Overview
Dillon Lake is a 1,325-acre reservoir on the Licking River near Zanesville in Muskingum County. Completed in 1961, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Huntington District project provides flood risk management and recreation. The Licking River valley setting connects the lake to a long-established regional recreation landscape, with Dillon State Park wrapping much of the public shoreline.
The lake has about 28 miles of shoreline in a wooded river valley. Its long Licking River reach includes coves, flats, and park-fronted banks that give boaters a mix of open travel water and quieter side arms. Sedimentation has been noted historically in portions of the riverine basin, reinforcing the importance of staying in marked water and watching for shallow flats as levels change around Dillon State Park.
Dillon State Park and Corps facilities support boating, camping, hiking, and fishing for bass, crappie, catfish, and other warmwater species. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources offers fishing regulations and species guidance for the lake. State-park camping, ramps, trails, and fishing access make Dillon a practical central Ohio outing, with the Licking River channel providing the lake's main orientation for navigation.
Elevations use NGVD29, with normal full pool at 737 feet and winter pool near 734 feet. Releases and watershed runoff determine fluctuations outside that seasonal operating range. Changes in Licking River flow can affect shallow upper reaches, launch conditions, and floating debris, so checking current levels before trailering a boat is worthwhile after storms or during seasonal transitions.
Current Conditions
Dillon Lake is currently 0.83 feet above full pool and has risen slightly over the past week.
- 7-day trendRisingLatest movement can differ from the seven-day trend.
- 7-day changeUp 0.11 ft
- 30-day changeDown 0.02 ft
- Drought conditionsNo Drought
- Active advisories1 active (Advisory)
About This Lake
Learn how this lake is managed, what affects its water level, and where Lake Insights gets its data.
Dillon Lake is a 1,325-acre reservoir on the Licking River managed by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.