Background

The O’Shaughnessey Dam is located on the Scioto River near Dublin, Ohio, United States. The dam forms O’Shaughnessy Reservoir, which is a major source of drinking water for the city of Columbus. It was completed in 1925 following recommendations of then superintendent Jerry O’Shaughnessy (for whom the dam was named). At the time, the reservoir was described as “the finest inland waterway in the United States.” Located 10 miles (16 km) upstream of the smaller Griggs Dam, it provides a large area for various forms of recreation in addition to its water supply duties.

The dam is a concrete gravity dam, 1,505 feet (459 m) long and 115 feet (35 m) high. The spillway is 879 feet (270 m) long and has a capacity of 100,000 cubic feet per second (2,800 m³/s). The reservoir has a surface area of 1,281 acres (520 ha) and a capacity of 6.3 billion gallons (24 billion liters).

The dam is owned and operated by the City of Columbus. It is a popular spot for fishing, boating, and picnicking. There are also several hiking and biking trails in the area.

Here are some additional details about the O’Shaughnessey Dam:

• The dam is located at 5925 Glick Road, Powell, Ohio 43065.
• The dam is open to the public for viewing from dawn to dusk.
• Fishing is allowed in the reservoir, but there are some restrictions.
• Boating is allowed in the reservoir, but there are some speed and size restrictions.
• There are several parking areas near the dam.
• There are several hiking and biking trails in the area.

The above information was provided from a search request to Google Bard AI. Bard referenced that is sourced information from Wikipedia entries. Attempts were made to review the data for accuracy. Some information may not be accurate as Bard AI is still in beta.

Impression

Over the Labor Day weekend holiday, we decided to try and hit some places we have not been before.

Hearing good things about the view at Glick Park and the O’Shaughnessey Dam/Resevoir, we packed up the dogs and headed up there late morning.

Just off Riverside Drive is the entrance to Glick Park. There, you’ll find a round parking section.

To the left of the parking area is a fantastic overlook of the backside of the dam and a terraced section. Those are represented by the 2 images above. When we first saw the dam, even being there in person, you don’t truly get a sense of its size until you have something to put it into perspective. The second image above gives you that perspective, with the 2 people fishing at the base of the dam.

These images were taken from the overlook to the left of the parking area.

Next, let’s go to the base of the dam.

Walking to the right of the overlook and the middle section of the parking lot, you’ll see a black topped path. If you take that relatively short path (it is rather steep, so be fore warned if you have mobility issues or just don’t like a potentially strenuous hike up hill), you’ll come to another smaller overlook area that is closer to the base of the dam.

What we found here was magnificent! There were, at least, 15 white egrets fishing at various parts of stream.

All in all, while not a large park with a lot of walking trails, this is a gem of a park that provides a lot to see visually.

While you are in the area, you may even want to make a day of it and hit the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.