The Olentangy River is a
tributary of the
Scioto River in
Ohio, United States.
History
It was originally called ''keenhongsheconsepung'', a
Delaware word literally translated as "sharp tool river", based on the
shale found along its shores. Early settlers to the region translated this into "Whetstone River". In 1833, the
Ohio General Assembly passed legislation intending to restore the original
Native American names to some Ohio waterways, but mistakenly gave Whetstone River the name "Olentangy"—Delaware for "river of the red face paint"—which had actually belonged to what is now known as
Big Darby Creek
Big Darby Creek is a scenic river located in northwestern central Ohio, and an important tributary to the Lower Scioto River. The river's major tributary is the Little Darby Creek.
The river runs from its source near the Champaign- Union coun ...
.
Geography
The Olentangy River rises in
Morrow County approximately 2 mi (3.2 km) southeast of
Galion, near
Blooming Grove, flowing through Galion and northwest towards
Bucyrus, where it then turns south and flows through Eastern
Marion County, Ohio
Marion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 65,359. Its county seat is Marion. The county was created in 1820 and later organized in 1824. It is named for General Francis "The Swamp ...
(where it is still locally known as the Whetstone River) before flowing south into Delaware County. The river continues southward towards the communities of
Delaware,
Powell,
Worthington, and the village of
Riverlea, before reaching Columbus and the campus of
Ohio State University, before joining with the Scioto River in downtown
Columbus
Columbus is a Latinized version of the Italian surname "''Colombo''". It most commonly refers to:
* Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), the Italian explorer
* Columbus, Ohio, capital of the U.S. state of Ohio
Columbus may also refer to:
Places ...
.
The Delaware State Park Reservoir, also known as Delaware Lake, was constructed along the Olentangy River in 1951. The reservoir is located 5 miles north of the city of Delaware, and was built by the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for flood control purposes. On 13 January 2005, Delaware Dam was nearly overtopped. The water level came within less than 1 foot of the top of the dam, requiring the main spill gates to be opened before it began dropping.
The Olentangy River is the primary source of drinking water for much of Delaware County. Both the City of Delaware and Del-Co Water Company, the supplier of drinking water to most of rural Delaware County (and other communities beyond), draw the majority of their water supplies from the Olentangy system.
Twenty-two miles of the Olentangy have been designated a State Scenic River by the
Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Natural Areas & Preserves.
Variant names
The Olentangy River has also been known as Keenhongsheconsepung, Oleutangy, Whetstone Creek, Whetstone River, and Whitestone Creek.
River restoration
In 2012 the Ohio EPA and the City of Columbus began to remove some of the lowhead dams that cross the river. Work started with removing the 5th Avenue Dam. The river is now about half of its former width. Work continues to restore the banks and clean the area.
Popular culture
Broadcaster
Keith Jackson
Keith Max Jackson (October 18, 1928 – January 12, 2018) was an American sports commentator, journalist, author, and radio personality, known for his career with ABC Sports (1966–2006). While he covered a variety of sports over his caree ...
would introduce
Ohio State football games "from the banks of the mighty Olentangy."
See also
*
List of rivers of Ohio
References
External links
Olentangy Watershed AllianceFriends of the Lower Olentangy WatershedDelaware Dam level and outflow graphOlentangy River Level Gauge at Worthington, OH
{{authority control
Rivers of Ohio
Rivers of Delaware County, Ohio
Rivers of Crawford County, Ohio
Rivers of Franklin County, Ohio
Landforms of Columbus, Ohio