| Tenkiller Ferry Lake | |
|---|---|
| Tenkiller Ferry Lake and Dam | |
| Location | Cherokee / Sequoyah counties, Oklahoma, USA |
| Lake type | reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Illinois River |
| Primary outflows | Illinois River |
| Catchment area | 1,610 square miles (4,170 km2) |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 12,900 acres (5,200 ha) |
| Water volume | 677,000 acre·ft (0.835 km3) |
| Surface elevation | 632 feet (193 m) |
Tenkiller Ferry Lake, or more simply, "Lake Tenkiller," is a reservoir in eastern Oklahoma formed by the damming of the Illinois River. The earth-fill dam was constructed between 1947 and 1952 by the United States Army Corps of Engineers for purposes of flood control and hydroelectric power generation. The lake covers 12,900 acres (52 km²) and has a shoreline of over 130 miles (210 km) in the Cookson Hills of the Ozark Mountains of Cherokee and Sequoyah counties, about seven miles (11 km) northeast of the town of Gore a few miles from highway 10. One of the townships bordering this lake is Aqua Park, at the far southwestern edge of the lake.
Attractions near the lake include scuba diving, camping, hiking, fishing, golfing, water sports, scenic nature, fishing, and hunting. In addition there are eight miles (13 km) of trout fishing. There are also ten marinas, fourteen parks, 24 boat launching ramps, three floating restaurants, and many islands including Goat Island which is famous for the goats that inhabit it.
Other than the goats, many other animals inhabit the area including Canadian geese, ducks, monarch butterflies, warblers, and bald eagles.