Big Darby Creek
Encyclopedia
The Big Darby Creek is a river located in northwestern central Ohio, and an important tributary
to the Lower Scioto River
. The river's major tributary is the Little Darby Creek.
The river runs 84 miles (135.2 km) from its source near the Champaign
-Union
county line, then runs south-east through Union and Madison
Counties. In Franklin County
, the river runs through the 6856-acre Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park, where it meets with the Little Darby Creek. Directly downstream from the park, the river empties into the Scioto River in Pickaway County
.
The Big Darby Creek is one of the most biologically diverse aquatic systems in the Midwest. It is the site of the only known population of the Scioto madtom
, a fish which is now thought to be extinct.
published an article in 1967 revealing the City of Columbus' plans to purchase over four thousand acres (16 km²) along the creek to build a reservoir, a political and legal battled ensued between the municipality and several environmental groups working with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. From 1974 to 1984, both sides exchanged victories and the legal battle continued into the Ohio Supreme Court, who ended the battle by ruling that 'scenic river designation' was constitutional. On June 22, 1984, the Upper and Lower Darby Creeks were designated a state scenic river, and then a national scenic river on October 3, 1994.
In 2008, the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium announced plans to build a new exhibit focusing on the Big Darby Creek, and its more than 38 rare species of fish and mussels, and in December, 2009, the City of Columbus, Franklin County Metro Parks, the Ohio Nature Conservancy and other companies announced that they will be spending more than $6 million on seven projects designed to restore sections of Big Darby Creek and its tributaries.
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
to the Lower Scioto River
Scioto River
The Scioto River is a river in central and southern Ohio more than 231 miles in length. It rises in Auglaize County in west central Ohio, flows through Columbus, Ohio, where it collects its largest tributary, the Olentangy River, and meets the Ohio River at Portsmouth...
. The river's major tributary is the Little Darby Creek.
The river runs 84 miles (135.2 km) from its source near the Champaign
Champaign County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 38,890 people, 14,952 households, and 10,870 families residing in the county. The population density was 91 people per square mile . There were 15,890 housing units at an average density of 37 per square mile...
-Union
Union County, Ohio
Union County is a county located in the US state of Ohio. As of the 2010 census, the population was 52,300. Increasingly becoming more of a suburban county, the population was estimated at 47,234 in 2007 by the U.S. Census Bureau...
county line, then runs south-east through Union and Madison
Madison County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 40,213 people, 13,672 households, and 10,035 families residing in the county. The population density was 86 people per square mile . There were 14,399 housing units at an average density of 31 per square mile...
Counties. In Franklin County
Franklin County, Ohio
Franklin County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. In 2010 the population was 1,163,414, making it the second largest county in Ohio and the 34th largest county in population in the United States. Franklin County is also the largest in the eight-county Columbus, Ohio...
, the river runs through the 6856-acre Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park, where it meets with the Little Darby Creek. Directly downstream from the park, the river empties into the Scioto River in Pickaway County
Pickaway County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 52,727 people, 17,599 households, and 13,287 families residing in the county. The population density was 105 people per square mile . There were 18,596 housing units at an average density of 37 per square mile...
.
The Big Darby Creek is one of the most biologically diverse aquatic systems in the Midwest. It is the site of the only known population of the Scioto madtom
Scioto madtom
The Scioto Madtom is a species of fish in the Ictaluridae family. It is listed as critically endangered by the IUCN, which notes that it is likely to be entirely or functionally extinct already given the lack of records since 1957.This fish is endemic to Ohio in the United States...
, a fish which is now thought to be extinct.
History
When The Columbus DispatchThe Columbus Dispatch
The Columbus Dispatch is a daily newspaper based in Columbus, Ohio. Its first issue was published on July 1, 1871, and has been the only mainstream daily newspaper in the city since The Columbus Citizen-Journal stopped printing in 1985....
published an article in 1967 revealing the City of Columbus' plans to purchase over four thousand acres (16 km²) along the creek to build a reservoir, a political and legal battled ensued between the municipality and several environmental groups working with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. From 1974 to 1984, both sides exchanged victories and the legal battle continued into the Ohio Supreme Court, who ended the battle by ruling that 'scenic river designation' was constitutional. On June 22, 1984, the Upper and Lower Darby Creeks were designated a state scenic river, and then a national scenic river on October 3, 1994.
In 2008, the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium announced plans to build a new exhibit focusing on the Big Darby Creek, and its more than 38 rare species of fish and mussels, and in December, 2009, the City of Columbus, Franklin County Metro Parks, the Ohio Nature Conservancy and other companies announced that they will be spending more than $6 million on seven projects designed to restore sections of Big Darby Creek and its tributaries.