FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Unusual August Storms Put Miami Conservancy District Regional Flood Protection System to Work
Four dams stored 5.8 billion gallons during the largest high-water event of 2026
DAYTON, Ohio — August 25, 2026 — An unusually wet stretch of August put the Miami Conservancy District’s regional flood protection system to work for more than 10 days, with four dams collectively storing approximately 5.8 billion gallons of water at peak storage — the largest volume recorded during a high-water event this year.
Over a 30-day period, the Great Miami River Watershed received 10 to 15 inches of rain, with most falling between August 11 and 20. The first round of heavy rain caused Germantown, Englewood, Lockington and Taylorsville dams to begin storing floodwater on August 12 as river levels rose throughout the region.
After a brief break in the rain, another storm moved through the watershed overnight August 19–20, dropping up to an additional 5 inches in some locations. All four dams again stored floodwater, and MCD staff monitored river conditions and operated floodgates and other flood protection infrastructure in communities throughout the region.
“This was an extraordinary amount of water for August, and it is a powerful reminder of the value of regional flood protection,” said MaryLynn Lodor, MCD General Manager. “Heavy rain doesn’t stop at a city or county line, and neither does the Great Miami River. For more than a century, our communities have worked together to maintain a system that manages floodwater across the watershed and helps protect people, homes, businesses and critical infrastructure throughout the Miami Valley.”
The event produced several notable conditions. Sevenmile Creek at Camden reached its highest peak since MCD began tracking the data, while several other stream gages recorded their highest levels of 2026. MCD hydrology technicians collected high-water measurements that will help refine discharge calculations and support future flood forecasting.
The August event was the 11th high-water event of 2026 and was particularly unusual because of its timing. MCD’s most recent August high-water event occurred in 1998, nearly 30 years ago.
MCD’s flood protection system was built following the devastating Great Flood of 1913 as a regional solution to a regional problem. Today, its dams, levees, floodwalls, channels and floodgates work together to reduce river flood risk for communities along the Great Miami River and its tributaries.
By August 22, all four dams had exited storage as river levels receded, and all floodgates reopened on the morning of August 24.
The work doesn’t end when the water goes down. After a high-water event, MCD crews inspect flood protection infrastructure, clear accumulated drift and large logs, remove mud and debris, assess damage to trails and riverfront areas, and make repairs. That cleanup and inspection can take days or weeks and is an important part of maintaining a flood protection system that is ready for the next high-water event.
About the Miami Conservancy District
The Miami Conservancy District (MCD) is a regional government agency that provides flood protection, preserves water resources and promotes the enjoyment of the Great Miami River and its tributaries. Created in response to the Great Flood of 1913, MCD operates and maintains a regional flood protection system of dams, levees, floodwalls, channels and floodgates that has protected communities in the Miami Valley for more than a century.
