A watershed is an area of land surrounding and “shedding” water into a stream, lake, river or wetland. When it rains, all the run off, flowing into this common area. In fact, all the surface water (smaller streams, ponds, lakes) are related to this larger water body. They all affect its water quality. This is why the HRWRP takes the watershed approach to cleaning up the Huff Run.
Huff Run is a small stream, only 9.9 miles long, and is named after Godfry Huff, the first settler in the area. The Huff Run Watershed is the 14.1 square miles around Huff Run that drain into the stream. Mineral City, Lindentree and Morges are the only residential areas in the Watershed. State Route 800 and State Route 542 run through the vacinity. Mineral City is half way between Canton, Ohio and New Philadelphia, Ohio.
The Huff Run watershed, like most areas in Southern Ohio, was mined in the 1800s and early 1900s. Mining without restoring the land afterwards can have major affects on the water quality in the area. Water flows through these old mines and comes out carrying toxic metals with a low pH. This is called acid mine drainage (AMD). AMD hurts the fish, aquatic bugs and plants in the streams. It makes the water and the stream bottom orange. There is also sewage entering the stream due to leaking septic systems. Illegal dumps are dotted around the watershed encouraging misuse of natural resources. In some places, livestock drink directly from the stream causing errosion, sedimentation and leaving manure in Huff Run causing algae growth. Irresponsible mineral extration (oil and gas) threaten to cause spills and harm drinking water. The only defense that streams have against these non point source pollutions are the vegetative buffers along their banks (riparian corridors). Although the Huff Run Watershed is 43% forested, there are an estimated three miles of poor buffers along Huff Run.
We care about Huff Run because it’s a huge part of our community, because water is so important. Our bodies are made up of more than 80% water! And, Huff Run drains into the Conotton Creek which drains into the Tuscarawas which dumps into the Muskingum and ultimately into the Mississippi. All watersheds are connected. We need to take care of our’s, not only for us but for everyone else.