# Oshaughnessy Spillway to close, Reservoir to be lowered, until 2020



## acklac7

https://www.columbus.gov/Templates/Detail.aspx?id=2147506143

Pretty much devastating news here for people that fish the River. As stated the Spillway is undergoing repairs, and will be closed to the public until 2020. To make matters worse they will be releasing (turbid) water from the bottom of the Reservoir during this time period, which means the river to the south will likely have a continuous heavy stain, even during low flow. 

Reservoir is also to be dropped 3.5ft, which will screw up fishing above the dam too.


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## Saugeyefisher

Seen the sign saterday,pretty lame eh
Lol i be used to it though. When life hands you lemons....

Was kind of a blessing is disguise when it happened out east. Opened me up an forced me to learn knew things,that river being one of them lol . An has 100%made me a way better fisherman.
The fish down stream and above the dam will get used to the conditions.and will bite good again. Might have to re-pattern them above dam but thats part of the fun,lol kinda. Me an my i kaya have really learned the lake the last 2 years.


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## percidaeben

Man this sucks!!!! Have to get Dad back out there a couple more times. He grew up swimming and fishing the area between 270 and old Dublin bridge. With him starting in the 50’s and me and my buddies hitting the areas he showed, there’s 70yrs of fishin thst area. I know changes happen but that area has been hit hard the last few years


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## Brahmabull71

Total bummer! Hopefully it won’t effect anything LONG term.

One of my favorite places to fish in Ohio. Not as much of a secret anymore, but still less busy than other central Ohio lakes/reservoirs.

Thanks for posting A.J.!


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## Govbarney

If any of those construction workers find any rapala's, they are probably mine.


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## FOSR

I'm switching back to my FOSR login for this. 

I sent an email to the property manager of the parks, asking about this. I need the proper contact in the Division of Water, they already know me. I hope to sweet-talk my way into the dam (I've done that at Delaware).

If I can pull that off, they probably won't allow pictures, but maybe I can get a more detailed explanation of what they're doing, and the workings of the dam in general.

Some say that in crisis, there is opportunity. I've seen Oshay when the water is low; the east side is long and shallow and littered with, um, litter. Lots of beverage containers. Broken bottles and cans full of grit. I learned not to wade there barefoot.










So how about having an OGF litter cleanup, while the banks are exposed? Looks like we'll have a lot of time.

Now I'll get all technical with geology. Here's a pic from November 2014 when the water was low and the flats were exposed. You can see several different water levels, shown by bands of gravel that have been scrubbed by waves.










That's macroinvertebrate structure! When it isn't out in the air like that. I suppose when the lake is at normal level, this would be about 24 inches underwater and the fish would be prowling it.


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## acklac7

Yeah FOSR, if you could contact them and get some solid details that would be great. I remember them doing something like this at Griggs (possibly Oshaughnessy too??) back in the mid 90’s. They basically resurfaced the entire face of the Dam (Griggs), installed new bypass pipes, and ran a giant sewer line underneath the river. They kept the spillway open to the public the entire time, although thinking back it wasn’t the best idea because it was a (heavy) construction zone in every sense of the word.

I’m just wondering now if they’re going to re-work the main pool of the spillway at all. Like widen it, or remove some of the structure and open it up into a giant pool like Griggs? Whatever they’re doing it sounds intense, as the massive construction at Griggs in the 90’s only took one summer (as I recall).


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## Dalieb8

acklac7 said:


> https://www.columbus.gov/Templates/Detail.aspx?id=2147506143
> 
> Pretty much devastating news here for people that fish the River. As stated the Spillway is undergoing repairs, and will be closed to the public until 2020. To make matters worse they will be releasing (turbid) water from the bottom of the Reservoir during this time period, which means the river to the south will likely have a continuous heavy stain, even during low flow.
> 
> Reservoir is also to be dropped 3.5ft, which will screw up fishing above the dam too.


Thanks for the info...had recently printed up the ODNR map of O'Shaughnessy looking to fish there for the first time since I was a teen many years ago. Had planned to try to go this past Sunday but had other pressing obligations. Guess it will be a while before I get to use that map now...


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## FOSR

I got this reply in an email:

-----
The project taking place at O’Shaughnessy Dam will involve repairs and maintenance to the external dam structure. They will be replacing the flashboards at the top of the dam, and completing routine repairs to the downstream concrete dam structure and spillway. The roadway across the dam should be passable most of the time and there is a sidewalk to allow for some observation. Areas A and B, our normally accessible areas for the public, will be off-limits as these will be construction sites/staging areas. We will not be doing any repairs to or accessing the hydroplant at this time, and do not provide public tours of our dams’ internal structures due to security.


I’m glad to know that the game fishing website has picked up the news release to help get the word out.


Thank you


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## FOSR

That sewer line through Griggs - 

For anyone who doesn't know, back in the day the Dublin sewer system wasn't keeping up with the city growth, and in high water conditions the station would overflow and there would be identifiable objects of raw sewage floating down the river.

Then they ran a 48-inch line, including through Griggs. That was a big factor when I fought to have the boathouse built on the east side instead of in Duranceaux, but I lost. They were afraid to dig near the pipe.


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## bobcatbasser

I don’t intend to hijack the thread, so admins please delete or move if needed, but has anyone tried fishing downstream of the repair site? The USgs gage data for scioto in Columbus look about normal today after a huge discharge and gage height increase on Monday. I just wondered if anyone has seen with their eyes how turbid or clear the water is.


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## Brahmabull71

Be careful if you launch!


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## acklac7

FOSR said:


> I got this reply in an email:
> 
> -----
> The project taking place at O’Shaughnessy Dam will involve repairs and maintenance to the external dam structure. They will be replacing the flashboards at the top of the dam, and completing routine repairs to the downstream concrete dam structure and spillway. The roadway across the dam should be passable most of the time and there is a sidewalk to allow for some observation. Areas A and B, our normally accessible areas for the public, will be off-limits as these will be construction sites/staging areas. We will not be doing any repairs to or accessing the hydroplant at this time, and do not provide public tours of our dams’ internal structures due to security.
> 
> 
> I’m glad to know that the game fishing website has picked up the news release to help get the word out.
> 
> 
> Thank you



Thanks FOSR, doesn’t sound like a year + worth of work, but we’ll see.


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## acklac7

bobcatbasser said:


> I don’t intend to hijack the thread, so admins please delete or move if needed, but has anyone tried fishing downstream of the repair site? The USgs gage data for scioto in Columbus look about normal today after a huge discharge and gage height increase on Monday. I just wondered if anyone has seen with their eyes how turbid or clear the water is.


South of Griggs has cleared up substantially, not sure about south of Oshaughnessy. Saugeye are hitting pretty good.


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## mikeiss

Say it ain’t so. Where am I going to lose $150 I’m jerk baits this winter and spring?


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## FOSR

There was an accident at the dam a few years ago. The ice was breaking up on the lake and a big chunk of it got sucked down to block the intake at the west end of the dam. That structure drained out; eventually the ice gave way, there was a huge rush of water and the rush of displaced air burst open the "house" at the west end. That blew debris across the road and they had to rebuild the structure.

OK while I'm at it I can't resist. Oshay: the best banned dam in the land.


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## mikeiss

Last time they dropped oshay down I went for a walk and found a 
7”x3” 6 sided quartz crystal deal. I am still waiting for my secret powers.


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## Marshall

Years ago they had oshay really low. I think lower than 4 feet. Please use caution when launching boats. The ramp ends and drops off. I wish i could remember how low they had it when i saw a boat trailer drop off but i just cant remember.


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## FOSR

mikeiss said:


> Last time they dropped oshay down I went for a walk and found a
> 7”x3” 6 sided quartz crystal deal. I am still waiting for my secret powers.


When I saw all the litter, I thought this was stuff that people thought would just disappear under the water. Take away the water, and there's the litter.

I'm prodding you guys. If the water is low and we can find trash and the city will pick it up, we could pull off at least one cleanup.

... of course, someone will have to hold a beverage can really close to the camera, to make it look like a half gallon.


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## PapaMike

I was in areas north of Seldom Seen road yesterday. So much new debris scattered along the bank, rocks, trees, etc. Shameful behavior by fishermen.
I'm going back there tomorrow with my grandson to harvest some trash deposited by inconsiderate humans.


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## turnbull07

Thanks for posting this. I made sure to get out to the dam one more time before it closes.

This summer I gained interest in catfish and just started fishing at the dam. It’s been a challenging spot. All my bites only seem to come 30 minutes before or after sunrise. I only fish the east side of the dam to get away from all the bucket boys and to take a path less traveled.

It’s weird without water flowing like normal. Kind of apocalyptic. No water coming over the spillway but there was a strong current produced on the east (some piping routed from the reservoir?). I tried casting into the current but it was snag city. I got one bite from the spillway wall but I snagged on a rock while I was reeling in. I got off the rock but by that time the fish was gone. The rip rap on the east peninsula was moved significantly. I wonder if this was from construction equipment or from the concentrated current at the east end?

I added some before and after pictures taken from the same location. July 2018 vs this morning. I always have a fun time here even if I get skunked. The sound of rushing water is therapeutic. So many people drive past here and have no clue what beauty lies beneath.

I am absolutely interested in a liter clean up event. I try to fill a Kroger bag of trash anytime I visit there. A lot of the trash I pick up is chicken liver containers and beer cans left by other anglers. It’s embarrassing.

Can’t wait for the dam to reopen, I’ve learned a lot about catfish from this spot. but like another post said, this will be an opportunity to explore new waters. I think I will move to Griggs next. Never fished there.

Tight lines.


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## percidaeben

Your right turnbull! That channel between that channel that runs from the spillway till it opens out is gorgeous! Nice/and thanks for the photos.


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## scioto_alex

Yeah that east side is pretty, lots of channels and cascades. Some people have shot kayaks through there but I would think you'd be banging the boat on rocks. Last time I was there it was brushy and brambly and tough to get through.


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## Trucked

acklac7 said:


> https://www.columbus.gov/Templates/Detail.aspx?id=2147506143
> 
> Pretty much devastating news here for people that fish the River. As stated the Spillway is undergoing repairs, and will be closed to the public until 2020. To make matters worse they will be releasing (turbid) water from the bottom of the Reservoir during this time period, which means the river to the south will likely have a continuous heavy stain, even during low flow.
> 
> Reservoir is also to be dropped 3.5ft, which will screw up fishing above the dam too.


NOOOOO


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## PapaMike

turnbull07 said:


> I am absolutely interested in a liter clean up event. I try to fill a Kroger bag of trash anytime I visit there. A lot of the trash I pick up is chicken liver containers and beer cans left by other anglers. It’s embarrassing.


No need to wait for an organized clean up event. My grandson and I removed eleven 5 gallon buckets of trash from 5 areas between Seldom Seen Road and Home Road. 
The only two things we left behind: a TV and truck tire.

Warning to those who walk in to the river barefoot. We removed a full bucket of broken glass in one area. A six pack of unopened beer, and a boat fire extinguisher.


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## Bluesangler

bobcatbasser said:


> I don’t intend to hijack the thread, so admins please delete or move if needed, but has anyone tried fishing downstream of the repair site? The USgs gage data for scioto in Columbus look about normal today after a huge discharge and gage height increase on Monday. I just wondered if anyone has seen with their eyes how turbid or clear the water is.


Yeah. I have had some good days fishing above Griggs up to the outerbelt.
The river and the lake were pretty stained last Tuesday. Plus, it was up.
3lb largemouth from the lake recently 























Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk


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## ski

I'll contact the person I know who manages watershed and find out more about the situation.
ski


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## ski

Here is some more information I found out.

The Oshay dam parking area on the west side next to the Bogey Inn and the parking on the west side above the dam will be closed. 

They are replacing the wood boards at the top of the dam, the safety wire that runs across the top and also will be making repairs to the concrete face of the dam.

Currently, there are no plans to dredge or make any changes to the structure under the water level below the dam.

They are hoping the construction will be done by spring of 2020 so the changes will only affect one summer. 

ski


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## scioto_alex

Hey ski, who is your contact? I know several people in the Division of Water, representing the Friends of the Scioto River. PM me if you don't want to put the name out here.

As for the broken glass, yeah I waded barefoot exactly once and I learned not to do that. I got a big cut on my right foot and I made my girlfriend drive the car home.


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## ski

West parking lots were already closed yesterday when I drove by.

ski


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## scioto_alex

This is what that area used to look like, before they redesigned it. There used to be a huge amount of mud washing into the river. Those dirt piles are the fill from when they dug the rain basins at Griggs.

Camera car is a 1996 Outback.


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## Raker

The last time the river was dropped and restricted it was really good for the fish population. The days following the re-opening were phenomenal. Just my two cents.


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## scioto_alex

I've seen lt low in the upper reaches, when you can trace the wandering channel among the mudflats. You can scout for structure, too.


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## PapaMike

I saw some structure near Home Rd the other day. A truck tire; fire extinguisher, and a TV.


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## acklac7

Going to be interesting to see what they do with all this rain that is coming. Curious to see how much water they can release through the Dam, guess we're going to find out.


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## odell daniel

It always drives me nuts when a group of young people show up to fish, they bring Mcdonalds, 12 pack of pop, 3 worm containers, when they leave its all just laying there with a couple dirty diapers, these people may have fishing poles but I can't call them fishermen.


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## Saugeyefisher

odell daniel said:


> It always drives me nuts when a group of young people show up to fish, they bring Mcdonalds, 12 pack of pop, 3 worm containers, when they leave its all just laying there with a couple dirty diapers, these people may have fishing poles but I can't call them fishermen.


Older people do this to


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## Govbarney

odell daniel said:


> It always drives me nuts when a group of young people show up to fish, they bring Mcdonalds, 12 pack of pop, 3 worm containers, when they leave its all just laying there with a couple dirty diapers, these people may have fishing poles but I can't call them fishermen.


You think that's bad , check out below Griggs, its a disgrace , and I know it's fisherman because of all the lure pkgs I find. I was their last week fishing , filled up a garbage bag , come back two days later and it's a mess again. PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: There is a Trash can right above the spillway, it wont bite!


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## acklac7

ski said:


> Currently, there are no plans to dredge or make any changes to the structure under the water level below the dam.


So much for that....

Personally, I think the changes look awesome! Love how they widened out the riffle at the bottom of the pool. Praying they don't make any further changes, because right now it looks fishy. Hoping against hope they don't dredge out/remove the peninsula on the east side where the trees are and open the whole spillway up into one giant pool. Man that would suck.

Going to be all kinds of fun figuring out the new holes in the coming years, assuming they don't completely open it up into one giant pool.

(Before)









(After)


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## Truncilla

Nice photos. Not sure why they would make any changes to the riffle/pool sequence below the dam unless it was to protect existing infrastructure. Would be intersting to take a look at their 404 permit from the Army Corps to see what was authorized, and why. Hopfully they stay away from the east side....


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## acklac7

Truncilla said:


> Nice photos. Not sure why they would make any changes to the riffle/pool sequence below the dam unless it was to protect existing infrastructure. Would be intersting to take a look at their 404 permit from the Army Corps to see what was authorized, and why. Hopfully they stay away from the east side....


Interesting comment about the 404 permit, I'm assuming that's public record?

Per the link one of the goals was to improve the safety and operational efficiency of the Spillway. Widening that Riffle, and altering the bankline just north of it (east side) _definitely_ accomplished just that. As it stands now it really, _really _looks promising. I just hope they keep that strip of riprap in the middle, for structure #1, and access #2. If they remove that strip and dredge it out it's really going to impact the health of the Spillway, along with severely limit access.

Trying to get in contact with someone up top who's overseeing the project to plead my case. FOSR any advice?


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## FOSR

I've been trying various search term combinations but I haven't found it yet. 

I sent an inquiry to the Columbus parks property manager, let's see if that leads to anything.


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## FOSR

Her response: "Contact Public Utilities, Watershed Management Section."

Now I need to see if any of my contacts are still there.


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## Govbarney

And Public Utilities will tell you to contact the Columbus Parks Property director... This is how government works.


FOSR said:


> Her response: "Contact Public Utilities, Watershed Management Section."
> 
> Now I need to see if any of my contacts are still there.


Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk


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## scioto_alex

I'll try. Today I have too many irons in the fire.

For anyone who didn't know, I'm also here on the FOSR login.


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## acklac7

scioto_alex said:


> I'll try. Today I have too many irons in the fire.


Yeah, it's nothing "urgent" but i'd love to start some conversations sooner rather then later. Once they end the project, pull out all the heavy equipment, and re-open the site to the public it's over: We're going to be stuck with those changes for decades to come. It would be really awesome if they could incorporate some public/angler feedback into the final plan. Given Columbus's commitment to Riverine rehab i'd have to think this would be something they'd be more then willing to commit too.

Really appreciate your help, Alex. :thumbsup:


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## scioto_alex

It might be too late by now to make any major changes to the plan based on public input.

Does anyone remember when sometime in the 1990s they had a big project there? I think they were rebuilding those concrete lattices on the east side. I remember seeing trucks and heavy equipment down there, must have been a challenge to get that in and out.


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## acklac7

scioto_alex said:


> It might be too late by now to make any major changes to the plan based on public input.
> 
> Does anyone remember when sometime in the 1990s they had a big project there? I think they were rebuilding those concrete lattices on the east side. I remember seeing trucks and heavy equipment down there, must have been a challenge to get that in and out.


I think that was during the summer of '95 when they did major renovations to Griggs as well. Not only did they tear up the entire bankline area of Griggs, they tore up the stream bead beneath it to run new sewage pipes. They also resurfaced the entire face of the Dam and ran new bi-pass pipes/foundations on the eastside. That was back in my hay-day river-rat teen years: I remember it vividly, as I was down there damn-near the whole summer. For whatever reason they kept the spillway area open to the public throughout the project, despite the massive undertakings. I can still remember us climbing the scaffolding on the face of the Dam during a Sunday when all the construction workers were off, my how times have changed...

And im not talking major changes, but minor ones. Just little improvements here-and-there to benefit the fishery. Like maybe extend a few points into the water, create some shallow humps etc.


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## scioto_alex

Yeah I remember when Griggs had some small trees sprouting out of the face.


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## acklac7

Ran by Oshay today and talked with a few of the construction guys, one of which was super cool, the other (foreman) didn’t seem the slightest bit interested in answering my questions.

Here’s the scoop:

The main goal of the project is to prevent erosion below the Spillway, mainly the rock outcroppings on either side. They are going to drill giant columns down into the rock, and fill them with grout. They are then going to anchor giant boulders to those columns to help prevent the river from eroding the limestone (or something along those lines)

Evidently they are done with modifications to the pool, and have no further plans to open it up. Looks like they dredged out most of the point/shoreline on the east side and used the substrate to build the roadbed . Question is are they going to restore the substrate back to the point when finished? One guy I talked to said the plan was to restore everything below the Spillway to it’s original state, but he didn’t know for sure. He also said the project was only scheduled to take 4 months (if they could work 5 days a week straight), but they put a 1 year + time frame on it due to expected water level fluctuations. The Foreman didn’t confirm this, just stated rather definitively that the park would be closed until 2020.

Didn’t bother asking about substrate / habitat modifications, you could tell the foreman could care less about the public’s input or the river in general, unfortunately.

We’ll just have to cross our fingers and see how things go.

View attachment 288811


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## Govbarney

So can we just assume that everything south of Oshay to greenlawn on the Scioto will be chocolate milk until this project is finished?


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## acklac7

Govbarney said:


> So can we just assume that everything south of Oshay to greenlawn on the Scioto will be chocolate milk until this project is finished?


That all depends on whether they open up the bypass valve and start drawing water from the bottom of the Reservoir. Right now that valve is off. It also appears they have no need to draw the water down any further, as they have made modifications to the Dam to prevent water from flowing into the construction areas during lower flow. So there's a chance they may just continue to let it flow naturally over the Dam, although according to the Public Release that wasn't part of the original plan.

The foreman could probably answer all these questions, unfortunately he didn't seem the least bit interested in doing so. Perhaps the fact I was dressed like a yuppy Dublin'er had something to do with it? (I felt like it did)

I was told he usually sits in the trailer up top, so if anyone else would like to try and get more information out of him go for it.


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## Saugeyefisher

acklac7 said:


> That all depends on whether they open up the bypass valve and start drawing water from the bottom of the Reservoir. Right now that valve is off. It also appears they have no need to draw the water down any further, as they have made modifications to the Dam to prevent water from flowing into the construction areas during lower flow. So there's a chance they may just continue to let it flow naturally over the Dam, although according to the Public Release that wasn't part of the original plan.
> 
> The foreman could probably answer all these questions, unfortunately he didn't seem the least bit interested in doing so. Perhaps the fact I was dressed like a yuppy Dublin'er had something to do with it? (I felt like it did)
> 
> I was told he usually sits in the trailer up top, so if anyone else would like to try and get more information out of him go for it.


The guys working. That's probably why he didn't seem interested in answering questions. I'm sure hes been trolled a few times as well,considering the line of work hes in. I highly doubt it was due to your appearance. Just a man taking his job seriously.....


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## Trucked

Still haven't gotten out there the fish I miss the whole damn summer. No vehicle and I had my knee operated on with a total replacement so I really couldn't stand a whole lot. But I got to get out there. I got five rods rigged up for Saugeye. Depending on which ones I want to take, and I got 4 ultra lights and a super ultra light rigged up for Crappie with sliding bobbers. Too cold now to fish in the garage again. I got to go somewhere where I can bring a chair and sit down pain in the ass.



acklac7 said:


> https://www.columbus.gov/Templates/Detail.aspx?id=2147506143
> 
> Pretty much devastating news here for people that fish the River. As stated the Spillway is undergoing repairs, and will be closed to the public until 2020. To make matters worse they will be releasing (turbid) water from the bottom of the Reservoir during this time period, which means the river to the south will likely have a continuous heavy stain, even during low flow.
> 
> Reservoir is also to be dropped 3.5ft, which will screw up fishing above the dam too.


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## acklac7

Saugeyefisher said:


> The guys working. That's probably why he didn't seem interested in answering questions. I'm sure hes been trolled a few times as well,considering the line of work hes in. I highly doubt it was due to your appearance. Just a man taking his job seriously.....


I guess? I didn't seem to interrupt his work or anything, he was in the process of driving up top. The guy who's work I did interrupt was cool as can be? Go figure.


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## acklac7

trucked said:


> Still haven't gotten out there the fish I miss the whole damn summer. No vehicle and I had my knee operated on with a total replacement so I really couldn't stand a whole lot. But I got to get out there. I got five rods rigged up for Saugeye. Depending on which ones I want to take, and I got 4 ultra lights and a super ultra light rigged up for Crappie with sliding bobbers. Too cold now to fish in the garage again. I got to go somewhere where I can bring a chair and sit down pain in the ass.


Alum Creek Spillway would probably work? I'll get you out this Spring, I promise.


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## Saugeyefisher

acklac7 said:


> I guess? I didn't seem to interrupt his work or anything, he was in the process of driving up top. The guy who's work I did interrupt was cool as can be? Go figure.


Could of been late to a meeting,conference call,anything really. Hes there to do a job,not answer questions of the curious,anyways just a thought. Who knows... hope the fisings great down there again eventually


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## acklac7

Saugeyefisher said:


> Could of been late to a meeting,conference call,anything really. Hes there to do a job,not answer questions of the curious,anyways just a thought. Who knows... hope the fisings great down there again eventually


I'm usually pretty good at reading people, and I just felt he didn't want to answer any of my questions. I got the impression he didn't care, and was purposely withholding information (for whatever reason). Which was strange because the first guy I talked to was all about bringing me up to speed on the project. Just a weird contrast there. 

Either way I got the impression from the Foreman that he didn't give a damn about anything other then getting the project done. After talking with him (if you can call it that, he didn't say much) I'm not very hopeful.


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## Saugeyefisher

That could be the case to. After all,hes there to "get the job done". Not entertain some yuppy dubliner....


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## acklac7

Saugeyefisher said:


> That could be the case to. After all,hes there to "get the job done". Not entertain some yuppy dubliner....


I get it, I get it. I was just hoping he would have been more open like the first guy I talked too, man he was great. We chatted it up for a good 10 minutes.


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## Saugeyefisher

acklac7 said:


> I get it, I get it. I was just hoping he would have been more open like the first guy I talked too, man he was great. We chatted it up for a good 10 minutes.


 foreman prolly gonna fire his but now....


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## scioto_alex

I wonder if that stuff about shoring up the rock pertains to the east side. Those "stairs" are always littered with loose stones from the limestone bluff above.

Maybe it's similar to the problems at the Mohawk Dam, where water is seeping through the rock. I've seen little springs flowing out of that rock face on the north side. There's an effect called hydraulic plucking where water under pressure gets into fissures in the rock and forces it apart. That's how waves erode seawalls.

"Water will always find a way" and a well-designed dam is nevertheless placed in a setting which by nature is changing by erosion. Oshay was built in 1922 IIRC and ~100 years is a blink of the eye in geologic time.


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## hoffman24

I sure hope they bring that east shoreline and point back... that will really change things fishing wise down there. I hope they have the best intentions for us fishermen but also seems like a lot of unnecessary work from their point of view.. who knows.


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## acklac7

hoffman24 said:


> I sure hope they bring that east shoreline and point back... that will really change things fishing wise down there. I hope they have the best intentions for us fishermen but also seems like a lot of unnecessary work from their point of view.. who knows.


Keep in mind the water level in the pool is a good 3ft above normal right now, so there may be some of that point still left, but it sure doesn't look like it. If you look at the pic you can see the roadbed they used is still there, so there's hope they intend to use it to get back out and recreate the point.

If they don't restore that point, fishing (and access) is going to absolutely suck. I'm going to monitor the project, and when it gets close to completion i'm going to approach the foreman again to see if I can get a better idea what they're going to do.

FYI, it looks like they turned on the Bypass today.


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## acklac7

scioto_alex said:


> I wonder if that stuff about shoring up the rock pertains to the east side. Those "stairs" are always littered with loose stones from the limestone bluff above.


That's exactly what they're going to do, at least from what the one guy told me. They're going to anchor giant boulders to those steps to help prevent erosion.


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## BuckeyeCatDaddy

Too bad in the short run, but looks like it can be beneficial over the long term..


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## scioto_alex

Heh heh I wonder if anyone has made a case for ADA compliance. Not that I would want to ride a wheelchair down or up the hill on that access road.


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## Bluesangler

Dangit! 

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## hoffman24

curious... anyone passed over the Scioto lately? The levels are definitely fishable but wondering how "dirty" it is.


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## scioto_alex

This morning I was in a meeting along with someone from DPU and I asked about this but she had no answers.


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## acklac7

hoffman24 said:


> curious... anyone passed over the Scioto lately? The levels are definitely fishable but wondering how "dirty" it is.


I’m curious too, started a thread.



scioto_alex said:


> This morning I was in a meeting along with someone from DPU and I asked about this but she had no answers.


Thanks for mentioning it.


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## Govbarney

I go down to the Griggs or Scioto below Griggs dam almost daily and I can tell you that since at least early november their has not been one single day where the water hasn't been at zero visibility. Granted we have had some high water events , but still even after those events visibility generally gets a little better after a couple of days of lower water. Worried about the smallmouth populations in Griggs and the scioto below griggs.


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## scioto_alex

It would be interesting to pour a gallon of that through a paper coffee filter and see what you get.


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## Govbarney

scioto_alex said:


> It would be interesting to pour a gallon of that through a paper coffee filter and see what you get.


I can tell you this , I don't think I will be eating any Saugeye or Crappie I catch out of Griggs this summer.....


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## acklac7

Govbarney said:


> I go down to the Griggs or Scioto below Griggs dam almost daily and I can tell you that since at least early november their has not been one single day where the water hasn't been at zero visibility. Granted we have had some high water events , but still even after those events visibility generally gets a little better after a couple of days of lower water. Worried about the smallmouth populations in Griggs and the scioto below griggs.


I don't think the Scioto has gone below 500 since November. Finally she's come down, hoping she's starting to clear up.


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## Bluesangler

Drove by Greenlawn the other day. The river below the dam is only about a two foot drop.
Ugly, real ugly...

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## turnbull07

Went for a jog past the dam. It looks... different. Water is up several feet. The peninsula on the east side has been almost entirely stripped out. Laid down a bridge to connect both sides. Construction equipment all over the parking lot next to the bogey.

There were a couple people fishing there too! I could't tell if the pickups down there were theirs or the construction crew's? Mabey both?

Check out the pictures. Quite the transition from 6 months ago. I hope they bring back something similar to the eastern peninsula. I enjoyed making the trek out to the side and getting some distance from other anglers.


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## acklac7

Yeah, been meaning to post an update. Spillway has been torn apart and almost certainly dredged. It's almost impossible to snag up now (good for anglers, but bad for fish, that structure is what held them).

Hard to tell how the pool will end up looking since it is roughly 4ft above normal level due to the bridge.

I'd say 100% those are construction workers there fishing, it's nearly impossible to walk down there let alone drive. Can't imagine there's much life left there, i'm guessing there's almost no D.O. (dissolved oxygen) in that water.


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## Smallmouth Crazy

River to me has looked like chocolate milk for a while.


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## acklac7

Smallmouth Crazy said:


> River to me has looked like chocolate milk for a while.


It actually cleared up quite nicely. Griggs (Spillway) had 2.5 feet of visibility yesterday, just gorgeous. We'll see what all the water from up North does


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## ski

Oshay is a muddy mess right now. Visibility has to be nonexistent. The lake is back up a few feet and twin lakes is full again. Drove down the east side this morning and back up the west side and crossed Home Rd. Total mess.
I wonder if they are going to put the dock in at the ramp. Saw lots of guys with boats the last week but wondering how they got in the boat after parking. I haven't done it without a dock.
ski


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## acklac7

ski said:


> Oshay is a muddy mess right now. Visibility has to be nonexistent. The lake is back up a few feet and twin lakes is full again. Drove down the east side this morning and back up the west side and crossed Home Rd. Total mess.


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## Rayfaling

Went for a walk about mid lake the other day on the east side there was a ton of really big catfish carcasses on the shore. It looked like the water drop caught them and they got stuck.


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## Bluesangler

Boat ramp at Greenlawn.
















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## acklac7

Wowzers....


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## scioto_alex

Man, I know that place and I don't recognize it.


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## Truncilla

Thanks for sharing the photos Acklac, I grew up fishing east side of that dam and have to admit this is sad to see. Based on the photos looks like most of the structure on the east side has been destroyed and replaced with concrete/fill. Were the two limestone lined waterfalls taken out?


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## scioto_alex

Are those little cascades gone? They were sweet and looked surprisingly natural for dating back only to the 1920s.

One thing about building a "permanent" structure like that dam is, it's built on limestone which by nature will spall and crumble and erode around whatever you build. Sort of a giant, slow-motion sand castle.


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## acklac7

scioto_alex said:


> Are those little cascades gone? They were sweet and looked surprisingly natural for dating back only to the 1920s.
> 
> One thing about building a "permanent" structure like that dam is, it's built on limestone which by nature will spall and crumble and erode around whatever you build. Sort of a giant, slow-motion sand castle.


Cascades are still there, for now at least.


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## scioto_alex

Maybe I should be on the FOSR login for this ...
I wish I could get up there to check it out but I no longer drive due to vision problems.

Here's what I mean about the stone crumbling. This was 2007 so I don't know what it looks like now. The "stairs" (do they have a name?) are littered with pieces of the limestone falling out of the bluff face.










Those top "steps" feed into a channel several feet higher than the river. This is on the east side, looking west.










The channel falls through a few cascades which are really sweet and pretty - again, they're only ~100 years old. This was in 2003.


















A few years ago there were some posts here from kayakers who shot those but I'd think that would beat up the boat.


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## acklac7

Structure is back in place, construction equipment is gone, just a few dumpsters remaining. I'd say the project is extremely close to being completed. Thank god. It's been a rough, rough year.


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## RiparianRanger

WTF? That’s what it’s going to look like under low flow, with that gravel road going across and that weird peninsula jutting out in the plunge pool?


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## acklac7

RiparianRanger said:


> WTF? That’s what it’s going to look like under low flow, with that gravel road going across and that weird peninsula jutting out in the plunge pool?


Your lack of vision disappoints me. Personally, I like the changes 

And I'm not sure what the plans are for the road/piping. If I had to guess they're going to take it out before the River takes care of Business. O'shay hits 10,000 it's gone.


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## Truncilla

RiparianRanger said:


> WTF? That’s what it’s going to look like under low flow, with that gravel road going across and that weird peninsula jutting out in the plunge pool?


Cant imagine they're gonna leave it looking like that


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## turnbull07

The peninsula was the only way to get a line on the east side of the dam. I hope they keep it.


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## Muddy

One good winter flood and it will all be changed.


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## Workingman

I can't imagine they're gonna leave that temporary road with the culverts there. I know the road will wash out naturally but then don't throw pipes become like trash?


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## scioto_alex

Do you guys remember when Columbus and Dublin got into some dispute back in the 1990s, and Columbus closed Glick Road over the dam? Maybe it was in the 1980s. So the only ways across the river were 161 and Home Rd. 

I forget what the issue was, probably Dublin's sewer system overflowing, which sent ... um ... identifiable raw sewage items down the Scioto.


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## Workingman

As of this afternoon both the temporary Road and the Culvert pipes are removed


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## acklac7

Workingman said:


> As of this afternoon both the temporary Road and the Culvert pipes are removed


OH SNAP! Gotta get up there and take pics before she comes up!


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## Paul Lindsey

Workingman said:


> As of this afternoon both the temporary Road and the Culvert pipes are removed


Does that mean they have completed the dam repair?


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## Workingman

I would assume so, yesterday there was a noticeable increase in the amount of water in the reservoir above the spillway. I'd assume that when that gets full the dam will be opened up and everything will be normal again


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## acklac7

Looks like they’re finishing up the boards at the top of the Dam, man I hope the project is almost complete.

On a side note, they’re not sounding the alarms when they start releasing water. Use extreme caution when wading!


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## scioto_alex




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## acklac7

You obviously haven't been down there recently...

It's something else. All I'm going to say.


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## scioto_alex

I no longer drive. It would be a very long walk from 270/West Broad.

I lifted that image from a slideshow I put together about dam flow control. I should put that .ppt on the FOSR site so I can post a link to it. 

For the heck of it, let me see if I can upload that here but I think the board software does not allow .ppt uploads.

... nope. Give me some time but I think I'm going to have to write up a new HTML page just to be able to put a link out there.

Meanwhile,


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## acklac7

Sorry to hear that, Alex.

That sign is long-gone. Spillway area has been completely transformed. A huge PITA to access now, which is fine by me - will help keep the poachers and yahoo’s out of there. Place was getting raped and trashed on a regular basis.


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## scioto_alex

I need to get there somehow and see the place as it today.

IIRC the dam was built in 1922. We should have a 100th anniversary bash.


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## acklac7

scioto_alex said:


> I need to get there somehow and see the place as it today.
> 
> IIRC the dam was built in 1922. We should have a 100th anniversary bash.


Once it's officially opened I'll pick you up and we can go take a tour. I'd offer to take you sooner, but don't want to run the risk of getting kicked out.


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## ski

Looks like the lake level is going down again.


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## Paul Lindsey

Any new updates? Water level rising?


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## Muddy

It had not come up at all as of Sunday.


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## ski

Oshay is filled to the brim and flowing at 2000 ft.³ per second


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## Crappie/Eyes

That was quick. I went to Oshay the day after Xmas and I would say that the water hadn't changed up at the boar ramps


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## Snookhunter52

Does anybody know if the spillway is now open to fishing and whether its safe to wade there with a flow of 1000 cfs?


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## acklac7

Snookhunter52 said:


> Does anybody know if the spillway is now open to fishing and whether its safe to wade there with a flow of 1000 cfs?


While the construction is done the spillway area is still technically off-limits. Under no circumstances is it safe to wade. For whatever reason they keep
pulling variable amounts of water through the dam, and the discharge alarms haven’t been brought back on-line yet. Found that out the hard way a month or two back, water jumped a foot and a half in about a half hour and swamped my gear.


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## Snookhunter52

acklac7 said:


> While the construction is done the spillway area is still technically off-limits. Under no circumstances is it safe to wade. For whatever reason they keep
> pulling variable amounts of water through the dam, and the discharge alarms haven’t been brought back on-line yet. Found that out the hard way a month or two back, water jumped a foot and a half in about a half hour and swamped my gear.


Sorry to hear that. Thanks for the heads up. I'll wait till we get the all clear. I saw the good flow and thought it might be worth a try. Downstream from there the flow is a little too much and I don't know if it's going to get back down before it rains late tonight. I'll be closely following the gages to see if the conditions improve.


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## river..rat

Crossed home road this morning and was like holy cow that filled up quick


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## Workingman

I was in the area so I snapped a few pics. The third one was above the dam but I must have had my finger over the lens haha! The orange warning floats were perpendicular to the dam which makes me think they still are working above the dam. Assuming they will end up being across the river parallel to the face of the dam. Flow is looking back to normal and reservoir is in fact full


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## Workingman

Found the third pic. I just uploaded a failed one! Haha. Old guys and technology!!!


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## polebender

Workingman said:


> View attachment 336183
> View attachment 336185
> 
> I was in the area so I snapped a few pics. The third one was above the dam but I must have had my finger over the lens haha! The orange warning floats were perpendicular to the dam which makes me think they still are working above the dam. Assuming they will end up being across the river parallel to the face of the dam. Flow is looking back to normal and reservoir is in fact full


Looks like a full moon in that last picture?


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## Workingman

Haha! I guess that's my fingers, if it was the moon there would be more hair!


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## hatteras1

There's really no place safe to wade barefoot these days. Seems like no one cares anymore. It's full when they take it it in and empty when they leave it behind (not like it's gonna give you a back ache carrying your junk back home!!)


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## techno_viking

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## acklac7

techno_viking said:


> Pictures taken last weekend below the spillway. What is the purpose of the concrete structures recently installed?


Dissapate current/prevent erosion I believe.

Judging from the gage, it looks like they've finally turned off the bypass and are allowing the flow to come over the Dam. Can anyone confirm?

We get the 3"+ they're calling for this weekend it should change that Spillway up something good.


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