Mill Creek Watershed

Mill Creek is so named because of the many mills that early settlers to the area built to harness the power of the flowing water. One of the largest tributaries of Mill Creek, Blues Creek, is said to have been named for an individual, Blue, that was dunked into its waters while participating in an early surveying party.

F.A.Q.

• From the headwaters in Logan County, the creek flows 37 miles through Logan, Union, and Delaware Counties, and deposits its water into the Scioto River.

• 178 square miles of land drains into Mill Creek.

• Of that land, over 80% is agricultural.

• It flows through the City of Marysville, the county seat of Union County, where more than 66% of the City's drinking water comes from.

  • In 2008, the City of Marysville constructed the Marysville Reservoir to house 1.39 billion gallons of water for the purpose of providing potable water to its residents. The reservoir is not in the direct flowpath of Mill Creek, but instead diverts water through a series of pipes and pumps.

• Mill Creek has 13 tributaries: Blues Creek, BMY Tributary, Crosses Run, Dry Run, Dun Run, Eagle Creek, Grassy Run, North Branch Crosses Run, Otter Creek, Otter Run, Phelps Run, Ronolds Run, Town Run.

Use the map below to explore the area inside the Mill Creek Watershed!

What's Polluting Mill Creek?

High nutrient levels occur when rain or melting snow washes fertilizers, pesticides, animal waste, etc... from suburbs farm fields and urban areas into Mill Creek.

When excessive  nutrients of phosphorous and nitrogen enter streams, massive algal blooms result. As the algae naturally decays, oxygen that is necessary for the survival of aquatic life is depleted. Low levels of dissolved oxygen in the stream water result.

Habitat alteration includes removal of streamside vegetation, stream channelization, etc...

Water Quality of Mill Creek

Community Planning Efforts

• Bokes/Mill Creek Watersheds Partnership

• Bokes/Mill Creek Watersheds Inventory and Action plan (2003)

Ohio Environmental Protection Agency

• Mill Creek Total Maximum Daily Load (2003)
  • Apendices C, D, E, F, G
    • Appendices to Appendix F: B, D, E (A & C not available electronically)
• 2002 Assessment of Mill Creek
• Biological and Water Quality Survey of Mill Creek and Selected Tributaries and Bokes Creek (Logan, Union, and Delaware Counties) (1990)
• Biological and Water Quality Study of Mill Creek (Scioto River Basin) and Selected Tributaries: Logan, Union, and Delaware Counties, Ohio (1996)
• Biological and Water Quality Study of Mill Creek Watershed (Delaware, Logan, and Union Counties) (2009, 2012, 2013)
  • Appendicies
• Study Plan for the Mill Creek Watershed (Union and Logan Counties, OH) (2012)

The Ohio State University

• Scioto River & Mill, Bokes, Fulton Creek Watershed: Consequences of Watershed Growth Over Time

Mid Ohio Regional Planning Commission

• Upper Scioto Watershed Planning Partnership: Balanced Growth Plan (2012)

United States Geological Survey

• USGS Monitoring Station at Mill Creek