Lake Texoma
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Lake Texoma is one of the largest reservoirs in the United States, and the 12th largest Corps of Engineers lake. Its surface spreads over 89,000 acres (360 km²) at the confluence of the Red and Washita Rivers, straddling the Texas-Oklahoma border. Normal water elevation varies from 615 to 619 ft (187.45 to 188.67 m) depending on the time of year.
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[edit] Popularity
Lake Texoma is the second most popular lake in the United States in terms of annual visitors, with 10-12 million visitors a year. This is largely attributed to its sheer size, which allows sports such as windsurfing and sailing, as well as its proximity to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex about an hour's drive to the south. Notable cities surrounding the lake in Texas are Denison, Sherman and Gainesville. In Oklahoma, notable cities are Durant and Ardmore. The Lake Texoma area, known simply as Texoma or Texomaland to locals, is experiencing a rapid period of economic growth due to its large number of tourists.
[edit] Development
In March 2006, a plan was announced by the Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department to divest itself from the state-owned Lake Texoma lodge & resort near Kingston in order to sell development rights to a private developer. The deal with a Connecticut developer fell through in May 2006, after a failure to raise $1 million in earnest money, forcing the land deal back out onto the open market with a forthcoming bidding process.
The popular Lake Texoma Lodge, which opened in 1956, officially closed its doors on December 1, 2006, to make way for a new development planned for Lake Texoma Lodge. The new development will include 18–36 holes of championship golf, a club house and practice facility, aquatic center, outdoor recreation center, nature parks, campgrounds, retail shops and an amphitheater, according to the proposal. It is estimated that the new development will cost $360 million, which will also include housing, as well as a "themed and unique" full-service hotel with restaurants, gym, business center, multiple pools, spa and meeting rooms. The proposed private community will have 250–350 high-end homes, ranging in size from 1,500 to 4,000 square feet (140 to 370 m²). Demolition on the old Lodge is expected to begin in March 2007, ending in March 2008. Construction on the hotel, lodge and convention center is said to begin right after demolition in March 2008, and is expected to be a 2-year project. The aquatic center and other amenities will follow, and by 2013, all developments and amenities should be finalized.
[edit] Recreation
During the spring break and fourth of July holidays many area college students home for the holidays, will join in an area called "fog bottom", on the Oklahoma side of the lake, to celebrate. Many boats join in this area and this creates a huge party. This area becomes very crowded, but no injuries major injuries have been reported.
[edit] Fishing
Lake Texoma has acquired the reputation as one of the premier fishing lakes in the Southwestern United States. The lake was stocked with striped bass in the late 1960s, and has proven to be an excellent habitat for them. It is one of the seven U.S. inland lakes where the striped bass reproduce naturally, instead of being farmed and released into the waters. The "stripers" feed on large schools of shad, and often reach sizes of 35 pounds (16 kg).
Catfish abound in the lake, also. In 2004, a blue catfish was pulled from the lake weighing in at 121.5 pounds, temporarily setting a world weight record for rod and reel caught catfish. The fish was moved to a freshwater aquarium in Athens, Texas. More commonly, catfish in Lake Texoma weigh from 5 up to about 70 pounds (2 to 30 kg).
Lake Texoma waters are home to several other species of fish, including crappie, white bass (also called "sand bass"), black bass, bluegill, pike, gar, sunfish, and drum.
Historically, Texas and Oklahoma have not had a reciprocal fishing license agreement, which has posed a problem for anglers. Recent boundary resolutions have given Oklahoma jurisidiction over most of the fishing in Lake Texoma. An Oklahoma fishing license allows fishing most of the lake, up to within 400 yards (370 m) of Denison Dam. To fish the entire lake, a Lake Texoma fishing license is also available.
