The Sand Beach Conservancy District provides conservation and flood control to Sand Beach on the Southern shore of Lake Erie in Northwest Ohio in Ottawa County.
Conservancy districts are political subdivisions of the State of Ohio, provided for in the Ohio Revised Code (ORC) under Chapter 6101. They are formed at the initiative of local landowners or political subdivisions to solve water management problems, most frequently flooding. Each conservancy district operates under the jurisdiction of a conservancy court, consisting of one common pleas judge from each county that is within the district. Pursuant to implementing its court-approved work plan, a conservancy district has the right of eminent domain, and may charge user fees, levy special assessments, and issue bonds. In addition to controlling floods, other authorized purposes include: conserving and developing water supply, improving drainage, collecting and disposing of waste, providing for irrigation, and arresting erosion on the Lake Erie shoreline. Many conservancy districts also provide recreational opportunities in connection with their water management facilities.
Conservancy district authority was frequently used during the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s for administering local obligations under the USDA’s Small Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention program (P.L.85-566). When sponsoring projects under this authority, conservancy districts have worked with county soil and water conservation districts to promote watershed protection through accelerated land treatment measures. Several conservancy districts have served as local sponsors for US Army Corps of Engineers projects entailing reservoir construction, channel work, and Lake Erie shoreline protection.
On 12/12/1947, the Sand Beach Conservancy District organizational document was created. View
On 6/8/1992, an easement was transferred from the Sand Beach Association to the Sand Beach Conservancy District. View