses, and wastewater treatment facilities.
Nonpoint source pollution also involves the introduction of impurities into a surface-water body or an aquifer, except the route is usually non-direct and the sources are diffuse in nature. A major portion of the sediment, nutrients, acids and salts, heavy metals, toxic chemicals, and pathogens enter the state's water resources through nonpoint source pollution, affecting both ground and surface water. Examples include automobile emissions, runoff from parking lots, and runoff and drainage from agricultural fields, feedlots, home lawns and gardens, residential development, construction, mining, and logging activities.
Natural processes such as precipitation also have an impact on surface water and, to a lesser extent, ground water. For example, rainfall that is acidic ("acid rain") may alter the quality of a stream, lake, or other water resource that receives the rainfall.
As water moves through the limestone, shale, sand, and gravel geological formations underlying Highland County, it dissolves the minerals contained in these formations and carries them in solution. Publication AEX-490.36 summarizes some of the county's natural ground-water quality aspects.
Human activities, such as agricultural production, domestic waste disposal, and lawn and turf care, may have some influence on the county's ground-water quality. In a 1987 study by Heidelberg College, 162 wells in the county were sampled for nitrate-nitrogen content, an indicator of water quality. Results showed that 78 wells (48 percent of total) contained nitrate-nitrogen concentrations in the range of 0 to 0.3 parts-per-million (ppm). This range is assumed to represent natural background levels. Thirty-six wells (22 percent) tested in the range of 0.3 to 3.0 ppm, values that may or may not indicate human influence. The 30 wells (18.5 percent) that tested in the range of 3.0 to 10 ppm may indicate elevated concentrations resulting from human activities. Only 18 wells (11 percent) tested at more than 10 ppm nitrate-nitrogen, which exceeds the safe drinking-water standard. The average nitrate-nitrogen concentration for the 162 wells tested was 3.07 ppm. The design, location, and condition of a well, combined with the characteristics of the soils and geologic formations in which the well is constructed, influence the potential for pollutants to enter the well. The Highland County Department of Health provides bacteriological water sampling for local citizens, and results of these tests generally indicate acceptable drinking water in the county.
Runoff and sediment from residential development, construction sites and agricultural lands may enter the county's streams and lakes. Also, runoff may carry other pollutants, such as lawn and agricultural chemicals (pesticides and fertilizers), effluent from septic systems, oil and gas from spills, and industrial wastes.
Through the State of Ohio Nonpoint Source Assessment and the Water Resources Inventory, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) has identified 13,000 stream miles in Ohio that have been affected by nonpoint source (NPS) pollution. Highland County contains portions of several streams and their tributaries that have been classified by the Assessment as being affected by nonpoint source pollution. Based on the findings of the Assessment and Inventory, the Ohio Nonpoint Source Management Program has been implemented to help improve the quality of the state's waters. For specific information about the streams and tributaries listed in the Assessment and Inventory documents, and details about the Nonpoint Source Management Program, contact the Ohio EPA Southwest District Office (401 East Fifth Ave., Dayton, OH 45402-2911).
Overall, Highland County has a safe supply of water. County citizens have a major challenge to protect water resources from pollutants that could affect the quality of the water supply. For more information about nonpoint source pollution, refer to Nonpoint Source Pollution: Water Primer, AEX 465, available from your county Extension office.
Water availability and quality are important public concerns. Water problems can be both costly and inconvenient. While the present availability of water is good for Highland County, water is a precious resource that must be conserved and protected. We must all work together to maintain an adequate supply of good quality water.
This fact sheet provided information about the water resources in Highland County. For more information concerning water resources and drinking-water quality in the county, contact the Highland County office of Ohio State University Extension (119 Governor Foraker Place, Hillsboro, Ohio 45133-1092; 513-393-1918). In addition, the following agencies may be able to provide information on other water resources topics in the county: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Highland County; Highland County Health Department; ODNR Division of Water (Fountain Square, Columbus, OH 43224); U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Ohio District (975 W. Third Ave., Columbus, OH 43212); Ohio EPA (P.O. Box 1049, Columbus, OH 43216-1049); and Ohio Department of Health (ODH; PO Box 118, Columbus, OH 43226).
1990 Census and 1992 Estimates of Ohio's Population: State, Counties, Cities, and Villages. 1994. Ohio Department of Development.
Doane's Agricultural Report. 1992. Farm Water Systems.
Estimated Water Use in Ohio, 1990, Public Supply Data. 1993. USGS. Open-File Report 93-72.
Gazetteer of Ohio Streams. 1960. Ohio Water Inventory Report No. 12. ODNR Div. of Water.
Ground-Water Resources of Highland County. 1991. J.J. Schmidt ODNR Div. of Water. (map).
Highland County, Ohio Soil Survey. 1977. USDA-NRCS.
Highland County Ground-Water Resources. 1995. K.T. Putnam, A.W. Jones, L.C. Brown and K.T. Ricker. AEX-490.36. Ohio State University Extension.
Highland Soil and Water Conservation District Resources Inventory. 1986. USDA-NRCS.
Hydrologic Atlas for Ohio: Average Annual Precipitation, Temperature, Streamflow, and Water Loss for the 50-Year Period 1931-1980. 1991. L.J. Hartstine. Water Inventory Report No. 28. ODNR Div. of Water.
Inventory of Municipal Water-Supply Systems by County, Ohio. 1977. Ohio Water Inventory Report No. 24. ODNR Div. of Water.
Inventory of Ohio's Lakes. 1980. Ohio Water Inventory Report No. 26. ODNR Div. of Water.
Monthly Station Normals of Temperature, Precipitation, and Heating and Cooling Degree Days, 1961-90, Ohio. 1992. Climatology of the United States, No. 81 (by state). NOAA.
Nitrate and Pesticides in Private Wells of Ohio: A State Atlas. 1989. Water Quality Laboratory, Heidelberg College.
Nitrate In Drinking Water. 1987. K.M. Mancl. Bulletin No. 744. Ohio State University Extension.
Nonpoint Source Pollution: Water Primer. 1993. R. Leeds and L.C. Brown. AEX 465. Ohio State University Extension.
Ohio Ground-Water Quality. USGS National Water Summary-Ohio. 1986. USGS. Water-Supply Paper 2325.
Ohio Ground-Water Resources. USGS National Water Summary-Ohio. 1984. USGS. Water-Supply Paper 2275.
Ohio Nonpoint Source Management Program. 1993. ODNR.
Ohio Surface-Water Resources. USGS National Water Summary-Ohio. 1985. USGS. Water-Supply Paper 2300.
Ohio Water Firsts. 1985. S.L. Frost and W.S. Nichols. Water Resources Foundation of Ohio, Inc.
Ohio Water Resource Inventory: Executive Summary and Volumes 1-4. 1992. Ohio EPA.
Ohio's Hydrologic Cycle. 1990. L.C. Brown and K.M. Coltman. AEX 461. Ohio State University Extension.
Private Water Systems Handbook. 1987. MWPS-14. Midwest Plan Service, Ames, IA.
State of Ohio Nonpoint Source Assessment: Volumes 1-6. 1990. Ohio EPA.
Surface and Ground Water Terminology. 1990. L.C. Brown and L.P. Black. AEX 460. Ohio State University Extension.
Water - Ohio's Remarkable Resource. 1982. ODNR Div. of Water.
Water Quality Assessment of Rattlesnake Creek Watershed, Ohio. 1979. K.F. Evans and R.L. Tobin. USGS. WRI Report 79-17.
Withdrawal and Distribution of Water By Public Water Supplies in Ohio, 1985. 1989. USGS. Open-File Report 89-423.
This publication was produced through the Ohio Water Resources Education Project, in cooperation with: ODNR Division of Water; Ohio EPA; USGS, Ohio District; and ODH. Project leaders are Larry C. Brown and Karen T. Ricker. Partial financial support for this publication was provided by these cooperating agencies and programs: Highland County office of OSU Extension; OSU Enterprise Center; Overholt Drainage Education and Research Program; and the Ohio Management Systems Evaluation Area Project (USDA Extension Service Grant No. 90-EWQI-1-9018).
The project leaders express appreciation to the following reviewers: Rose Fisher Merkowitz (OSU Extension, Highland County); David Parry (USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Highland County); Larry Cockrell (Highland County Water Company); A. Wayne Jones, David Cashell and Leonard Black (ODNR Division of Water); Scott Golden (Environmental Health, ODH); Steve Hindall (USGS, Ohio District); Anthony J. Kramer (USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, State Office, Columbus); Jay Fleming (Ohio EPA Division of Drinking and Ground Waters); and Larry Antosch, Rich McClay, and Mark Wilson (Ohio EPA Division of Surface Water).
A special thanks to Pamela J. Barrett and Phyllis Deatley (OSU Extension, Highland County) for secretarial assistance, and Kim Wintringham, Associate Editor (Section of Communications and Technology, Ohio State University Extension), for editorial and graphic production.
All educational programs conducted by Ohio State University Extension are available to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, gender, age, disability or Vietnam-era veteran status.
Keith L. Smith, Associate Vice President for Ag. Adm. and Director, OSU Extension.
TDD No. 800-589-8292 (Ohio only) or 614-292-1868