Senecaville Lake is a

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and

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Counties,

Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...

. It is located approximately southeast of

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near the village of Senecaville, Ohio. The lake is popular among recreation and fishing enthusiasts. It is often referred to locally as Seneca Lake.

History

Senecaville Dam was built in 1937 by the

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is the military engineering branch of the United States Army. A direct reporting unit (DRU), it has three primary mission areas: Engineer Regiment, military construction, and civil wor ...

as part of the

Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District The Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD) is a political subdivision of the State of Ohio organized in 1933 to develop and implement a plan for flood reduction and water conservation in the Muskingum River watershed, the state's largest ...

's flood control and

water conservation Water conservation aims to sustainably manage the natural resource of fresh water, protect the hydrosphere, and meet current and future human demand. Water conservation makes it possible to avoid water scarcity. It covers all the policies, strateg ...

project. The Seneca Fork of Wills Creek valley was dammed to create a flood control and water conservation

. The reservoir presently forms a conservation pool for flood control, recreation, fish and wildlife, and for the maintenance of normal downstream flows during dry periods.

Senecaville Dam

The Senecaville Dam is located at the northwest end of the lake near the village of Senecaville. Originally completed in 1937, the structure was modified in 1982. The dam is made of earthen construction and measures high by long. The core is homogeneous earth with a foundation of rock and soil. The dam is separated into two embankment sections, north and south, by a rock knoll, through which the

outlet works A gatehouse, gate house, outlet works or valve house for a dam is a structure housing sluice gates, valves, or pumps (in which case it is more accurately called a pumping station). Many gatehouses are strictly utilitarian, but especially in the ni ...

run, across a section constructed as a low dike. Maximum discharge is 11400 cubic feet per second. Its capacity is . Normal storage is . It drains an area of .

Recreation

The lake is in the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District's chain of lakes and all boating, swimming, camping, and picnicking is under MWCD control. The MWCD coordinates many recreation activities at the lake and operates an activity center within Seneca Lake Park. The activity center provides day to day information on campground activities and current events. The MWCD has designated two swimming areas (one is within the park & one is by boat access). Picnic sites are available at the Seneca Lake Park. A public boat launch ramp is available near the dam year round. The horsepower limit for boats on Seneca Lake is . There is one marina located on the lake, Seneca Marina, which is operated by private enterprise. The marina is a full-service facility with boat sales and rentals, fuel, supplies and docking. There is a restaurant called Dockside at the marina which is open mid April through September. Limited hiking is available around Senecaville Dam. A more extensive hiking trail system is available within Seneca Lake Park. Camping at Seneca Lake is available through the MWCD. Fireworks on the Lake take place on the closest Saturday night to the Fourth of July. The Fireworks are set off from the point near the camp grounds. Historically the fireworks were set off from the big island.

Fishing

The Ohio Division of Wildlife annually leases public fishing and hunting rights on MWCD lakes and lands. Fishing is popular all around the lake wherever there is access to the water. At the dam site, fishing is available above and below the dam. Seneca Lake contains populations of largemouth bass, crappies, bluegills, bullheads, channel catfish, and saugeye. The lake has also been stocked with muskellunge and white bass with moderate success. These species of fish are stocked by the Division of Wildlife.

Fish hatchery

There is also an

Ohio Department of Natural Resources The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) is the Ohio government agency charged with ensuring "a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all." Functions ODNR regulates Ohio's oil and gas indus ...

fish

hatchery A hatchery is a facility where eggs are hatched under artificial conditions, especially those of fish, poultry or even turtles. It may be used for ''ex situ'' conservation purposes, i.e. to breed rare or endangered species under controlled ...

located below Senecaville Dam. This facility was acquired from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1987. The hatchery has 37 ponds containing a total of of water. The facility also has two outdoor raceways and 18 indoor rearing troughs. Water is supplied by Seneca Lake, which can deliver . This water supply allows the hatchery to raise saugeye, walleye, hybrid striped bass, and channel catfish. The hatchery is open to visitors and will accommodate tour groups with advanced reservations.

References

External links

Muskingum Watershed Conservancy DistrictGuernsey County Ohio
* {{authority control Geography of Guernsey County, Ohio Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District Geography of Noble County, Ohio Senecaville United States Army Corps of Engineers dams Tourist attractions in Guernsey County, Ohio Tourist attractions in Noble County, Ohio Dams in Ohio Dams completed in 1937 1937 establishments in Ohio