The Geography of Dayton, Ohio

Dayton is a city located in southwest Ohio, situated at the confluence of the Great Miami, Stillwater, and Mad Rivers in the Miami Valley region. With a population of around 140,000, it is the sixth largest city in Ohio.

Dayton has a rich history and diverse geography, from its downtown urban center to its surrounding suburbs and natural areas.

Location and Regional Setting

Dayton is located in western Ohio’s Miami Valley region, approximately 55 miles northeast of Cincinnati and 65 miles west of Columbus. The city lies primarily in Montgomery County, with a small portion extending into Greene County.

Dayton sits at an elevation of 738 feet above sea level on relatively flat terrain along the banks of the Great Miami River. The river and its tributaries provided a natural route for settlement and development.

Nearby Cities and Towns

Some of the nearby cities and towns around Dayton include:

• Beavercreek (suburb, pop. 46,000)
• Kettering (suburb, pop. 55,000)
• Huber Heights (suburb, pop. 38,000)
• Trotwood (suburb, pop. 24,000)
• Riverside (suburb, pop. 25,000)
• Vandalia (suburb, pop. 15,000)
• Miamisburg (south, pop. 20,000)
• Xenia (east, pop. 26,000)
• Springfield (northeast, pop. 58,000)

Topography and Geology

Dayton sits on the Till Plains section of the Central Lowland physiographic province. The topography is generally flat, with some gentle rolling hills. Elevations range from 650 feet along river valleys to 1,000 feet on hilltops.

Underlying bedrock consists primarily of Ordovician limestone, shale, and sandstone. Glacial activity during the Pleistocene epoch deposited clay, sand, and gravel over the bedrock surface. Modern soils include deep loess and clayey glacial tills.

The Great Miami River and its tributaries have carved broad flat valleys with floodplains and terraces. Uplands consist of level to gently rolling terrain.

Climate

Dayton has a humid continental climate, characterized by warm summers and cold winters.

• Summer highs average in the mid-80s F, with frequent hot and humid days over 90 F.
• Winters are cold, with average highs in the mid-30s F and lows in the low 20s.
• Rainfall is evenly distributed throughout the year, averaging 40 inches annually.
• Snowfall averages 20-25 inches per year.

Severe thunderstorms are common in spring and summer. Tornadoes occasionally occur. Due to its inland location and latitude, Dayton does not get impacted directly by hurricanes but can see remnants of tropical systems.

Hydrology

The defining hydrological feature of Dayton is the Great Miami River and its tributaries:

• The Great Miami River flows through downtown Dayton in a south-southwest direction. Its watershed drains over 5,000 square miles.
• The Mad River flows through northern Dayton, joining the Great Miami downtown.
• The Stillwater River joins the Great Miami just west of downtown.
• Wolf Creek is another significant stream.
• There are also several small creeks throughout the area.

Historically prone to flooding, Dayton has put in place preventative measures like flood walls and levees along the Great Miami and Mad Rivers.

Several aquifers provide groundwater resources, mainly within sand and gravel deposits left by ancient glacial activity.

Natural Areas and Ecoregions

Dayton lies within the Eastern Corn Belt Plains ecoregion, an area of flat to gently rolling terrain that was largely prairie and oak savanna prior to conversion to agriculture.

Some significant natural areas near Dayton include:

• Huffman Prairie, an open meadow that was the testing site for the Wright Brothers.
• Germantown MetroPark, with prairies, woods, and river habitat.
• Taylorsville MetroPark, with wetlands, prairies, and fossil beds.
• Englewood MetroPark, protecting floodplain habitat along the Stillwater River.
• Eastwood MetroPark, with diverse forests and grasslands.

These parks and natural areas provide pockets of wildlife habitat within Dayton’s urban matrix. Common species include white-tailed deer, red foxes, squirrels, raccoons, opossums, rabbits, coyotes, geese, and a variety of songbirds.

Environmental Issues

Some of the environmental issues facing Dayton include:

• Air pollution – Vehicle emissions are a major source. Dayton lies within the Cincinnati-Dayton airshed with a history of ozone problems.
• Urban flooding – Impermeable surfaces and stormwater runoff lead to flash flooding risks.
• Combined sewer overflows – Old infrastructure causes sewage overflow into rivers during heavy rains. Upgrades are underway.
• Superfund sites – Past industrial contamination has led to several EPA superfund sites needing cleanup.
• Urban heat island effect – The built up urban area exacerbates heat waves.

Sustainability efforts to improve Dayton’s environmental performance are ongoing in areas like stormwater management, urban forestry, pollution prevention, and brownfield redevelopment.

Land Use Patterns and Urban Geography

As a mid-sized Midwestern city, Dayton has a typical urban layout with a downtown center surrounded by residential neighborhoods and suburbs. Some key aspects include:

• Downtown – The central business district lies near the confluence of the Great Miami, Mad, and Stillwater Rivers. It has corporate offices, government centers, cultural sites, and higher education institutions.
• Inner Ring Suburbs – Early 20th century streetcar suburbs like Oakwood, Kettering, and Beavercreek ring the urban core with homes, shops, and light industry.
• Post-WWII Suburbs – Later suburbs like Centerville, Huber Heights, and Xenia have auto-oriented commercial development along major roads.
• Residential – Neighborhoods like Five Oaks, Cornell Heights, Southern Dayton View, and Walnut Hills have urban housing of varying age and density.
• Industrial – Manufacturing facilities are located near highways, railroads, and riverside land, like GM’s Moraine plant.
• Parks & Open Space – Land along rivers provides parks and recreation, like Island MetroPark and Eastwood MetroPark.
• Wright-Patterson AFB – This major air force base occupies over 8,000 acres northeast of Dayton’s city limits.
• Highways – Interstates 75, 70, and 675 provide regional access. Route 4 is an important east-west artery.

Looking to the Future

As Dayton looks to the future, some priorities include:

• Revitalizing and diversifying its economy by attracting new industries like information technology and healthcare.
• Focusing on downtown redevelopment through new housing, businesses, and transportation options.
• Improving education and workforce readiness.
• Addressing public health and environmental justice challenges in underserved neighborhoods.
• Expanding partnerships between businesses, government, non-profits, and anchor institutions like universities.

The city’s rich history, educational and medical institutions, affordable cost of living, and central location give Dayton strong bones to build upon. Harnessing these assets through inclusive community partnerships can lead to a bright future for the Gem City.