Big Darby Creek State and National Scenic River
Eighty-two miles of the Big Darby Creek and its major tributary, Little Darby Creek, were designated as state scenic rivers in 1984.
The Darby Creek System constitutes some of the most important natural resources in central Ohio.
Flowing through rich agricultural bottomland of Union, Madison, Franklin and Pickaway counties, the creek's valley is characterized by gently rolling topography in the upper reaches to relatively steep, heavily-wooded topography in lower portions. Both streams were included in the national scenic rivers program in 1994.
Big and Little Darby Creeks are noted nationally for their tremendous diversity and abundance of both aquatic and terrestrial plants and animals.
They are home to 86 species of fish, five of which are endangered in Ohio including the federally endangered Scioto Madtom, which is endemic to the area.
Forty-one species of freshwater mollusks live in these waters, eight of which are on the Ohio endangered list. The Darby Creek watershed covers an area of 556.6 square miles.
The creeks banks are flanked with native vegetation varying considerably in width; from only a narrow line of trees to deep and extensive forests. Floodplain trees such as buckeye, sycamore, silver maple and box elder tolerate periods of inundation. Species more adapted to drier soils such as oak and sugar maple line the valley walls.
Remnant prairie species such as purple coneflower, the threatened prairie false indigo and Indian paintbrush inhabit the slopes and bluffs along the streams. Numerous species of birds and mammals depend upon this linear strip of undisturbed habitat for their existence.
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