Atwood Lake is a 1,540-acre reservoir on Indian Fork in Carroll and Tuscarawas counties in eastern Ohio. Created about 1936 by Atwood Dam, it is managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District for flood risk management and recreation. Dellroy sits near the lake's active recreation core, while the project moderates Indian Fork flows for downstream communities within the broader Muskingum reservoir system.

The lake has about 28 miles of shoreline and reaches roughly 41 feet deep near the dam. Wooded coves, long points, and sheltered arms give anglers varied cover, and the lake's moderate depth makes wind and seasonal drawdown noticeable on open water. Atwood forms part of the Muskingum watershed reservoir family alongside Charles Mill, Clendening, Tappan, and other nearby MWCD lakes with similar creek-valley character.

Atwood supports boating, camping, and fishing for bass, crappie, saugeye, northern pike, and yellow perch. A 25-horsepower limit balances family boating with a quieter fishing setting. Fisheries and public access are supported by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and by MWCD marinas, ramps, and campgrounds along the developed shore, making the lake a practical eastern Ohio weekend destination.

Pool elevations are referenced to NGVD29, with a normal full pool of 928 feet, a winter pool near 920 feet, and flood storage to 941 feet. Seasonal drawdown and rainfall-driven storage on Indian Fork can affect ramps, docks, and shallow coves. Checking current Corps and MWCD level information is especially useful after major storms or during the transition between summer and winter operating targets.

Ask Atwood Lake Dock Talk