BUCKEYE LAKE

Lake residents struggle to cope with water levels

Anna Bisaro
abisaro@gannett.com

BUCKEYE LAKE – Six years after buying a lakeside home, Linda Frie and husband Mike were set to move in full-time when he retired. They've been fixing the house up for years, pouring love and savings into their "heaven on Earth."

But rather than a boat being attached to the dock behind their new retirement home on Buckeye Lake, two tires are visible, buried in the muddy bottom.

"We were just getting ready to retire and this happens," Frie said. "The more you think about it, the worse it gets."

Frie's home is on Lakeview Drive, on the northeast side of Buckeye Lake. The shoreline has been greatly extended from behind her house. Some nearby boats rest on the muddy bottom of the lake.

On April 2, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources began lowering Buckeye Lake to winter pool levels — or 888.75 feet above sea level. This was in accordance with recommendations from a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers report, released in March, that found Buckeye Lake Dam to be severely weakened. ODNR began lowering the water level to relieve pressure on the dam wall and reduce the risk of a dam breach.

A couple of doors from Frie, Mike Fischer lives with his wife in the house where he raised his children. Usually, his five grandchildren come every summer to enjoy the lake, but Fischer said he lacks the motivation to even clean up his backyard.

"We've got five grandkids and none of them are going to understand why there's no water here," Fischer said. "To not be able to boat is really hard."

Fischer's boat will remain in storage this summer. There's a yellow kayak in his backyard, but to put it in the water he will have to cross several feet of muddy embankment to reach the water's edge, which used to come right up to his green lawn.

Businesses try to stay positive

From where Frie and Fischer live, one can see the docks of Papa Boo's, which will be taken out this year and replaced with ramps for canoers and kayakers.

"This is something we are just going to have to deal with," restaurant manager Jeff Graiglow said. "We are just going to have to adapt."

Because boaters can no longer pull up and dock right at the restaurant, Graiglow said they will be expanding parking options for customers. Last Sunday, he said people came out to the restaurant in cars, on motorcycles and even golf carts.

Graiglow said he recognizes how lucky Papa Boo's is in being able to provide more land access to the restaurant, but they are not giving up on the water crowd. The docks that were damaged this winter behind the restaurant will be taken out and replaced with ramps for kayakers and canoers.

Around the bend, Sailor Joe's is hoping to weather the storm of the decreased water levels with as little business loss as possible. Manager Jeff Diley said he anticipates losses will be felt more during the week than on weekends.

"We're just trying to stay positive and push through the best we can," Diley said. Diley said his docks will not be removed, but he is grateful the restaurant has ample parking.

Even where the lake bottom is not visible, locals suffer.

"I was considering getting a pontoon, but not when I woke up this morning," said Terry Holycross, who works at Boat Boys marina. "There's more than low water levels that will keep people from boating."

Holycross, now 53, has lived on Buckeye Lake since he was in fourth grade. When he first heard the news about Buckeye Lake Dam and the reduction in water levels, he said he thought it was an April Fool's joke. Then he realized it was still March.

Because of the low water levels and new no-wake boating restrictions, Holycross now helps people prepare their boats for travel, rather than a summer on Buckeye Lake.

On Wednesday, Holycross helped Gary Harris clean up Harris's houseboat. It's the houseboat Harris has called home every summer for the past 30 years on Buckeye Lake. Harris lives in Pickerington, but since his retirement, he has been spending at least three nights a week on his boat, "Knot A Wake, Sleepin' Inn," usually docked right outside the Yacht Club.

This summer he is moving the 31-foot houseboat to Seneca Lake. He said he will miss the restaurants, camaraderie and atmosphere on the lake, but even if water levels rise in the coming years, he does not anticipate moving back.

"It's kind of like a marriage. Once you leave, you don't know if you'll come back or not," Harris said.

According to ODNR, water levels will remain at their winter pool until a new dam can be constructed. The department has received six applications from engineering firms interested in taking on the project. The department expects to make a final decision by the end of the summer.

abisaro@gannett.com

740-328-8822

Twitter: @abisaro_NEW