Reducing Floods at Caesar Creek Lake EarthCache
Reducing Floods at Caesar Creek Lake
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Caesarcreek lake is located in Warren, Clinton and Greene counties
in southwestern Ohio. The dam is three miles above the mouth of
Caesar Creek, a tributary of the Little Miami River.
Caesar Creek Lake is formed by Caesar Creek Lake Dam on Caesar
Creek in Warren County, Ohio and is used for flood control,
recreation and drinking water, among other things. Construction of
Caesar Creek Lake Dam was completed in 1976. At normal levels it
has a surface area of 4.4 square miles. It is a U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers lake property.
The topography of the Little Miami River Basin, including Caesar
Creek, is characterized by rocky gorges and narrow valleys
separated by extensive sections of bottomlands. The nature of soil
types and vegetation relate to events that occurred thousands or
even millions of years ago. Alterations of the drainage system and
the formation of many of the scenic features of the valley can be
traced to the Kansan, Illinoian and Wisconsin periods of
glaciation.
Nature of the Area:
The park area sits astride the crest of the Cincinnati Arch, a convex tilting of bedrock layers caused by an ancient upheaval • Younger rocks lie both east and west of this crest where some of the oldest rocks in Ohio are exposed • The sedimentary limestones and shales tell of a sea hundreds of millions of years in our past which once covered the state • The park's excellent fossil finds give testimony to the life of this long vanished body of water.
Caesar Creek Lake has prevented more than $151 million in flood damages since impoundment, and in fiscal year 2005 alone the lake generated approximately $45.8 million in visitor expenditures. In addition to flood protection and recreation, Corps lakes provide immeasurable benefits to the local economy.
The floods of 2011 proved once again the benefit of the dam and lake. The lake levels rose to over 19 feet above the normal summer pool level in early May 2011. Flooding of area around the lake occurred but lands and home downstream of the dam were saved due to the flood control provided by the dam.
To get credit for this earthcache please answer the following questions:
1) According to the informational sign at the given coordinates how much water is being held back by the dam?
2) What slows the water in the stilling area to help prevent erosion?
3) How big is the dam? Height and Length.
4) How many square miles is the lake's watershed?
5) (optional) Please post a picture of your group and/or gps with the dam in the background.
If you have the time and are there during the hours of 8:00 am - 5:00 pm - the Visitor Center is worth the visit. It had lots interesting pictures and artifacts collected from the area.
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