Watershed History
Introduction
Implementation of the Indian Lake Watershed Long-Range Management Plan will involve efforts at
the federal, state, local and individual levels. Committment to the development and success of
a working partnership between these parties is essential. Implementation of the long-range
recommendations will succeed with the continuation of participation by local citizens and
groups involved with developing non-point source pollution reduction programs.
Watershed Area History
Indian Lake Watershed was home to the Wyandot, Cherokee, Roundhead and Delaware Indian tribes.
The region where Indian Lake is now situated originally was 640 acres of five small natural
lakes located along the head waters of the Great Miami River. The five original lakes included
Old Indian Lake, Otter Lake, Black Lake, Sheep Pen Lake and Buck Wheat Patch Lake.
Miami-Erie Canal System
With the need for better transportation between the Ohio River and Lake Erie, the Miami-Erie
Canal was constructed during the mid 1800's. In 1850, the Ohio General Assembly authorized
developing the impoundment as a feeder lake for the canal system. The impoundment was called
the Lewistown Reservoir and was created by combining the five small lakes into one feeder
reservoir.
The original construction in 1851 was done by Irish immigrants with picks, shovels
and horse drawn carts and cost $360,000 to complete. The Lewistown Reservoir spanned 6,334
acres. Between 1825 and 1847 the State of Ohio constructed 1,000 miles of canals and feeder
canals, 33,000 acres of reservoir surface area, 29 dams across streams, 294 lift locks, 44
aqueducts and many smaller structures at a cost of about $16 million. The network of navigable
canals provided a system of economical transportation. The young state with its isolated
frontier economy was transformed almost overnight. The canals opened markets for agricultural
and industrial products, and attracted thousands of immigrants to the state. Today only a few
of the deep excavations, the high earthen embankments and the massive structures of timber and
cut stone are left to remind us of our debt to those who built Ohio's first transportation
system. The development and increased use of rail travel led to the abandonment of the Canal
system in 1896. On April 2, 1898, the Ohio General Assembly designated the lake as a state
park. The name was changed from the Lewistown Reservoir to Indian Lake because of the strong
Native American historical significance of the area.
Indian Lake
Since the turn of the century, Indian Lake has been used solely for recreational purposes. The
park was governed by the Ohio Department of Conservation until its abolishment in 1949 at which
point Indian Lake became part of the newly created Ohio Department of Natural Resources
(ODNR),
Division of Parks and Recreation. Indian Lake has provided high quality boating, fishing,
swimming and camping for millions of lake users and has grown into a noted central Ohio tourist
center. The Indian Lake State Park is in use year round and draws over 1.3 million visitors
annually to the region. The state park campground is the third largest in the Ohio system with
443 camp sites and, in fiscal year 1995, grossed nearly $310,000. There was another $150,000
in revenue generated from dock fees for the lake. Indian Lake is estimated to contribute $2.5
million commercial revenue annually to the lake side communities of Lakeview, Russell's Point,
Belle Center, Huntsville and several smaller villages surrounding the lake.
The State of Ohio has designated Indian Lake for the following uses: Public Water Supply,
Agricultural Water Supply, Industrial Water Supply, Primary Contact (suitable for full-body
contact), Recreation, (waters that, during recreational season, are suitable for swimming where
a lifeguard and/or bathhouse facilities are present) and Bathing Water. In addition, the lake
is designated as a State Resource Water (this designation applies to surface waters within
metropolitan park systems and to publicly owned lakes and reservoirs). The lake is not used
for public water supply or commercial fishing.
To Top
|
