# Alum Spillway Question



## Troy Dave (Jan 26, 2007)

I would like to drive over and try fishing below the dam one of these days but since I have never fished it I have no idea how the flow rate relates to the water level. What do you consider a minimum rate and how many cubic ft/sec does it take to bring the water up to the sidewalk. I like Deer Creek at 150 to 300cfs but don't know if the channel at Alum is close to the same width or not. Thanks


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

You definitely want some good flow going, at least 300 cfs or so. I think it takes close to 1500 to get the water level up to the sidewalk.


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## ski (May 13, 2004)

I'm not sure what a great flow is related to cfs, but if you check out the discharge gauge and it goes from a flat line less than 100 to a rapid rise, that is the time to go. 

ski


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

The think I like about alum spillway is you can get into them at any flow. But it can be great when it's right below the sidewalk. An be prepared for muskie


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## Troy Dave (Jan 26, 2007)

Saugeyefisher said:


> An be prepared for muskie


That's kind of what I'm after. Still have plenty of eyes in the freezer, although still fun to catch.


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## Snyd (May 5, 2004)

A few weeks ago a friend of mine and his son was fishing below the dam. Not much was happening until his son hooked into something big. He finally got the fish in and caught a monster carp. You should have seen the face of his 12 year old son. I don’t think he will ever forget the day fishing with his dad in the cold and catching a big fish even if it was a carp.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Troy Dave said:


> That's kind of what I'm after. Still have plenty of eyes in the freezer, although still fun to catch.


Your looking in the right place then. Red eyes an steady swimmed sticks seem to be the ticket....


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## eyes1501 (Feb 26, 2013)

Has anyone seen the flow in the last day or 2. Looking online and can’t find much...


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## Troy Dave (Jan 26, 2007)

eyes1501 said:


> Has anyone seen the flow in the last day or 2. Looking online and can’t find much...


When I checked the COE website earlier today, Alum was shut down to under 20cfs


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

I will drive bye ot tomarrow morning an check it out if I can. 
But this run off + some rain it wont be long till they open it again


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## Muddy (May 7, 2017)

They were working below the dam Friday. They were building a stone pad out into the water just north of the bridge. I don’t know what the heck is going on. The stone pad was built almost half way across the channel. I doubt that they will increase the flow until they are done working in the water.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

handicapped pier maybe?


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## Workingman (Jan 21, 2016)

Looks like they are gonna lay a pipe across there below the river bed.


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## ski (May 13, 2004)

With all the rain we are supposed to get Wednesday and Thursday I’m betting they open it up.


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## Morrowtucky Mike (May 2, 2018)

As of 6 am this morning


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## RiparianRanger (Nov 18, 2015)

ski said:


> With all the rain we are supposed to get Wednesday and Thursday I’m betting they open it up.


Looks like you’re right. Still almost six feet below the spillway crest. Better to bleed off a controlled amount rather than let it fill up and go over the crest and blow out downstream like they do at Hoover. At a loss for why Hoover is not managed in similar flood control fashion as neighboring Alum


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## Muddy (May 7, 2017)

RiparianRanger said:


> Looks like you’re right. Still almost six feet below the spillway crest. Better to bleed off a controlled amount rather than let it fill up and go over the crest and blow out downstream like they do at Hoover. At a loss for why Hoover is not managed in similar flood control fashion as neighboring Alum


Hoover is managed by the City of Columbus for drinking water supply. Alum is managed by ACOE as a flood control reservoir. Two different strategies.


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## RiparianRanger (Nov 18, 2015)

Muddy said:


> Hoover is managed by the City of Columbus for drinking water supply. Alum is managed by ACOE as a flood control reservoir. Two different strategies.


 correct but how difficult would it be to manage discharge for Hoover pool elevation two feet below crest? Blunt the impact of rain. As pool elevation rises open the gate in advance of flood stage so that it’s not all coming over the top of the spillway at once. Seems to be exactly what the army corps does at Alum, target a pool level


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## Shad Rap (Nov 10, 2010)

They always let Hoover fill to the rim...they keep it as high as possible...because they dont wanna run low I guess...I heard they can pump water from Alum to Hoover too is that true?


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## Muddy (May 7, 2017)

Shad Rap said:


> They always let Hoover fill to the rim...they keep it as high as possible...because they dont wanna run low I guess...I heard they can pump water from Alum to Hoover too is that true?


Yes, that is correct.


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## ski (May 13, 2004)




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