Covering more than 8,000 square miles—or 20% of the state’s land—and all or portions of 27 counties, the Muskingum River Watershed is the largest drainage system in Ohio. Its 16 dams and reservoirs provide flood reduction and water conservation benefits for property owners, residents, and visitors in the region.

Three major subwatershed regions come together to form the Muskingum Watershed—the Tuscarawas River Watershed in the northeast, the Walhonding River Watershed in the northwest, and the Lower Muskingum Watershed in the south. The Tuscarawas and Walhonding Rivers flow in a southern direction, intersecting at Coshocton, forming the Muskingum River. The Muskingum River eventually empties into the Ohio River at Marietta in Washington County.