REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio — The Ohio Department of Agriculture announced $5 million available in grants for a statewide conservation ditch program, through Gov. Mike DeWine’s H2Ohio initiative. Ohio county engineers and soil and water conservation districts are eligible to apply for funding to construct two-stage and self-forming ditches.
ODA’s Conservation Ditch program is an expansion of last year’s Two-Stage Ditch program that reserved $4 million for 11 ditch projects in northwest Ohio. More than 16,500 acres of watershed will benefit from the 8 miles of conservation ditch projects, which will be completed by the end of 2024. Projects approved in this year’s sign-up will have until the end of 2025 to be completed.
Conservation ditches provide environmental benefits and improve water quality by slowing water flow, processing nutrients and removing sediment. Applications must be submitted by Oct. 31, via email to Justin.McBride@agri.ohio.gov. For more information on the H2Ohio initiative, visit h2.ohio.gov.
