PICKAWAY COUNTY, Ohio — The Ohio River Foundation has received a $1.4 million grant from Ohio’s H2Ohio Program to oversee the creation of a 30-acre wetlands complex along the Scioto River in Pickaway County, a project aimed at improving water quality, reducing flooding, and restoring critical wildlife habitat.
Wetlands are often described as the “kidneys” of the environment, filtering pollutants such as excess nutrients and sediment from waterways while also providing natural flood control through added stormwater storage. The wetlands planned for the Scioto River site are expected to support fish and wildlife habitat and help stabilize stream beds, which is particularly important for freshwater mussels and small fish.
The land for the project is owned by Chris Mullins, whose cooperation was praised by Ohio River Foundation leadership.
“We applaud the landowner, Mr. Mullins, for having the vision and ambition these integral river protection and restoration projects require,” said Rich Cogen, executive director of the Ohio River Foundation. “Creating and restoring wetlands is crucial to environmental and public health. We hope this project encourages other landowners to take similar action.”
The project comes as nutrient pollution continues to pose a growing threat to the Ohio River watershed. Excess nutrient runoff has contributed to harmful algal blooms that deplete oxygen in waterways, endangering aquatic life and contaminating drinking water supplies. The Scioto River alone serves as a drinking water source for more than one million people.
The need for wetland restoration has become increasingly urgent. More than half of all wetlands in the lower 48 states have been lost over the past 200 years. In Ohio, over 90% of the state’s original wetlands have been eliminated. A 2024 report from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service found that wetland loss rates have increased by 50% since 2009.
While officials acknowledge the challenges facing wetland conservation nationwide, the planned Scioto River wetlands are being viewed as a meaningful step forward. Unlike isolated projects, the new wetlands will feature a continuous open channel connecting them directly to the river. That design ensures the site remains protected under both state and federal law, even amid recent regulatory rollbacks.
Project leaders say the wetlands will deliver long-term environmental, public health, and economic benefits for the region, while serving as a model for future restoration efforts across Ohio.
