Hocking Conservancy District Court/Margaret Creek Subdistrict

The Hocking Conservancy District ("HCD") works to prevent flooding in Athens and Hocking Counties by conserving, managing and and controlling the waters of the Hocking River watershed. Established in 1963 in part to address the flooding at Ohio University, it helps maintain the Athens Local Protection Project to standards established by the Army Corps of Engineers who originally diverted the Hocking River in Athens to help ease flooding at Ohio University. 

Annually the Hocking Conservancy Court  holds a meeting for the Hocking Conservancy District (HCD) and Margaret Creek Conservancy District (MCCD).  Judge Jason Despetorich (Hocking County Common Pleas Court), Judge Patrick Lang (Athens County Common Pleas Court) and Judge George McCarthy (Athens County Common Pleas Court) sit together as the Hocking Conservancy Court which acts as a type of oversight over the activities of the Board pursuant to statute as the conservancy serves both Hocking and Athens Counties. 

The Court meets  annually to discuss the yearly Fiscal Report on the efforts of the Hocking Conservancy District (HCD) and Margaret Creek Conservancy District and met December 4, 2023 for its annual meeting. This was the HCD's 59th Report and addressed their activity through December 31, 2022. 

At this meeting Board Member Abigail Savings was recognized as being reappointed as a Board of Directors member for the term beginning December 18, 2023.  Abigail Savings serves as President of the Board of Directors. Timothy Warren is a Director and serves as Vice-President.  Alex Tyre is a Director as well.  Mark Holdcroft serves as Secretary/Treasurer.  Melissa Bethschieder  is the Administrative Assistant.  The Board of Appraisers include Andrew Sylvia (Chairman and Appraiser), William "Kip" Parker (Appraiser), and Timothy Galway (Appraiser).  Attorney Sky Petty  (Lavelle & Associates) is legal counsel for the Board.  Earl Goodin, Thomas Gould and Jimmy Wallace  and Brad Graves are Operators and Maintenance personnel. The Board of Directors held twelve monthly meetings in the preceding year at 560 W. Union Street, Athens, Ohio which are open to the public. 

The HCD is helped by a variety of agencies, volunteers and sportsmen who promote a healthier river environment. This includes the Great American Cleanup is sponsored by the Athens Soil Water Conservation District (ASWCD), with the cooperation of the:

Hocking Conservancy District
City of Athens
Ohio University
Walmart
Krogers and
Athens Recycling Center

This project is part of the nation's largest annual community improvement project and is part of the clean up effort for the Ohio Valley organized by the Ohio River Sanitation Commission.  For info on the annual event held in August contact the ASWCD or Ohio River Sweep ( ohioriversweep.org ).   Clean up efforts are also supported by the Friends of the Hocking River ( friendsofthehockingriver@hotmail.com ).   We appreciate everyone's  efforts! 

The HCD has been busy remediating dams within the district as well as dredging efforts and flood mitigation during heavy rain events. The goal of the HCD is protect lives and property within the watershed.  HCD works to minimize and if possible, eliminate flood damage potential through available resources through managing the waters of the Hocking River Watershed.  The HCD was established in 1963 and was created to address the flooding problem throughout the counties.  This includes the Hocking River passing through Ohio University which caused major flooding when the river overflowed its banks.  Before rerouting by the Army Corps of Engineers, the river passed under the old Richland Avenue Bridge which was a tough curvey route for the river to handle during heavy rains.  It is now a dry river bed and that immediate area remains relatively dry. 

Historically in the 1964 the flood that damaged Ohio University 1400 OU students were evacuated and 200 residents in Logan were evacuated with damaged estimated at $2.137 million.

HCD efforts resulted in no flood damage amounts in 2022 thereby protecting approximately $92 million in property values (unadjusted values) being saved from flood harm in the  Athens Local Protection Project (ALPP) area.  The cost of construction of the ALPP was originally $10 million associated with diverting the Hocking River and building flood controls up and down the river. 

Since HCD measures were instituted in 1970, the estimated prevention in flood damage is $186 million to property in addition to potentially saving lives.

Some interesting facts from the HCD meeting concerning our area include:

  • That in Athens County the highest watermark was 20.13 feet which did not overflow the river banks even though flood stage is considered at 20 feet high.  Rainfall for 2022 was considered normal at 43.41 inches (2019=47.36 inches)  which is 102% of normal.  Ohio state average is 40.82 inches.
  • The most rainfall recorded was in 2018 at 56.02 inches and water crested at 22.52 feet during a rainfall event.
  • In 2019 the HCD dredged (removed) approximately 8,329 cubic yards of material from the  sandbar located near the Pepsi Plant in Athens.
  • Since 2008 the HCD has removed about 135,998 cubic yards of material from the river from the Pepsi Plant area down past the golf course.  This helps with flood mitigation efforts.  But the river continues to make deposits in these areas which then continually need addressed.
  • The most snow recorded was 2003 with 42.03 inches.
  • The most total precipitation recorded was in 2003 with a total of 85.90 inches (1996 was second at 83.50 inches).
  • Since 1970  through 2022 HCD mitigation efforts including use of flood pumps resulted in a prevention of an estimated $186 million in property damage and possible loss of life.
  • The top ten years of precipitation (out of 27 recorded) have all occurred since 2002 (with the exception of 1996).
  • The Margaret Creek Conservancy District (MCCD) inspected and in part due to government reclassification of some of the dams, remediating is being implemented were needed.   Meeks Lake, Fox Lake, Texas-Eastern Lake, Johnson French Lake and Lake Snowden are the lakes reviewed by the MCCD.

The full report may be obtained by contacting the Hocking Conservancy District. Their  office is located at 560 W, Union Street, Athens, Ohio 45710-2331.  Their phone number is (740)592-1792.  Their website is www.hockingcd.org

The revenue collections is based on those property owners who are directly benefited in the maintaining of the watershed area.  The HCD has been working off of the property valuations which have not been adjusted since the HCD was established. 

Judge Dspetorich, Judge Lang and Judge McCarthy  thanked the Hocking Conservancy District for their hard and dedicated work in keeping operations in working order and acting fiscally responsible in doing so.   

Sincerely,

Judge George McCarthy
Athens Common Pleas Court