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Miami Conservancy District

Miami Conservancy District Announces New Leader

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The Miami Conservancy District (MCD) announced the selection of MaryLynn Lodor as its new general manager. She is currently chief operating officer/deputy director of the Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati, a Cincinnati and Hamilton County metro-area wastewater utility that provides sewer service to about 230,000 households and businesses.

Ms. Lodor’s primary responsibilities will include overseeing MCD’s operations, including strategic planning and implementation, staff leadership, and fiscal management. MCD is a political subdivision under State of Ohio law, with the mission to protect lives, property and economic vitality within the Great Miami River Watershed through an integrated system that provides unfailing flood protection, preserves water resources, and promotes enjoyment of our waterways. MCD serves nine counties and its 2021 operating revenues are approximately $10.6 million.

When her tenure begins on May 4, Ms. Lodor will succeed Janet M. Bly. Ms. Bly is retiring after serving MCD as its general manager since 2002.

“The Miami Conservancy District is an essential contributor to our region’s ability to thrive,” explained Beth Whelley, Board President of MCD and executive vice president at Fahlgren Mortine. “MaryLynn will bring her relevant experience, respect for the MCD legacy, and enthusiasm for our future to the benefit of all of our constituents.”

Discussing her motivation to lead MCD’s ongoing commitment to the Great Miami River watershed, Ms. Lodor says, “I developed an appreciation for water and natural resources at an early age, growing up on a small farm in Upstate New York.  While in college, I was drawn to the nexus between the environment and thriving local economies. I am thrilled to be joining MCD, an organization that has a rich history, and I am looking forward to leading it into the future — working with Ohio’s Great Miami River watershed communities to improve, protect and manage its water resources for the benefit of the regional economy and future generations.”

During her 12-year employment with Cincinnati’s Metropolitan Sewer District, Ms. Lodor advanced from environmental programs manager to chief operating officer. She oversaw the development and implementation of innovative watershed-based solutions, operation of numerous water management facilities, developed strategic plans based on the needs of internal and external partners, and reduced the risk of damage to infrastructure and personal property caused by extreme storm events. She’s provided leadership in several regional organizations through her career including the Confluence Water Technology Cluster, Hamilton to New Baltimore Groundwater Consortium, Mill Creek Watershed Council of Communities, the Ohio River Sanitation Commission, Fernald Advisory Committee, Green Umbrella, Groundwork Cincinnati, and the Natural Resource Assistance Council for the Southwest Ohio Public Works Integrating Committee.

She was recognized twice by the National Association of Clean Water Agencies with public service awards and received an Individual Professional Excellence Award from the Ohio Stormwater Association.

Prior to her employment with the Metropolitan Sewer District, Ms. Lodor rose to the role of environmental division head with the Butler County Water and Sewer Department where she worked on groundwater protection, the Great Miami River Water Quality Credit Trading Program, and other efforts associated with water management. She has also served communities in New York State, focusing on water resources, regulatory compliance, and economic development.

Ms. Lodor holds a master of science in environmental management and policy from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York and a bachelor of science in business administration with a concentration in environmental studies from the State University of New York at Oswego.

Founded in 1915, MCD was one of the first conservancy districts established after legislation passed into Ohio law, enabling the creation of multi-jurisdictional, watershed-based organizations to solve flooding problems, to conserve and develop water supplies, and to treat wastewater. The law allows using conservancy district lands for recreation. MCD has a three-member Board of Directors governed by a Court of a Common Pleas judge from each of the nine counties it serves.  MCD has more than a dozen maintenance facilities in as many communities along the Great Miami River and its tributaries. Its administrative office is in downtown Dayton, Ohio.

The Great Miami River, Home of Ohio’s Best Smallmouth Bass Fishing

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When you think about having fun along Great Miami Riverway,  you might remember bicycling with friends on the bike trail, or eating a delicious strawberry donut at the Troy Strawberry festival. But there are a lot of people who only think about one thing: fishing.

Fishing is one of the most popular sports in the world, and the Great Miami River is one of the best rivers in Ohio to try and catch some fish – or at least have some fun trying.

According to data collected by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), the Great Miami River:

  • Supports a very diverse fish population. In the Great Miami River, anbarry fishd its tributaries, you can fish for everything from bass, saugeye, crappie, northern pike, and catfish to rock bass. Especially abundant are smallmouth bass, but you might get lucky 
    and catch a unique species like hybrid striped bass or white bass.
  • Produces record-sized fish. ODNR’s Fish Ohio program recognizes anglers who catch fish of noteworthy size on Ohio’s rivers. Out of 30 of the different species caught, 22 were large enough to be recognized. That is more than other large rivers in the region.
  • Ranks as Ohio’s best river to catch large smallmouth bass. According to ODNR, the peak season for bigger fish begins in April and is steady through October each year.
  • Ranks as a top two riverin Ohio for Rock Bass and a top three for sauger.
  • Has produced noteworthy fish in every month of the year. But the best months are March through November.

On the Great Miami River, from 2014-2019, the largest noteworthy catches were:

“I’m passionate about fishing and fly fishing. ODNR’s data helps us understand  what kinds of fish live in the river, and the best time of year to catch them,” says  Barry Puskas, chief of technical and engineering services for the Miami Conservancy District. Barry’s day job helps our region’s flood protection system operate effectively, but his passion is also fishing.

Barry is an advocate for catch-and-release to encourage the conservation of fish species. “I believe the Great Miami is one of the best waterways to hunt for trophy-sized smallmouth bass in the region, and conservation helps those big fish get bigger”.

To find a great fishing spot on the Great Miami River, use our interactive map and trip planner. There are locations where you can fish from the riverbank, kayak, or motorboat. There is access for every age and ability.

So find your way to a fishing spot near you… on the Great Miami Riverway!

Take A Water Quiz For Chance to Win $100 Brewery Gift Card

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The Miami Conservancy District is all about water.  Protecting. Preserving. Promoting.  Their mission is protecting lives, property and economic vitality within the Great Miami River Watershed through an integrated and balanced system that provides unfailing flood protection, preserves water resources, and promotes enjoyment of our waterways. Some of the ways they do this include:

Flood Protection

People and businesses along the Great Miami River in southwest Ohio enjoy life without flooding concerns. MCD’s system of five dry dams, retarding basins, 55 miles of levees, and preserved floodplain provide a nearly unparalleled level of protection.

Water Stewardship

Water is the key to healthy people and healthy communities. MCD monitors and protects our region’s water.

Recreation

And water isn’t just for drinking. Rivers are outdoor playgrounds. MCD is working to bring more and more people to the river.

 

Take their 3-question quiz to learn about our region’s water and then you can  register to win a $100 gift card to one of the participating breweries or coffee shops listed below.

Great Water. Great Drinks.

Water. You drink it. You grow food in it. You flush your toilets with it. You literally can’t live without it. Without clean water you can’t live a healthy life. From agriculture to manufacturing, most sectors of our economy rely on water. Without water, our economy would grind to a halt. Yet most of us take water for granted.

It’s time to Value Water.

Participating Breweries
Toxic Brew, Dayton
Fifth Street Brewpub, Dayton
Branch and Bone Artisan Ales, Dayton
Lock 27 Brewing, Dayton
The Dayton Beer Company, Dayton
Warped Wing Brewing Company, Dayton
Eudora Brewing Company, Kettering
Mother Stewart’s Brewing, Springfield
Lucky Star Brewery and Cantina, Miamisburg
Star City Brewery, Miamisburg
Municipal Brew Works, Hamilton

Participating Coffee Shops
Third Perk Coffeehouse, Dayton
Curious Styles & Coffee Shop, Miamisburg
Reza’s Roast, Dayton
Triple Moon Coffee Company, Middletown

Dayton Earns Distinction As A Trail Town

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overviewmapFive Rivers MetroParks will celebrate with the City of Dayton, the Buckeye Trail Association and the North Country Trail Association the official designation of Dayton as “Trail Town”. The event will take place Friday, October 25, at 11:00am at Deeds Point MetroPark. The event is free and open to the public.

 

The North Country National Scenic Trail and the state-wide Buckeye Trail have partnered to improve access, strengthen interest in outdoor activities, and boost economic benefits by providing recognition to local businesses.  Together, they strive to build a community that values outdoor recreation for the health of the environment, the people, and the economy.

 

“We are so happy to have Dayton as the newest Trail Town along the North Country National Scenic Trail. Dayton is a great example of how an urban area can embrace a trail culture, providing a superb recreational resource for its citizens while benefiting it’s economy and the health of the environment,” said Andrea Ketchmark of North Country Trail Association. “This partnership will do great things for the Trail and for Dayton!”’

 

“Trail Towns” are built on a relationship between a municipality, the Trail, and its supportive volunteers.  For Dayton, the partnership will help to establish and nurture relationships that are mutually beneficial for trail users and the public-at-large within the City of Dayton and the surrounding area.

 

“We are ecstatic to be only the second city in Ohio to receive this designation,” said Dayton City Commissioner Nan Whaley. “This reinforces our ongoing efforts to make Dayton a vibrant community that realizes the importance of outdoor recreation.”

 

The Buckeye and North Country National Scenic Trails are co-aligned through the Dayton area, following the Mad River and Great Miami Recreation Trails.  The trails are marked by 2×6 inch blue blazes along the route.

 

The North Country Trail is the longest of the 11 National Scenic Trails and stretches 4,600 miles from North Dakota to New York and follows much of the Buckeye Trail as it wraps through Ohio.  Crossing seven northern states, the trail is not only a national asset, but it is accessible from many communities making it a valuable local recreational resource.

 

The Buckeye Trail is a 1,400 mile trail circumnavigating the state travelling through 48 counties.  Volunteers of the Miami Rivers Chapter of the Buckeye Trail Association help buck-creek-trail-daytonmaintain sections of these trails in the Dayton area, working closely with land managers from Five Rivers MetroParks and Miami Conservancy District.

 

“The Buckeye Trail Association is excited to partner with the community of Dayton, one of the largest and most supportive along Ohio’s State Trail,” shared Andrew Bashaw of the Buckeye Trail Association. “By working together we hope to promote this amenity to the quality of life around Dayton and encourage Dayton area residents to engage in using the Buckeye and North Country National Scenic Trail nearby and around Ohio!”

 

Working together to provide this premier off-road walking path is a partnership of trail volunteers, land managing agencies, the National Park Service, private foundations, civic organizations and businesses.

 

For more information about hiking trails throughout Montgomery County, visit MetroParks.org.

 

ON STAGE DAYTON REVIEW – 1913: The Great Dayton Flood (Wright State University) – Harrowing History

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Cyndii Johnson and Donnella Barbour (center) and the cast of 1913: The Great Dayton Flood

Cyndii Johnson and Donnella Barbour (center) and the cast of 1913: The Great Dayton Flood

As images of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Sandy linger in the recesses of the mind, Wright State University remounts its acclaimed 1996 production of “1913:  The Great Dayton Flood” with compelling performances, soul-stirring music and outstanding atmospherics.

Inspired by Allan W. Eckert’s Pulitzer Prize-nominated novel “A Time of Terror: The Great Dayton Flood” and adapted by W. Stuart McDowell and Timothy J. Nevits, “1913” skillfully and seamlessly chronicles the catastrophic storm which changed the Miami Valley forever in March of that year. In order to gain a deeper understanding of the defining account, which affected a population of 116,000 and killed over 350, McDowell and Nevits interviewed numerous survivors whose captivating stories of heroism, resilience and tragedy terrifically propel the emotional potency within the insightful, moving play, which migrates all the way to the White House and particularly offers an eye-opening, unified portrait of Dayton’s diversity and spirituality at the time. The sheer connection to familiar individuals (John H. Patterson of the National Cash Register Company) and landmarks (the Rike’s building, the Victoria Theatre) are added benefits inherent to the episodic framework, heightened by Michael and Sandy Bashaw’s evocative new music and the colorful, commanding recorded narration of Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee and Dayton native Martin Sheen.

Returning to direct and aided by the cinematic appeal of Danielle Ferguson’s splendid lighting and projection design as well as scenic designer Pam Knauert-Lavarnway’s efficiently shifting platforms, McDowell provides sleek, sweeping staging for over 20 actors portraying over 150 characters. The excellently authoritative Sean Jones shines as the concerned Patterson, who kept NCR at the forefront of relief efforts and helped implement the Miami Conservancy District. Lawrence Dunford, genuine and humorous, absolutely charms as Negro League pitcher W.G. Sloan, a disinclined churchgoer who saved more than 300 people in his rowboat. Caroline Gruber relishes her saucy role as Pearl Street madame Lib Hedges. Cyndii Johnson brings Act 1 to a dynamic close as the staunchly determined Mrs. Stanton, who breaks through the roof of her house alongside her daughter (Donnella Barbour) to escape the rising waters. Tyrell Reggins as Rev. Primus Alston, Jim Miller as George McClintock, Samuel Blackburn and President Woodrow Wilson, Kelsey Pohl as Minnie Althoff, William Mendelson as Ray Stansbury, Ben Tracy as Charles Hopkins, Tyler Simms as Edward Hanley, and Samantha Kerger as Mildred Young are also notable among the endearing cast, tackling multiple roles with interchangeable ease and attractively costumed in period attire by Mary Beth McLaughlin. In addition, Nikki Wetter’s wonderfully choreographed depiction of the fateful weather pattern is vigorously executed at the outset.

As Dayton prepares to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the flood, “1913” remains a crowning achievement not to be missed.

“1913: The Great Dayton Flood” continues through Feb. 10 in the Festival Playhouse of the Creative Arts Center at Wright State University, 3640 Col. Glenn Hwy., Fairborn. Performances are Thursday at 7 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. (view performance calendar here).  Act One: 70 minutes; Act Two: 50 minutes. Tickets are $20 for adults and $18 for students and seniors. For more information, call the WSU box office at (937) 775-2500.