Grand Lake St. Marys State Park

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Grand Lake
Location	Auglaize County and Mercer County, Ohio
Coordinates	40°31′17″N 84°25′17″W / 40.52139°N 84.42139°W / 40.52139; -84.42139Coordinates: 40°31′17″N 84°25′17″W / 40.52139°N 84.42139°W / 40.52139; -84.42139[1]
Lake type	artificial lake
Primary  inflows	Coldwater Creek[1]
Primary  outflows	Beaver Creek[1]
Basin  countries	United States
Max. length	8.2 mi (13.2 km)[1]
Max. width	2.8 mi (4.5 km)[1]
Surface area	13,500 acres (5,500 ha)[citation needed]
Average depth	5-7 ft (1.5-2 m)[citation needed]
Surface  elevation	869 ft (265 m)[1]
Islands	Safety Island
References	[1]

Grand Lake-Saint Marys State Park is a Ohio State Park, west of St. Marys, and south-east of Celina, 23 miles (37 km) south-west of Lima in the north-western part of the U.S. state of Ohio.^[1]

Grand Lake covers 13,500 acres (5,500 ha) in Auglaize and Mercer counties. Grand Lake is the largest inland lake in Ohio in terms of land area, but is extremely shallow, with an average depth of only 5 to 7 feet (1.5 to 2.1 m).^[2]

Contents 1 History 2 Name 3 State Park 4 Lake's General Health 4.1 History of the Area 4.2 Camping 4.3 Boating 4.4 Fishing and Hunting 4.5 Swimming 4.6 Picnicking 4.7 More To Do 5 References 6 External links

[edit] History

Grand Lake St. Marys was constructed in the early 1800s as a reservoir for the Miami and Erie Canal. In the 1890s oil was discovered in the area, and oil derricks were set up in the lake.^[3]

[edit] Name

The official geographic name, Grand Lake, became a Board of Geographic Names decision by default when the United States Geological Survey Board of Geographic Names disapproved the proposal to change the name Grand Lake to Grand Lake-Saint Marys.^[1].

The State of Ohio recognizes the name as Grand Lake St. Marys and the lake is often printed on local maps as Grand Lake St. Marys.

Also known as:^[1]

• Celina Grand Reservoir
• Grand Lake - Saint Marys
• Grand Lake Saint Marys
• Grand Reservoir
• Lake Saint Marys
• Mercer County Reservoir
• Saint Marys Reservoir
• Lake Mercer

[edit] State Park

Grand Lake State Park is located near 40°31′52″N 084°29′59″W / 40.53111°N 84.49972°W / 40.53111; -84.49972 Elevation: 863 feet (263 m) in Mercer County, Ohio.^[4]

In 1949, it was made one of Ohio's first state parks. The lake and the surrounding state park are a popular site for recreational fishing and camping, and there are four swimming beaches.

For years the 17,500-acre (7,100 ha) reservoir was the largest artificial body of water in the world. Currently it is the largest artificial body of water in the world built without the use of machinery.^[5]

[edit] Lake's General Health

Due to the increasingly high levels of lake pollution, E. coli bacteria^[6], and related algae levels, Grand Lake is rapidly dying off as a destination lake and is considered by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to be "impaired" due to "stream channelization, drainage tiles, loss of floodplains and streamside vegetation, manure runoff and untreated sewage flowing from failing home septic systems and small communities without any wastewater collection or treatment."^[7][8] A 4-inch visibility is an approximation, as the clarity fades due to the thick, green, algae-laden consistency of the water. Fishing, short of carp, catfish, and gizzard shad (a fish that prefers "swamp-like environs), has become virtually nonexistent.

Originally constructed as a feeder reservoir for the Miami-Erie Canal, Grand Lake was for many years recognized as the largest man-made reservoir in the world. This large lake is the gateway to swimming, boating, camping and fishing in one of Ohio's oldest state parks Nature of the Area

At one time the Grand Lake region was part of a vast forest wilderness that stretched from the Allegheny Mountains of Pennsylvania to the prairies of Illinois. Today, in place of this forest are fields of corn, soybeans and wheat.

In addition to forests, pre-settlement Ohio contained large prairies and wetlands. The land which now lies beneath St. Marys reservoir was once a vast wet prairie. Today, the park contains varying habitats including woodlands, wetlands, and prairies in addition to the surrounding croplands.

Grand Lake lies along one of the country’s major migration routes. Water birds using the lake as a resting stop include Canada geese, ducks, grebes, swans, egrets, loons, herons, cormorants and ospreys. Many ducks, geese and heron also nest here. Bald eagles, magnificent birds long absent from the area, have again nested on the southwest corner of the lake at the wildlife refuge. Other animals of the park include fox squirrel, mink, raccoon, beaver, coyote, white-tailed deer and many others.

[edit] History of the Area

The area in and around Grand Lake State Park played an important part in the development of the Northwest territory. The St. Marys River served as a vital link between the Great Lakes and the Ohio River. Because of this heavy water traffic, the renegades Simon and James Girty established a trading post, which eventually evolved into the town of St. Marys.

In 1837, work commenced on a reservoir for the Miami-Erie canal to maintain the canal’s five-foot water depth. Workers using hand tools were paid 35 cents a day and a jigger of whiskey to keep malaria away. At its completion in 1845, 13,500-acre Grand Lake was the largest man-made lake in the world. The lake was connected to the canal by a three-mile feeder. The canal prospered until the coming of the railroads in the 1870s. The area experienced another boom in the late 1890s when oil was discovered. For a time the lake was dotted with oil derricks. Today a pile of rocks near the center of the lake marks the spot of the last producing well.

Grand Lake and other canal feeder lakes in the state were the first areas to be dedicated as Ohio state parks in 1949.

[edit] Camping

The campground contains 216 sites of which 135 are equipped with electricity. Facilities include flush toilets, laundry, showers and a dump station. Pets are permitted. The campground also offers a “camper’s only” swimming beach, boat launch and boat docks/tie-ups. Two Small Camper Cabins and three Large Camper Cabins may be rented May-October. Two spacious Cedar Cabins with all the amenities of a fully-equipped RV are also available for daily or weekly rental. A seasonal naturalist holds scheduled programs, Thursday through Saturday night, usually with a movie on Saturday.

[edit] Boating

Boats with no limits on horsepower are permitted on the lake. Five state operated launch ramps provide access to the lake. Several private launch ramps also exist along the shallow shoreline. Fuel, boat rentals and seasonal dock rentals are available. A 300’ no wake zone has been established and is enforced around the lake’s 52 miles of shoreline. The state wildlife refuge, located on the southwest corner is off limits to boats at all times.

[edit] Fishing and Hunting

Fishing is great year-round and anglers will enjoy excellent catches of crappie, bass and bluegill in the spring as well as record catches of yellow perch in the winter. Bait vending machines are available at the park. Hunting is permitted in designated areas. There are 90 seasonal duck blinds available by a lottery administered by ODNR Division of Wildlife. A valid Ohio hunting and waterfowl stamp is required.

[edit] Swimming

The park offers four public swimming beaches as well as other swimming areas provided for boaters. Lifeguard coverage is limited to weekends and holidays.

[edit] Picnicking

Picnic areas with tables and grills are located in scenic areas around the lake. Some picnic shelters are on a reservation basis. Contact the park office for details.

[edit] More To Do

The full-service camp store loans games, fishing and sporting equipment to registered campers. Bike rentals are also available at the campground. Campers can also enjoy a miniature golf course, along with basketball and volleyball courts, horseshoe pits and playground equipment.

The weekend after Labor Day the campground hosts the annual Grand Fall Festival featuring crafts, food, fireworks, and entertainment.

Area AttractionsLake Loramie State Park, southeast of Grand, offers fishing, boating, swimming and camping. The Miami-Erie Trail, a 47-mile portion of the statewide Buckeye Trail, begins at Lake Loramie and passes within a mile and a half of Grand Lake St. Marys State Park. The Miami-Erie Trail terminates at Delphos, approximately 22 miles north of St. Marys.

St. Marys Fish Hatchery, located on the lake's eastern shore is operated by the ODNR Division of Wildlife. The hatchery raises saugeye, walleye, channel catfish and bass for distribution in the public fishing waters of the state.

The Neil Armstrong Air and Space Museum is located in Wapakoneta, Armstrong's boyhood home.

The Auglaize-Mercer County convention/Visitors Bureau is located next to the park office. For more information on area attractions, stop by or call 1-800-860-4726.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• The Ohio EPA's Assessment of Grand Lake St. Mary's
• Saving Grand Lake St. Mary's - The Lake Improvement Association
• Grand Lake St. Marys State Park

v • d • e Protected areas of Ohio Federal National Parks Cuyahoga Valley National Park National Historical Parks & Sites Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park  • Hopewell Culture National Historical Park  • First Ladies National Historic Site  • James A. Garfield National Historic Site  • William Howard Taft National Historic Site National Memorials David Berger National Memorial  • Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial National Trails North Country Trail National Forests Wayne National Forest National Wildlife Refuges Cedar Point  • Ottawa  • West Sister Island National Estuarine Research Reserve Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve State State Parks Adams Lake • Alum Creek • A. W. Marion • Barkcamp • Beaver Creek • Blue Rock • Buck Creek • Buckeye Lake • Burr Oak • Caesar Creek • Catawba Island • Cleveland Lakefront • Cowan Lake • Deer Creek • Delaware • Dillon • East Fork • East Harbor • Findley • Forked Run • Geneva • Grand Lake St. Marys • Great Seal • Guilford Lake • Harrison Lake • Headlands Beach • Hocking Hills • Hueston Woods • Independence Dam • Indian Lake • Jackson Lake • Jefferson Lake • John Bryan • Kelleys Island • Kiser Lake • Lake Alma • Lake Hope • Lake Logan • Lake Loramie • Lake Milton • Lake White • Little Miami • Madison Lake • Malabar Farm • Marblehead Lighthouse • Mary Jane Thurston • Middle Bass Island • Maumee Bay • Mohican • Mosquito Lake • Mt. Gilead • Muskingum River • Nelson Kennedy Ledges • Paint Creek • Pike Lake • Portage Lakes • Punderson • Pymatuning • Quail Hollow • Rocky Fork • Salt Fork • Scioto Trail • Shawnee • South Bass Island • Stonelick • Strouds Run • Sycamore • Tar Hollow • Tinkers Creek • Van Buren • West Branch • Wolf Run State Forests Beaver Creek • Blue Rock • Brush Creek • Dean • Fernwood • Gifford • Harrison • Hocking • Maumee • Mohican-Memorial • Perry • Pike • Richland Furnace • Scioto Trail • Shade River • Shawnee • Sunfish Creek • Tar Hollow • Yellow Creek • Zaleski State Nature Preserves Acadia Cliffs • Adams Lake Prairie • Audubon Islands • Augusta-Anne Olsen • Aurora Sanctuary • Baker Woods • Evans Beck Memorial • Betsch Fen • Bigelow Cemetery • Blackhand Gorge • Bonnet Pond • Boord • Brown's Lake Bog • Burton Wetlands • Caesar Creek Gorge • Lou Campbell • Carmean Woods • Cedar Bog • Chaparral Prairie • Christmas Rocks • Clear Creek • Clear Fork Gorge • Clifton Gorge • Howard Collier • Compass Plant Prairie • Conkle's Hollow • Copperrider-Kent Bog • Crabill Fen • Cranberry Bog • Crane Hollow • Crooked Run • Culberson Woods • Davey Woods • Davis Memorial • Marie J. Desonier • Drew Woods • Dupont Marsh • Eagle Creek • Emerald Hills • Erie Sand Barrens • Etawah Woods • Flatiron Lake Bog • Fowler Woods • Frame Lake Fen • Gahanna Woods • Gallagher/Springfield Fen • Goll Woods • Goode Prairie • Gott Fen • Greenbelt • Greenville Falls • Gross Memorial Woods • Hatch-Otis • Halls Creek • Headlands Dunes • Hueston Woods • Hutchins (Highland) • Irwin Prairie • Jackson Bog • Johnson Ridge • Johnson Woods • Karlo Fen • Kendrick Woods • Kessler Swamp • Kiser Lake Wetlands • Kitty Todd • Knox Woods • Kyle Woods • Ladd Natural Bridge • Lake Katharine • Lakeside Daisy • Lawrence Woods • Little Rocky Hollow • Mantua Bog • Marsh Wetlands • McCracken Fen • Mentor Marsh • Milford Center Railroad Prairie • Miller • Morris Woods • Mud Lake Bog • Myersville • Newberry • North Pond • North Shore Alvar • Novak Sanctuary • Old Woman Creek • Owens/Liberty Fen • Pallister • Pickerington Ponds • Portage Lakes Wetland • Prairie Road Fen • William C. McCoy • Raven Rock • Rhododendeon Cove • Rockbridge • Rome • Rothenbuhler Woods • Saltpetre Cave • Sears Woods • Seymour Woods • Shallenberger • Sharon Woods Gorge • Sheepskin Hollow • Sheick Hollow • Sheldon Marsh • Shoemaker • Siegenthaler-Kaestner Esker • Smith Cemetery • Spring Beauty Dell • Spring Brook Sanctuary • Springville Marsh • Stage's Pond • Strait Creek Prairie • Stratford Woods • Swamp Cottonwood • Edward Thomas • Tinker's Creek • Travertine Fen • Triangle Lake Bog • Trillium Trails • Walter Tucker • Tummonds • Warder-Perkins • Whipple • White Pine Bog Forest • Zimmermand Prairie State Scenic Rivers Big Darby Creek • Chagrin River • Conneaut Creek • Cuyahoga River • Grand River • Greenville Creek • Kokosing River • Little Beaver Creek • Little Darby Creek • Little Miami River • Maumee River • Mohican River • Olentangy River • Sandusky River • Stillwater River Ohio Department of Natural Resources (web)