While studying a nearby coal mine, I noticed a big lake on a topo map that didn't exist on a satellite map. (The topo map is near the end of these notes.)
 |
| mwcd-photos, photo 4 of 4 via mwcd |
 |
| Mar 24, 2020: ZanesvilleTimesRecorder, paycount "Rising water level behind Wills Creek Dam in Coshocton County has lead to the closure of Ohio 83 northwest of Otsego. Chris Crook/Times Reporter" |
This dam is operated as a dry dam. That means the river is normally allowed to flow through the dam. Only during heavy flows is some of the water retained behind the dam. [usacehq] This photo caught it during more normal water levels.
 |
| mwcd-photos, photo 1 of 4 via mwcd |
 |
| ExscapeOutdoors Instagram Video "Swift water, all gates open today [Jun 23, 2022]" |
A few months earlier they were releasing even more water.
 |
| Tim Ellis (Wellsville101), Mar 2022 |
A Flickr photo of the outlet tunnels with a low water flow so that you can see the stairstep design of the spillway.
This is the topo map on which I saw a big blue lake. I now understand that the light blue shows potential inundation and the dark blue shows the river channel. A dry dam makes a lot of sense because it discourages developments such as boat marinas. That way the USACE doesn't get a lot of complaints when the level of the reservoir changes because the weather changes.
 |
| 1962 Wills Creek and Plainfield Quads @ 24,000 |
I was amazed how far upstream a full reservoir would extend. Almost to Cambridge, OH. Basically, it would flood the plains where the river meanders. Looking at a satellite image, there are farm fields in the flood plain, but no buildings.
 |
| USGS |
No comments:
Post a Comment