As used in sections 6105.01 to 6105.21, inclusive, of the Revised Code:

(A) "Water resources" means all waters within a watershed district occurring on the surface in natural or artificial channels, lakes, reservoirs, or impoundments, and in subsurface aquifers, which are available or may be made available to agricultural, industrial, commercial, recreational, public, and domestic users.

(B) "Governmental agencies" means departments, divisions, or other units of the state or federal government, political subdivisions, watershed districts, soil conservation districts, conservancy districts, sanitary districts, special water districts, and county and regional sewer and water districts.

(C) "Beneficial use" means a use or control of water, including the method of diversion, storage, distribution, or control, that is reasonable and consistent with the public interest and the proper utilization of water resources for agricultural, industrial, commercial, recreational, public, and domestic uses, or the abatement of floods.

(D) "Person" means any person, firm, partnership, association, or corporation.

(E) "Channel" means the area between definite banks of a natural or artificial watercourse which confine and conduct continuously or periodically flowing water.

(F) "Restricted channel" means the reach in the channel of a watercourse which has been designated as a restricted channel under section 6105.131 of the Revised Code.

(G) "Floodway" means that area outside of the banks of the channel of a watercourse reasonably necessary to the efficiency of a channel, river, stream, or watercourse as a means of carrying off flood waters.

(H) "Duly authorized representative" of the board of county commissioners means a county commissioner or county administrator authorized by the board of county commissioners to attend and vote at meetings for the appointment of members of the watershed district board of directors and adoption of the watershed district budget.

(I) "Watershed county" means each county containing territory within the territorial boundaries of the watershed district.

Effective Date: 12-14-1967 .