252 
The Ohio Naturalist. 
[Vol. XIV, No. 4, 
FLOOD EROSION ALONG PAINT CREEK, FAYETTE 
COUNTY, OHIO. 
Charles W. Napper. 
A little more than two miles above Greenfield, Ohio, a crossroad 
connects the Washington C. H. and Good Hope Pikes that have 
run parallel for that same distance on the eastern and western sides 
of Paint Creek. This cross road traverses the creek by what is 
known in this locality as the First Iron Bridge. 
At this place Paint Creek is a rather deep stream flowing in a 
well-defined bed with a distinct flood plain on either side. The 
soil of this plain is thin, and in many instances the underlying rock, 
the Greenfield dolomite, comes to the surface and projects into 
the creek. 
Fig. 1. General view of cut from the southern end. 
For a short distance above the Iron Bridge, Paint Creek runs 
due north and south. Below the bridge a rocky ledge causes it to 
swing to the eastward. As is usual in stream life, when bends are 
made, the stream will endeavor to straighten its channel under 
certain favorable conditions. In the instance we are describing 
these favorable conditions came with the high waters that pre¬ 
vailed over southern Ohio in the latter part of March, 1913. 
At this time Paint Creek rapidly rose to its highest stage and 
completely filled and covered its entire flood plain. The cut made 
by the stream where it broke out of its accustomed channel has 
a mean measurement of 350 feet long, 47 feet wide, and 6 feet deep. 
