Huff Run
Encyclopedia
Huff Run is a 9.9 mile (15.9 km) long tributary
of the Conotton Creek
in eastern Ohio
within Sandy Township
(Tuscarawas County
) and Rose Township
(Carroll County
). Conotton Creek is a tributary of the Ohio River
via the Tuscarawas River
and the Muskingum River
. Mineral City
is the only incorporated town within the Huff Run Watershed.
The mouth of the stream is at 875 feet altitude.
Dover Dam 40°33′26"N 81°24′44"W, downstream on the Tuscarawas River, is normally dry, but can inundate this waterway to a pool elevation of 916 feet for downstream flood control by the Corp of Engineers
. This can cause flooding and closure of Route 800
south of Mineral City and other roads out of the village. The stream gauge
south of Mineral City is at 886.98 feet, and is rendered inoperable when reservoir elevation exceeds that.
sect, of which he was a member. He is said to have raised many hogs on the river bottoms, driven them to Detroit, Michigan for sale, and used the proceeds to pay for his land. He had five sons—Michael, Henry, Samuel, Frederick and Andrew. Most of the boys subsequently emigrated to Iowa. Godfrey Huff died in Sandy Township about 1825.
See Native American History and additional early settlement history at the Tuscarawas County Wikipedia entry.
(AMD) as well as illegal open dumping, raw sewage entering the stream due to improperly maintained septic systems and sewer systems, poor riparian buffer zones, some poor agriculture land management practices and over extraction of oil and gas within the watershed.
The Huff Run Watershed Restoration Partnership http://www.huffrun.org, sponsored by Rural Action
http://ruralaction.org, has been working since 1996 to address water quality issues in the Huff Run watershed. As of 2009, the partnership had received and spent about 6.2 million dollars in state and federal grant money to reduce the impact of acid mine drainage on the watershed. They currently oversee the development and management of over 16 major acid mine drainage reclamation projects.
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...
of the Conotton Creek
Conotton Creek
Conotton Creek is a tributary of the Tuscarawas River, 38.7 miles long, in eastern Ohio in the United States. Via the Tuscarawas, Muskingum and Ohio Rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of 286 square miles in Carroll, Harrison and Tuscarawas County,...
in eastern Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
within Sandy Township
Sandy Township, Tuscarawas County, Ohio
Sandy Township is one of the twenty-two townships of Tuscarawas County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 3,354 people in the township, 2,513 of whom lived in the unincorporated portions of the township.-Geography:...
(Tuscarawas County
Tuscarawas County, Ohio
Tuscarawas County is a county located in the eastern part of the state of Ohio. As of the 2010 census, the population was 92,582. Its county seat is New Philadelphia...
) and Rose Township
Rose Township, Carroll County, Ohio
Rose Township is one of the fourteen townships of Carroll County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 1,603 people in the township, 1,289 of whom lived in the unincorporated portions of the township.-Geography:...
(Carroll County
Carroll County, Ohio
Carroll County is a county located in the state of Ohio. As of 2010, the population was 28,836, no change from 2000. Its county seat is Carrollton. It is named for Charles Carroll of Carrollton, the last surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence....
). Conotton Creek is a tributary of the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
via the Tuscarawas River
Tuscarawas River
The Tuscarawas River is a principal tributary of the Muskingum River, 129.9 miles long, in northeastern Ohio in the United States...
and the Muskingum River
Muskingum River
The Muskingum River is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately 111 miles long, in southeastern Ohio in the United States. An important commercial route in the 19th century, it flows generally southward through the eastern hill country of Ohio...
. Mineral City
Mineral City, Ohio
Mineral City is a village in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, United States. The population was 841 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Mineral City is located at ....
is the only incorporated town within the Huff Run Watershed.
The mouth of the stream is at 875 feet altitude.
Dover Dam 40°33′26"N 81°24′44"W, downstream on the Tuscarawas River, is normally dry, but can inundate this waterway to a pool elevation of 916 feet for downstream flood control by the Corp of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
. This can cause flooding and closure of Route 800
Ohio State Route 800
State Route 800 is a north–south state highway in the eastern portion of the U.S. state of Ohio. Its southern terminus is at State Route 7 near New Matamoras, and its northern terminus is at its interchange with Interstate 77 in Canton....
south of Mineral City and other roads out of the village. The stream gauge
Stream gauge
A stream gauge, stream gage or gauging station is a location used by hydrologists or environmental scientists to monitor and test terrestrial bodies of water. Hydrometric measurements of water surface elevation and/or volumetric discharge are generally taken and observations of biota may also be...
south of Mineral City is at 886.98 feet, and is rendered inoperable when reservoir elevation exceeds that.
History
The first recognized settler of Sandy Township was Godfrey Huff who Huff Run was named after. Records show that he was from Bedford County, Pennsylvania. In May 1805 he purchased a tract of 1,000 acres (4 km²) in the southwest corner of the third quarter of Township 10, Range 1, or the southwest corner of Sandy Township, embracing also the corner of Lawrence across the river from Godfrey Haga, for $1,062.50. Old settlers have assigned the year 1803 as the date of his emigration to this tract, but historical societies have found evidence that he was here in 1801. Mr. Huff was a man of large frame, and wore the broad-brimmed hat and the garb of the Dunkard BrethrenDunkard Brethren
The Dunkard Brethren are a small group of conservative Schwarzenau Brethren churches that withdrew from the Church of the Brethren.The Church of the Brethren represents the largest body of churches that descended from the original pietist movement began in Germany by Alexander Mack and 7 other...
sect, of which he was a member. He is said to have raised many hogs on the river bottoms, driven them to Detroit, Michigan for sale, and used the proceeds to pay for his land. He had five sons—Michael, Henry, Samuel, Frederick and Andrew. Most of the boys subsequently emigrated to Iowa. Godfrey Huff died in Sandy Township about 1825.
See Native American History and additional early settlement history at the Tuscarawas County Wikipedia entry.
Pollution
Huff Run has been badly affected by acid mine drainageAcid mine drainage
Acid mine drainage , or acid rock drainage , refers to the outflow of acidic water from metal mines or coal mines. However, other areas where the earth has been disturbed may also contribute acid rock drainage to the environment...
(AMD) as well as illegal open dumping, raw sewage entering the stream due to improperly maintained septic systems and sewer systems, poor riparian buffer zones, some poor agriculture land management practices and over extraction of oil and gas within the watershed.
The Huff Run Watershed Restoration Partnership http://www.huffrun.org, sponsored by Rural Action
Rural Action
Rural Action is a non profit working in Appalachian Ohio promoting economic, social and environmental justice. The organization envisions a region of clean streams, healthy forests, thriving family farms, meaningful jobs for everyone and lively towns that remember local history and celebrate their...
http://ruralaction.org, has been working since 1996 to address water quality issues in the Huff Run watershed. As of 2009, the partnership had received and spent about 6.2 million dollars in state and federal grant money to reduce the impact of acid mine drainage on the watershed. They currently oversee the development and management of over 16 major acid mine drainage reclamation projects.
External links
- Huff Run Watershed Restoration Partnership http://www.huffrun.org
- Real-time water flow data for Huff Run from the United States Geological Survey http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?03121850
- Watershed Groups of Ohio http://ohiowatersheds.osu.edu/groups/wgp_all.php
- US EPA Targeted Watershed Grant to restore Huff Run http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/initiative/2005factsheet.html
- Ohio Department of Natural Resources Applied Research Conference Awards for HRWRP http://www.ohiodnr.com/news/dec06/1222mrmawards.htm
- Pollution: Huff Run Watershed Plan http://www.huffrun.org/watershedplan.html
- History http://www.migrations.org/individual.php3?record=6550