The Muskingum Watershed was started in 1933 to prevent floods. In 1913, there were floods in Zanesville, Marietta and other cities along the Ohio River. 500 people died in the flood. There are 38,000 acres of land in the watershed, for a total of 14 dams.
The only earth moved to make the lake was used to dam up Stillwater Creek. It was finished in 1936. It took 4 years for the water to fill the lake. It is the largest lake in the watershed totaling 2,300 acres covered in water. The town of Tappan had been torn down or moved from it homeland. There was a cemetery and a church that had to be moved out. The graves were had to be dug up. The area where the town used to sit is now underwater. The waters of Tappan are home to channel catfish, flathead, catfish, bullheads, white bass, large mouth bass, crappie, blue gill, yellow perch and walleye. Located along the lake are a swimming area, boating areas and a beach. There are 41 miles of shoreline.
