Scioto River - Dams and Reservoirs

Dams and Reservoirs

There are two major dams on the river. Griggs Dam in Columbus was built in 1904-1908 to impound a water supply for the city. Farther upstream, at Shawnee Hills, the O'Shaughnessy Dam was built in 1922-1925 creating a larger reservoir which was billed at the time as "the finest inland waterway in the United States." Both dams are operated by the city of Columbus. Removal of an existing dam, the Main Street Dam, has been proposed. The removal would shrink the width and depth of the river. Some experts insist that returning the river to more natural contours would make it healthier.