Big Darby Creek

The Big Darby Creek is a river located in northwestern central Ohio, and an important tributary to the Lower Scioto River. The river's major tributary is the Little Darby Creek.

The river runs 84 mi from its source near the Champaign-Union county line, south-east through Union and Madison Counties. In Franklin County, the river runs through the 6856-acre Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park, where it meets with the Little Darby Creek. Directly downstream from the park, the river empties into the Scioto River in Pickaway County at 39.61381°N, -82.96311°W.

The Big Darby Creek is one of the most biologically diverse aquatic systems in the Midwest. It is the site of the only known population of the Scioto madtom, a fish which is now thought to be extinct.

History
When The Columbus Dispatch published an article in 1967 revealing the City of Columbus' plans to purchase over four thousand acres (16 km²) along the creek to build a reservoir, a political and legal battle ensued between the municipality and several environmental groups working with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. From 1974 to 1984, both sides exchanged victories and the legal battle continued into the Ohio Supreme Court, who ended the battle by ruling that 'scenic river designation' was constitutional. On June 22, 1984, the Upper and Lower Darby Creeks were designated a state scenic river, and then a national scenic river on October 3, 1994.

In 2008, the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium announced plans to build a new exhibit focusing on the Big Darby Creek, and its more than 38 rare species of fish and mussels, and in December, 2009, the City of Columbus, Franklin County Metro Parks, the Ohio Nature Conservancy and other companies announced that they will be spending more than $6 million on seven projects designed to restore sections of Big Darby Creek and its tributaries.