Ohio State University Extension

Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering

590 Woody Hayes Dr., Columbus, Ohio 43210

Water Resources of Mahoning County

AEX-480.50-97

Water is a resource often taken for granted. In recent years, water availability and quality have become important public concerns in Mahoning County. The county's population of 265,607 (1992 Ohio Department of Development estimate) is concentrated in the urban/suburban northeast quarter of the county. The remainder are dispersed throughout the county's villages and rural townships. Ninety-two percent of the overall population depend on surface water for their water supply. This fact sheet provides a brief overview of Mahoning 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.

Precipitation

An average of approximately 36 inches of precipitation falls on Mahoning 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 3.0 inches per month, with February (1.7 inches) typically being the driest month, and July (4.1 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 Mahoning County, Ohio (1961-1990); data collected at Canfield.

Surface-Water Resources

Mahoning County's largest watershed, the Mahoning River, drains the majority of the county via a number of creeks: Mill Creek, Meander Creek, Mosquito Creek, Crab Creek, and Yellow Creek. The basin drains from southwest to northeast in the western part of the county, and from northwest to southeast in the eastern part. After crossing the Pennsylvania border, the Mahoning River flows southeast and joins the Beaver River, which flows into the Ohio River. Some of the southern townships of Mahoning County are drained by the Little Beaver Creek basin via Beaver Creek (Middle Fork), East Branch, Cherry Valley, Honey Creek, North Fork, and Bull Creek. This watershed contains one Mahoning County Lake: Pine Lake on Bull Creek. Pine Lake is actually drained by creeks in the two watersheds. A generalized surface-water map of Mahoning County is given in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Surface-water resources in Mahoning County, Ohio (adapted from ODNR Division of Water river basin maps; illustration prepared by M. Trefz).

Surface waters are affected by the 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. Residential and urban areas contain many impervious surfaces, such as streets and parking lots, that increase the amount of runoff. 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 265,000 land acres; approximately 30 percent is farmland and six percent is pastureland. One hundred seventeen soil types have been identified in the county and are grouped into nine soil associations. The soils vary in drainage quality from well drained to poorly drained. Well drained, loamy soils that are suitable for farmland are predominant in the eastern part of the county. Poorly drained, clayey soils are predominant in the western part. About 14 percent of the county's soils are moderately drained Canfield and Ellsworth silt loam. A large variety of different soils of varying qualities make up the remainder of Mahoning County.

The county water acreage consists of about 5,600 acres of lakes, including the 665-acre Lake Milton and 90 percent of the 2,010-acre Meander Creek Reservoir. In addition, 15 percent of the 5,500-acre Berlin Reservoir lies in Mahoning County. Other main county lakes include McKelvy, Hamilton, Evans, Pine, Diehl, Newport, Glacier, Yellow Creek and other smaller lakes. The county contains approximately 446 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 county-maintained ditches and numerous miles of privately-maintained ditches are used for land drainage.

Ground-Water Resources

Mahoning County's aquifers are varied and provide a range of yields. The highest yielding aquifer is the Pennsylvania sandstone aquifer under 100 feet of permeable sand and gravel deposits found along a small portion of Crab Creek in Youngstown and in the southwestern part of Smith Township. Sustained yields of 200 gallons per minute (gpm) can be found in wells over 300 feet deep. This is sufficient for municipal and industrial use.

Yields of 50 to 80 gpm are found in sandstone aquifers under glacial deposits in the majority of Coitsville Township, and in small parts of Milton, Jackson, Canfield, and Springfield, and around the town of Perkins Corners. Another productive aquifer consists of valley fill deposits of sand and gravel found along the Mahoning River in the northeastern part of the county, along most of Mill Creek, and the Middle Branch of Little Beaver Creek south of Ellsworth, and in part of southwestern Smith Township. Yields of 40 to 60 gpm from this aquifer are suitable for small industrial and farm supplies.

Mahoning County's largest ground-water source in terms of area is a sandstone aquifer under unconsolidated deposits that yields from 10 to 25 gpm, sufficient for domestic and farm use. This aquifer is found throughout at least 50 percent of Mahoning County. An overview of the ground-water resources in the county is given in Mahoning County Ground-Water Resources, AEX-490.50.

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.

Where Does the Water Go?

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 like 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 further reading, 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 may result in runoff and how many inches have the potential to reach aquifers. Based on statewide averages of runoff and ground-water recharge, Mahoning County's 36 inches of average annual precipitation result in about 9 inches of runoff to streams and lakes, and about 6 inches have the potential to recharge aquifers annually. Values for particular locations will differ according to local conditions.

Water Use

Water use for each of Mahoning 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 Mahoning Valley Sanitary District (MVSD) system, which uses Meander Creek Reservoir for its supply. The City of Youngstown purchases bulk water from this system. In addition to providing water service to Youngstown residents, the city sells water to Canfield and Mineral Ridge and parts of Boardman, Austintown, North Jackson, and certain municipalities in Trumbull County. Consumer's Ohio Water Company, a private company, serves over 36,000 residents in Poland and Springfield Townships. Mahoning County has 14 other public water systems, including nine mobile home parks serviced by wells.

Ground water is used as a water source for rural households not served by Mahoning County public systems. Approximately 7 percent of the population obtains their water from private wells. Based on an estimated usage of 75 gallons per person per day, 1,314,675 gallons per day (gpd) from private wells are used. Additional private water uses include industry (2,531,341 gpd) and livestock use (543,200 gpd), mostly from ground-water supplies. The remaining households use public-water systems, 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, type of water sources, location and 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.

Water Quality

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 plants, 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 pollution sources, 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.

Ground Water

As water moves through the sandstone, shale, and sand and gravel aquifers underlying Mahoning County, it dissolves the minerals contained in these formations and carries them in solution. Publication AEX-490.50 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, 417 wells in the county were sampled for nitrate-nitrogen content, an indicator of water quality. Results showed that 360 wells (86 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. Forty-three wells (10 percent) tested in the range of 0.3 to 3.0 ppm, values that may or may not indicate human influence. The 10 wells (two percent) that tested in the range of 3.0 to 10 ppm may indicate elevated concentrations resulting from human activities. Only four wells (0.01 percent) tested over the safe drinking-water standard of 10 ppm nitrate-nitrogen. The average nitrate-nitrogen concentration for the 417 wells tested was 0.4 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. In 1995, at the request of mortgage lenders, the Mahoning County General Health District tested septic tanks and wells at 65 private residences; 31 of the wells tested positive for coliform bacteria. For more information about bacteriological water sampling contact the county board of health (2810 Market St., Youngstown, OH 44507; 330-788-7041).

Surface Water

Runoff and sediment from residential development, construction sites and agricultural lands may enter the county's streams and lakes. Also, runoff may carry pollutants such as lawn and agricultural chemicals (pesticides and fertilizers), oil and gas from spills, and industrial wastes.

Through the Ohio Nonpoint Source Assessment and 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 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.

Water quality monitoring indicates that all or parts of the following Mahoning County streams are affected by nonpoint source (NPS) pollution: Mahoning River, Naylor Ditch, Mill Creek, Bear's Den Run, Ax Factory Run, Cranberry Run, Anderson's Run, Indian Run, Honey Creek, and Middle Fork Little Beaver Creek. These streams are affected by one or more of the following NPS pollution categories: surface coal mining, in place pollutants, pasture, channelization, on-site wastewater treatment systems, agriculture, storm sewers, construction sites, and urban runoff. Other county streams are affected by point source pollution (municipal and/or industrial wastewater). Point source affected streams include: Mahoning River, Fish Creek, Mill Creek, Bear's Den Run, Anderson's Run, Meander Creek, Naylor Ditch, Honey Creek, Saw Mill Run, and Cherry Valley Run. Mahoning County also contains streams that have good water quality and are attaining chemical and biological water quality standards. Monitoring has shown that all or parts of the following streams have good water quality: Bull Creek, Kale Creek, Hines Run, Yellow Creek, Crab Creek, and Duck Creek. No information is available for Mahoning County streams not listed above. For specific information about the streams listed in the Assessment and Inventory documents, and details about the Nonpoint Source Management Program for the county, contact the Ohio EPA Northeast District Office (2110 E. Aurora Rd. Twinsburg, OH 44087; 800-686-6330). Information about nonpoint source pollution is also discussed in Nonpoint Source Pollution: Water Primer, AEX 465, available from your county Extension office.

It is important to note that as of June 1996 less than half of Ohio's streams have been evaluated by the Assessment. As water quality monitoring continues statewide, the list of Mahoning County affected streams and streams with good water quality will change. Residents have a major challenge to protect water resources from pollutants that could affect the quality of the water supply.

Summary

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 Mahoning 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 Mahoning County. For more information concerning water resources and drinking-water quality in the county, contact the Mahoning County office of Ohio State University Extension (490 S. Broad St., Canfield, OH 44406; 330-533-5538). In addition, the following agencies may be able to provide information on other water resources topics in the county: Mahoning Soil and Water Conservation District; Mahoning County Board of Health; 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; P.O. Box 118, Columbus, OH 43266).

Bibliography

1990 Census and 1992 Estimates of Ohio's Population: State, Counties, Cities, and Villages. 1994. Ohio Department of Development.

1994 Annual Report. 1995. Ohio Agricultural Statistics and Ohio Department of Agriculture.

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 Mahoning County. 1979. K. Shafer Crowell. ODNR Div. of Water. (map).

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.

Mahoning County, Ohio Soil Survey. 1979. USDA-SCS.

Mahoning County Ground-Water Resources. 1997. J. M. Stamm, J. M. Raab, L. C. Brown and K. T. Ricker. AEX-490.50. Ohio State University Extension.

Mahoning Soil and Water Conservation District Resources Inventory. 1986. USDA-SCS.

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 County Business Patterns; Counties--Employees, Payroll, and Establishments, by Industry: 1993. 1993. U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census.

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.

Withdrawal and Distribution of Water By Public Water Supplies in Ohio, 1985. 1989. USGS. Open-File Report 89-423.

Acknowledgments

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: Mahoning County office of OSU Extension; Overholt Drainage Education and Research Program; and the Ohio Management Systems Evaluation Area Project (USDA CREES Grant No. 94-EWQI-1-9057).

The project leaders express appreciation to the following reviewers: Christopher J. Wagner (Mahoning Soil and Water Conservation District); Edward S. McCormick (Mahoning Valley Sanitary District); Matthew Stefanak and Lee Benson (Mahoning County General Health District) A. Wayne Jones, David Cashell and Leonard Black (ODNR Division of Water); Scott Golden (Bureau of Local Services, ODH); Steve Hindall (USGS, Ohio District); Anthony J. Kramer (USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, State Office, Columbus); Julie Gillenwater (Ohio EPA Division of Drinking and Ground Waters); and Larry Antosch and Richard McClay (Ohio EPA Division of Surface Water).

A special thanks to Kim Wintringham, Associate Editor (Section of Communications and Technology, Ohio State University Extension), for editorial and graphic production.