The Miami Conservancy District is conducting a comprehensive Benefit Assessment Study to modernize how benefits and assessments are determined to fund the critical flood protection system that has kept our region safe for more than a century. The goal is to ensure that the flood protection system is funded in a way that’s fair, transparent, and equitable for years to come.
Flood protection is something we all depend on—and this study will help ensure we’re ready for the next 100 years.
Assisted by expert consultants at Stantec, a nationally recognized firm specializing in assessments and best practices for conservancy districts, the study is focused on:
Data has been analyzed across all nine counties in the MCD service area and multiple alternatives were developed for how benefits could be appraised (Learn more about the Appraisal of Benefits). Alternatives included the existing service area and an updated service area based on the flood protection system's design, capacity, and hydraulic and hydrologic modeling. The study benchmarked other flood agencies, and is also considering things like flood risk, property location, and how communities across Southwest Ohio benefit from the system.
The study is informed by public opinion research and insights provided by an Advisory Committee. The committee includes leaders from cities, counties, hospitals, utilities, and businesses. Key themes from the committee’s discussions include:
A call for shared responsibility across the region
Transparency in any future changes
A regional investment strategy to protect vital infrastructure for the next 100 years
Assessment Rates Increased in 2025
This year, there are two assessments on your property tax bill – one for maintenance and one for capital improvement. To address the needs of the flood protection system and rising costs of maintenance while the study is underway, in June 2024, the Conservancy Court voted 6-1 to increase the maintenance rate to 3.35%. The previous rate was 2.19%. Rates can be adjusted annually by the Board of Directors and are subject to approval by the Conservancy Court.
In addition, the Conservancy Court approved a capital spending authority in February 2024. The revenue from the capital assessment will be used to rehabilitate aging infrastructure. This replaces the Dam Safety Initiative Assessment, which paid for capital improvements from 1999-2022. The rate used to calculate the capital assessment is 1.0%.
This is an increase to your total assessment of approximately 97% (maintenance and capital combined) in comparison to the annual amount you paid since 2012. The collection of assessments is performed by the county Auditor.
To see the amount of your total flood protection assessment*, please visit your county Auditor’s website.
Our assessments are sometimes identified by name (such as, 'Miami Conservancy District'), a special code number, or simply listed as 'Special Assessment'. For further clarification on which line item is our assessment on your tax bill, you should contact your county auditor:
*If your property is in the nine-county area that participates in the Aquifer Preservation Subdistrict of the Miami Conservancy District, you may also pay an assessment to support stewardship of the region's water resources. This is separate from the flood protection assessments.
