Louise Geese and Flossie Luton on The Ol' Rock circa 1930. Photo courtesy of Dublin Historical Society
Dublin is home to the Scioto River, spanning the entire city from north to south. Its headwaters begin in Auglaize County in northwest Ohio, flowing south through Dublin, past Columbus and into the Ohio River.
The river has been an important resource throughout the years; from Dublin’s earliest inhabitants, the Adenas and Hopewells, to Dublin’s first settlers and beyond.
It’s also been a popular attraction. From the 1800s through the 1950s, “the Ol’ Rock” drew swimmers to the river, serving as a diving platform into a pool about five feet deep. It wasn’t legal to swim there in later years due to safety issues, but many still did.
Today the river continues to draw visitors, and it’s become even more inviting thanks to the addition of formal river access points for canoes and kayaks at Amberleigh Community Park, Dublin Spring Park, Scioto Park and one near the Emerald Parkway bridge. And the opening of the new Riverside Crossing Park in 2020 will draw even more activity to the water.
“We’re fortunate to have this natural resource in our back yard, and we encourage people to get out on the water to experience it for themselves,” says Matt Earman, parks and recreation director for the City of Dublin. “That’s why we offer formal access points in some of our parks, and recreation opportunities like kayaking.”
With so much happening on the river, water safety is more important than ever. That’s why the City is working with Washington Township Fire Department, Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) and other partners on a safety plan for the river.
One thing the plan will include is a map of entry points for water rescues.
“We average probably five to eight water rescue events annually in the Dublin area, and that doesn’t include mutual aid runs with other dive teams,” says Dalan Zartman, a water rescue specialist for Washington Township Fire Department.
In his 18 years with the Township, Zartman has seen plenty of enjoyable days on the river go wrong.
“What typically happens is the water is moving faster than people are aware of, they get swept up into the body of the river, and get hung up on an object like an island or other strainer.”
A strainer is any obstruction in the river that allows water to flow through it but blocks, or “strains,” people and boats. This could be an overhanging branch, log jams or a flooded island.
A strainer is just one of many things to look out for. To avoid a potentially lethal scenario, Zartman has two key safety tips for boaters to remember.
No. 1: Understand the hazards inherent with the water conditions.
Riverside Crossing Park rendering
Boaters should always check water conditions before going out. The U.S. Geological Survey provides real-time streamflow conditions on their website, waterdata.usgs.gov.
Rainfall can majorly affect water conditions, so check the forecast, too.
“When you have significant rainfall up north, the dam allows that water to flow through,” says Zartman. “Wherever there’s a constricting point, that’s where you’ll get really fast moving water, and lots of debris.”
No. 2: Make sure you’re dressed appropriately with a suitable flotation device.
On a warm summer day, you might not think of hypothermia as a threat. But due to cooler water temperatures in Ohio’s waterways, it’s important to wear layers year-round, and even bring a change of clothes in a waterproof bag.
Choose the right personal flotation device (PFD). Flotation, also known as buoyancy, is the force in pounds required to keep a person’s head and chin above water. An average person weighs around 10 pounds in the water with buoyancy, so look for at least 10 pounds of buoyance when buying your PFD.
What else can you do to be prepared? Educate yourself. The ODNR offers a series of education courses including general boating education.
If you do get into an emergency situation and you need to call 911, try to identify landmarks on the bank so rescuers can deploy at the appropriate place.
We’ve learned a lot about safety since the days of the Ol’ Rock. While jumping off a rock into the water is no longer anyone’s first-choice activity, water sports like canoeing and kayaking are only growing in popularity. No matter your skill level, challenge yourself to get out on the water this summer – safely.
Sarah McQuaide is public information officer for the City of Dublin. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
