Explore Ohio's 60,000 miles of waterways with the new, free 'Ohio Stream Guide'

 

Explore Ohio's 60,000 miles of waterways with the new, free 'Ohio Stream Guide'

Columbus Dispatch

February 15, 2026

NATURE

Jim McCormac

Ohio is rich in water resources, perhaps most significantly in the 60,000 miles of creeks, streams and rivers that bisect the state. If stretched end to end, Ohio’s waterways would circle the earth nearly two and a half times.

Central Ohio is especially rich in high-quality streams, including numerous exceptional waterways. These include Big and Little Darby creeks, the Olentangy River and the Kokosing and Mohican rivers. All these streams support exceptional water quality and rare fish species in addition to other sensitive aquatic organisms.

Many a kid’s interest in natural history was first piqued by exploring the local creek or river. In my case, it was the Olentangy River that opened my eyes to the wonders of nature.

A best buddy, Jeff Held, and I made scores of forays to the nearby river to look for cool stuff. We’d find a log that would float, toss it in, hop aboard, and drift downstream. Bullfrogs, crayfish, great blue herons, redhorse suckers, and whatever else we could find were our targets. Had our mothers only known.

We know far more about our streams and their ecology now than in my youthful Huck Finn days. And one of the greatest resources to learn more about Ohio’s waterways is "The Ohio Stream Guide," which first appeared in 2000. The second edition of "Ohio Streams" was released late last year and represents a significant advance over the first edition.

The new edition of "The Ohio Stream Guide" was completed under the auspices of the Midwest Biodiversity Institute and published by the Ohio Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. Designer Ronald Zimmerman did an admirable job in presenting lots of information graphically and in an easily understood way.

Randall Sanders edited the publication and ensured that the information within is accurate, interesting and informative. I’ve known Randy for several decades and he is one of the legends in Ohio ichthyology. His interests range far beyond fish, and he is a knowledgeable ecologist that sees big pictures, and his deep knowledge of aquatic systems shines through the pages of "Ohio Streams."

Eleven chapters cover a broad range of subjects, including geology and geography, ecology, water quality, and pollution control, stream laws, and protection and restoration of streams. Ohio’s major river drainages are detailed, including the Scioto River, which flows through downtown Columbus. If the reader turns to chapter 10.7 to learn more about the Scioto, they’ll uncover a treasure trove.

The Scioto River, south of Columbus, is the state’s longest free-flowing (undammed) stream, and it boasts tremendous aquatic habitats. Five hundred and sixty-seven named tributary streams feed into the Scioto, and its waters support 116 species of fish and 67 mussel species.

Readers will also learn how the river got its name, what its major tributary streams are, and especially valuable are the maps showing the entire Scioto River drainage system, both on a state scale and the watershed in its entirety. Similar accounts cover all the other major streams, including the Cuyahoga, Hocking and Muskingum rivers.

Brand-new content for the second edition of "Ohio Streams" covers Ohio’s early history, and this well-researched section is a gem. It includes the Great Land Rush, documenting the remarkably fast influx of Europeans into the Ohio country, the first treaties, ordinances, and land acts, and the evolution of our first major cities, all of which were sited along rivers.

Streams represented our first highway system and provided the major transport routes for settlers. By 1788, about 18,000 people annually passed by Fort Harmar at the confluence of the Muskingum and Ohio rivers (now the site of Marietta).

Especially interesting to me is the section entitled "Quest for Species: The Naturalists." It features information about luminaries such as Jared Kirtland (namesake of Kirtland’s warbler), botanist André Michaux and the brilliant polymath Constantine Rafinesque.

As evidence of the incredible detail of this book, this section includes a chart listing “who described the most fish and freshwater mussel species.” Spoiler: Rafinesque described the most fish species.

While the entire book will be of great interest to conservationists, the chapter entitled "Restoring the Ohio Country: 1950- 2025" should be especially illuminating. I was pleased to read the account of Shawnee State Forest, Ohio’s largest contiguous forest and a goldmine for biological diversity. After perusing that, everyone should understand the critical role that forested systems play in protecting out waterways.

I have seldom seen a book that packs so much valuable information into its pages. The level of research and knowledge to pull this off is awe-inspiring. Streams are a major part of Ohio’s natural history, and "The Ohio Stream Guide" does an incredible job in showcasing their roles in relation to natural history, human history and aquatic ecology. This author highly recommends it.

Don’t pull your wallet out – "The Ohio Stream Guide" is free! Kudos to the Ohio Division of Wildlife for funding this project and putting this essential reference in the hands of interested parties free of charge. To get a copy, call the Division of Wildlife at 1-800-945-3543.

Naturalist Jim McCormac writes a column for The Dispatch on the first and third Sundays of the month. He also writes about nature at jimmccormac.blogspot.com.