Why do we call Clover Groff and Hamilton "ditches"?

The answer is actually quite simple.  Even though Clover Groff Ditch and Hamilton Ditch are the primary tributaries for Hellbranch Run, the term "ditch" makes it seem like they are "unnatural" waterways.  Webster's defines a "ditch" as a "long narrow excavation dug in the earth."  It is from the Webster's definition we learn about why Clover Groff and Hamilton are referred to as "ditches."

When farmers began to farm the areas south and west of Hilliard, they noticed that the area had very poor drainage.  The reason for the poor drainage is the fact that the land is very flat.  So flat that when it rained, the water remained in the fields in puddles and failed to drain.  Some of the water did drain into Clover Groff and Hamilton.  But because of the miniscule sloping of these waterways, they covered a very large area including valuable farming area.

The farmers' solution to the problem was to dig ditches for Clover Groff and Hamilton.  The deeper and narrower water courses created for Clover Groff and Hamilton created an artificial sloping and low area for the water to drain.  This allowed farmers to farm the land close to Clover Groff and Hamilton and reduce the chances of flooding.  The downside to this solution is that it increased the amount of water that would drain from this area.  So even before any commercial development occurred in the area, Hellbranch Run was receiving a higher amount of runoff water because of the ditches.  Additionally, the ditches destroyed any natural habitats for Clover Groff and Hamilton.

Is it plausible to return Clover Groff and Hamilton to their "pre-ditch" forms?  Probably not.  The ability of the ditches to carry more water from the southwestern Hilliard area has allowed the area to develop.  To fill in the ditches would cause flooding to the Hilliard area.

So should citizens be involved in "saving the ditches?"  The answer of course is yes.  Even though the ditches are unnatural, they are the primary tributaries for Hellbranch Run, which is a large tributary to Big Darby Creek, a nationally protected waterway.  The key to working with the "ditches" is to think of them as natural streams because the watershed is natural.  Clover Groff and Hamilton can still provide natural settings for greenways and they should be protected.  So even though a "ditch" seems manmade and hence, man can do with it whatever he or she wants, we should treat Clover Groff Ditch and Hamilton Ditch as waterways worthy of our protection.

- Paul Tonks