Organization
The Division of Soil and Water Resources (DSWR) was statutorily created in July 2010 through the merger of the Division of Soil and Water Conservation and the Division of Water. The division chief also serves as the chief of Division of Recycling and Litter Prevention and as a Deputy Director for the Department. The Division's central office is in Columbus with many field offices and local staff stationed throughout the state.
Our Mission
Provide leadership and services that enable Ohioans to conserve, protect, and enhance soil, water, and land resources.
Our Vision
To be a leader in soil and water resource management by providing the highest quality customer service.
- Provide administrative guidance, training, program development support and financial assistance to Ohio's 88 SWCDs, their 440 elected board members and over 430 staff.
- Regulate construction and repair of dams and levees; inspect existing structures periodically, respond to dam and levee emergencies.
- Build local and state capacity to support wise development of floodplains, reduce flood losses, and contribute to long-term viability of communities.
- Implement agricultural and non-point source water pollution control programs. A regulatory component enforces agricultural, livestock manure, and timber harvest standards.
- Collect water well logs; characterize and map ground water resources and aquifer pollution potential; mediate ground water use conflicts; provide technical assistance.
- Maintain and distribute data on all water resources including ground water levels, stream flow, and precipitation; register larger water withdrawal facilities; implement Great Lakes Compact; administer water supply leases and contracts.
- Support and help fund local development of watershed management and protection action plans; help development and environmental interests with innovative stream protection.
- Implement a comprehensive statewide soils information program; assist private and public sectors in using soils and natural resource information and geographic info systems.
- Maintain standards for sediment control and stormwater management during and after development; used by developers and local and state agencies to meet water quality requirements.
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