COLUMBUS – State officials say the project to repair the Buckeye Lake dam in Licking County is ahead of schedule and more boating activities will be permitted on the lake this summer, good news for nearby bars and restaurants who have struggled to stay afloat after the repairs began.
Originally scheduled to last until 2020, the project to restore the 200-year-old dam is now expected to be completed by the fall of 2018, which should allow water levels to return to their normal depths in 2019, according to Ohio Department of Natural Resources officials.
“Stop-logs” have been lowered into place at the Amil Gate Spillway, closing the spillway and allowing the water level in the lake to rise to the “interim pool level,” one foot below the normal six-foot summer level, officials said.
Additionally, officials say “no-wake” boat operation and towed water sports will be permitted within the “speed zone” (see map), a significant change from last year when skiing and tubing were not permitted due to the limited depth of the water.
The current design of the new dam provides each resident with a home along the dam (pictured) with space for a dock but the ODNR says no docks will be attached to the dam.
Additional details about the docks are expected once the final design is completed, officials said.