Alum Creek Lake is a roughly 3,387-acre multipurpose reservoir on Alum Creek in Delaware County, just north of Columbus. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed Alum Creek Dam in 1974 for flood risk management, recreation, and Columbus-area water supply. The project anchors a large public-land corridor north of the metro area, where reservoir protection and recreation coexist with municipal water-supply responsibilities along the Alum Creek watershed.

The lake has about 69 miles of shoreline and reaches roughly 68 feet deep near the dam. Long creek arms, wooded banks, and a substantial open-water basin define its central Ohio setting. Shale cliffs and steeper banks distinguish the northern reaches, while broader coves, points, and the main channel create a marked contrast between the lake's upper and lower sections for boaters and anglers working structure.

Alum Creek State Park provides broad access for boating, camping, swimming, and fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass, crappie, saugeye, catfish, and other warmwater species. Fisheries and park programs are supported by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The state park includes one of Ohio's largest inland beaches, extensive ramps, marinas, and camping areas; unlimited horsepower is allowed south of the Cheshire Road bridge, while quieter water remains available in the upper arms.

Pool elevations are referenced to NGVD29 mean sea level, with a normal full pool of 888 feet and a winter pool near 885 feet. Corps operations balance water-supply needs, flood storage, recreation, and seasonal inflows on Alum Creek. That modest seasonal operating range helps preserve flood-storage capacity while supporting recreation; monitoring current levels still matters for beach access, shallow coves, docks, and launch conditions after major storms.

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