AT&T Telecommunications Line Retrieval Project in Crawford and Richland Counties
It is important that the questions detailed and the full scope of the project are made clear to landowners.
Read More
Water, and the ability to remove it, is extremely important to Ohio farmers. Ohio farmers are often encountering issues with the water on their property, either having too much because of excessive rain or too little because of weather conditions. Ohio’s water law is somewhat limited, so here are five tips to help you understand how water law works in Ohio:
1. Ohio follows the “reasonable use” legal doctrine for water, drainage and subsurface water disputes. This doctrine states that a landowner may make reasonable use of their land, even though the flow of waters could be altered and cause harm. The landowner does not have liability for that harm unless the harm is deemed unreasonable.
2. In almost all cases, water disputes must be solved through cooperation or civil litigation. A judge may be necessary to decide whether any harm caused by a landowner’s action was reasonable or unreasonable.
3. There are two processes farmers can use to accomplish group drainage projects. Both processes involve a landowner filing a petition, either with the Soil and Water Conservation District or the county commissioners. In both cases, the county commissioners have the choice to levy assessments to cover the costs of installing the drainage improvements.
4. Each county is directed to create a ditch maintenance fund, which is to be used exclusively for the upkeep, repair and maintenance of any drainage improvements constructed through either of the petition processes.
5. Landowners may also consider developing drainage projects privately, in cooperation with other affected neighbors. These arrangements should be accompanied by written agreements to ensure all parties understand their responsibilities as they pertain to the costs and upkeep of the drainage infrastructure.
More Landowner Information
For further explanation of these tips and other information on other topics impacting landowners, Ohio Farm Bureau members can log in and download the Ohio Landowner Toolkit. Not a member? Join today!
Also, listen to Legal with Leah, a podcast featuring Ohio Farm Bureau Associate General Counsel Leah Curtis discussing topics impacting landowners.
Editor’s Note: This article was reviewed for accuracy in March 2025.
My first recommendation in your journey is to start out with a local farming friend or mentor along with joining an organization like Ohio Farm Bureau.
We’re just so thankful for the Farm Bureau and the foundation for helping put this together. And of course, the Boyert family for the vision they had with this grant. It’s jumping us forward 10 years. It’s unbelievable.
I could not have done it without the resources I have found through Farm Bureau.
It wasn’t until I joined the Wilmington College Collegiate Farm Bureau that I truly saw how my passion could translate into leadership, advocacy and a career.
The issue of property taxation remains as one of the biggest challenges our members face today. Ensuring agricultural property is valued for its agricultural potential and not development is critical to the continued success of Ohio agriculture.
Through the Select Partner program, we became educated in farm insurance and weren't just selling policies. It became more and more clear why farmers need an advocate like Ohio Farm Bureau.
So many of the issues that OFBF and its members are advocating for are important to all Ohioans. I look at OFBF as an agricultural watchdog advocating for farmers and rural communities across Ohio.
Featured Articles
5 tips on Ohio drainage law
Water, and the ability to remove it, is extremely important to Ohio farmers. Ohio’s water law is somewhat limited, so Ohio Farm Bureau gives five tips to help you understand how water law works in Ohio.
Read More
What you should know about zoning and land use
Important statutory protections limit the reach of local zoning to agricultural land in certain circumstances. Here are a few things to know about zoning and land use.
Read More