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There are 22,500 miles of county ditches in the state and it’s said northwest Ohio alone has enough drain tile to reach the moon. Farmers have always managed drainage issues. But now they are faced with some very different concerns. The flood of new homes and businesses into rural areas is creating challenges for drainage systems and the laws that govern them.

"This may be one of those rare instances where we actually support more regulation," said Larry Gearhardt, OFBF’s director of local affairs. He thinks new legislation may be less onerous than the current situation. "Drainage disputes, other than the petition ditch process, are primarily handled through civil litigation. That in itself is a huge barrier to fixing drainage problems."

Politics can also get in the way, Gearhardt said. County commissioners can be reluctant to assess residents in housing tracts up stream from farmers for drainage costs. Farmers may need improvements or maintenance, but commissioners "sometimes avoid approvals if it costs them politically."

Gearhardt said Farm Bureau also wants to ensure local governments are empowered to address drainage problems created by development. "Local authorities need to be able to examine drainage concerns beyond just the lot; they need to be able to handle how drainage is affected on lands all around the lots." House Bill 25, passed into law last year, provided some authority but Gearhardt said, "We’re disappointed that few counties have actually used it."

Another growing challenge is that water flowing in ditches – even on private property – is officially considered a state resource. Larry Antosch, OFBF’s director of environmental research, said the state Environmental Protection Agency is now identifying ditches and streams they want to reclassify as having more ecological value than simple farm drainage. The result, said Antosch, is that "land use decisions may be made based on water quality standards." He said Farm Bureau is keeping tabs on the reclassifications. "We want to make sure a waterway is designated for its most appropriate use. If it’s there for drainage, it’s not there for the fish and bugs."

Whether environmental, political or economic, Ohio’s drainage issues are diverse. Farm Bureau is seeking input from members on what the most pressing concerns are and how they should be addressed. Advisory Council guides in April will help shape the discussion. A drainage issues conference is being considered for this summer. Farmers interested in preparing for these discussions can go to www.ofbf.org for links to resource materials.