Overview
Paint Creek Lake is a 1,190-acre reservoir on Paint Creek in Highland and Ross counties in south-central Ohio. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Huntington District completed the project about 1974 for flood risk management and public recreation. The Corps project and Paint Creek State Park together create a large public-land block in the hill country of the Paint Creek watershed.
It has roughly 30 miles of shoreline and reaches about 30 feet deep in its steeper channels. Limestone bluffs, the Rattlesnake Creek arm, and steep channel banks give the lake more relief than a typical broad lowland impoundment. Rolling park terrain, wooded coves, and the old creek course combine to create varied structure for boaters working both the main basin and tributary arms around Paint Creek State Park.
Boating, camping, hiking, and fishing are the main public uses, with state-park access around the shoreline. Anglers pursue bass, crappie, catfish, and other warmwater species and should consult the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for current fishing guidance. Paint Creek State Park offers camping, ramps, fishing access, and quieter coves that attract visitors interested in both water recreation and the surrounding hill-country trails.
NGVD29 elevations include full pool at 798 feet, winter pool at 787.5 feet, and flood storage to 845 feet. Rainfall on Paint Creek can move the reservoir through that operating range, making current levels important after storms. Seasonal drawdown and flood-storage events can change ramp depth, dock access, and shoreline cover, so checking the pool before launching is recommended.
Current Conditions
Paint Creek Lake is currently 0.75 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 0.14 ft
- 30-day changeUp 0.26 ft
- Drought conditionsNo Drought
- Active advisories2 active (Advisory)
About This Lake
Learn how this lake is managed, what affects its water level, and where Lake Insights gets its data.
Paint Creek Lake is a 1,190-acre reservoir on the Paint Creek managed by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.