Water
Quick reference for Hoover Reservoir: maps, depth structure, pool vs the ODNR chart, and public ramps. Not a navigation chart.
Maps & depth
Official public maps only; they open in a new tab. I do not host or scrape Garmin / Navionics (or any commercial chart). Contours are reference, not for navigation.
ODNR depth PDF
~2,884 acres · 10-ft contours · depths based on 894 ft summer pool · last surveyed 2001 · not for navigation. Silt and pool swings change real depths.
ODNR interactive
Property info, regulations links, and ODNR visit planning for the reservoir.
Columbus Rec Parks PDF
Public access layout from Columbus Recreation and Parks, useful for ramps and shoreline names.
USGS gauge
Hoover Reservoir at Central College, OH. Pull provisional pool elevation (and other params) here.
Pool & temp correction
ODNR contour depths assume a summer pool of 894 ft NGVD29. When the lake sits below that, every printed contour is a little high relative to today’s water.
891.50 ft · 65°F · ~2.5 ft below full pool
How to read this
- Pool is lake surface elevation (ft NGVD29), not the depth of any hole or channel.
- The ODNR contour map is drawn at 894 ft. Contours are off by about (894 − pool).
- Temp is gauge water about 2 ft down, not air temp and not every creek arm. The lead shows °F; °C lives here.
- USGS values are provisional (params 62614 / 00010). USGS-03228400.
- Hoover is a drinking-water reservoir with a 10 hp / 10 mph limit and idle speed within 100 ft of shore. Keep wakes down and pack out trash.
Public shore snapshots
- Walnut Public ramp
- Oxbow Public ramp
- Dam riprap Public shore
- Smothers Public area
Structure key
- Old Big Walnut channel still runs under the lake. I treat it as the buried highway, where bait and current often line up after dark.
- Dam / main basin is the deepest water on the 894 map (50 to 60 ft on that chart). Big water, boat traffic by day, more room to dig at night.
- Causeway / Smothers cuts are the pinch points: bridges, cuts, and current funnels where I listen for bait and watch the graph harder.
- Walnut Road lower ramp: nearby flat vs drop. I use the flats for bank work and the nearby break when I’m in a boat and want a quick edge.
- Oxbow / upper arms: shallower, more bank and night work. Quieter when the middle lake is busy; watch for silted edges.
- 10 hp and 10 mph limits apply, with idle speed within 100 ft of shore. Hoover is a Columbus drinking-water reservoir: keep it clean, keep wakes down, follow posted limits.
Ramp / access
Public names only. No private property, no secret GPS pins. Always verify hours, closures, and ice/flood with the City or ODNR before you launch.
| Ramp / area | Boat vs bank | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| Oxbow | Boat + bank | Upper end; quieter after dark when traffic thins. |
| Redbank | Boat + bank | Middle-lake access. |
| Walnut Road | Boat + bank | Lower ramp toward the dam; flats vs nearby drop. |
| Maxtown | Boat + bank | Public ramp name on the city layout. Check hours. |
| Marina / lower marina | Boat (services vary) | Lower-end marina area on public maps; confirm open status. |
| General bank | Bank | Public shoreline only. Stay off private docks and yards. |