O'Shaughnessy Dam (Ohio) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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O'Shaughnessy Dam and Bridge
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View below the dam
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | Concord Township / Liberty Township, Delaware County, Ohio, USA |
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| Nearest city | Shawnee Hills, Ohio |
| Built | 1922 |
| Built by | Thompson-Starrett Co. |
| Architect | Packard, Franklin L. |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals, Classical Revival, Second Renaissance Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 90000482 |
| Added to NRHP | July 5, 1990 |
The O'Shaughnessy Dam is a large dam located on the Scioto River in Ohio, close to Dublin. This dam creates a big lake called the O'Shaughnessy Reservoir. This reservoir is very important because it provides a lot of the drinking water for the city of Columbus.
The dam was finished in 1925. It was named after Jerry O'Shaughnessy, who was the superintendent at the time and suggested building it. When it was new, people said the reservoir was "the finest inland waterway in the United States." The reservoir holds a huge amount of water, about 6.3 billion US gallons! It also covers a large area, about 845 acres. The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is located right next to the dam on the east side of the reservoir.
Besides supplying water, the O'Shaughnessy Reservoir is also a great place for fun activities. It's located about 10 miles (16 km) upstream from another, smaller dam called the Griggs Dam. Because of its importance and history, the dam was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.
Generating Clean Energy: Hydroelectricity
The city of Columbus built a special system on the west side of the dam to make hydroelectric power. This system was completed in 1987. Hydroelectricity is a way to create electricity using the power of moving water.
How the Dam Makes Electricity
Inside the hydroelectric plant, there are two large machines called turbines. When enough water flows over the dam, it spins these turbines. The spinning turbines then power generators, which create electricity.
The dam can produce up to 5 megawatts of electricity when both turbines are running. However, the turbines can only work when there is a lot of water flowing in the river. This means the dam cannot make electricity all the time. It only produces power when the water levels are high enough.
Repairs and Future Plans
The hydroelectric turbines at the dam have been offline for a few years, meaning they haven't been producing electricity. This was due to various issues that needed fixing. In January 2021, the city of Columbus announced plans to repair the hydropower unit. They hope to have the plant working at full power again by 2023. This will help provide more clean energy for the city.
