The O'Shaughnessy 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).[2][3] 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 reservoir holds 6.3 billion US gallons (24,000,000 m3) over a surface area of 845 acres (3.42 km2).[4] The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is located on the east bank of the reservoir, near the dam.
O'Shaughnessy Dam and Bridge | |
U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
View below the dam | |
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Location | Concord Township / Liberty Township, Delaware County, Ohio, USA |
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Nearest city | Shawnee Hills, Ohio |
Coordinates | 40°09′14″N 83°07′33″W |
Built | 1922 |
Built by | Thompson-Starrett Co. |
Architect | Frank Packard |
Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals, Classical Revival, Second Renaissance Revival |
NRHP reference No. | 90000482[1] |
Added to NRHP | July 5, 1990 |
In 1990, the dam was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[1]
The city of Columbus installed a hydroelectric operation on the west side of the dam, which was completed in 1987.[5] The turbines can only be operated when there is sufficient flow, which means the dam cannot continuously produce electricity. With a head of 18 feet (5.5 m),[6] the two turbines together produce 5 megawatts.[5][7]
Despite numerous repair attempts the Hydroelectric Turbines have remained offline for approximately 3 years (ostensibly as of August 2018). In January, 2021, The City of Columbus announced plans to repair the hydropower unit and restore the plant to full capacity by 2023.[8]
U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
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