Loramie Creek facts for kids

Loramie Creek is a stream in western Ohio, United States. It is about 40 miles (64 km) long. This creek is a tributary, which means it flows into a larger river. Loramie Creek joins the Great Miami River.

The water from Loramie Creek eventually travels a long way. It flows from the Great Miami River into the Ohio River. From there, it reaches the mighty Mississippi River. The land that drains water into Loramie Creek is called its watershed. This watershed covers an area of about 265 square miles (686 square kilometers).

The creek is named after Louis Lorimier. He was a French-Canadian fur trader. He had a trading post in the area way back in the 1700s. People sometimes called the creek by other names in the past, like "Laramie Creek" or "Loramie Ditch."

Where Loramie Creek Starts and Flows

Loramie Creek begins in the northern part of Shelby County, Ohio. At first, it flows towards the southwest. Along its path, the creek meets a dam. This dam creates a beautiful lake called Lake Loramie. There is also a state park located right next to the lake.

Near the town of Fort Loramie, Ohio, the creek changes direction. It starts flowing towards the southeast. It then passes by another important structure called Lockington Dam. This is a special type of dam known as a "dry dam." It helps control floods. The creek also flows past the small community of Lockington, Ohio.

Finally, Loramie Creek flows into the Great Miami River. This happens in the northern part of Miami County, Ohio. The meeting point is about one mile (1.6 km) north of the city of Piqua, Ohio.

How Much Water is in Loramie Creek?

Scientists use special tools to measure how much water flows in rivers and creeks. A USGS stream gauge is one such tool. There is a gauge on Loramie Creek at Lockington.

This gauge has been recording water levels for many years. From 1921 to 2019, the creek's average flow was about 229 cubic feet per second (6.5 cubic meters per second). That's like saying 229 boxes, each one foot on every side, of water flow by every second!

The most water ever recorded flowing in one day was on July 10, 2003. On that day, about 6,570 cubic feet per second (186 cubic meters per second) flowed by. The least amount of water recorded was on September 26, 2002. On that day, only about 0.4 cubic feet per second (0.01 cubic meters per second) flowed. This shows how much the water level can change!