Eufaula Lake

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Eufaula Lake

Aerial view of Lake and Dam
Location Haskell / McIntosh / Pittsburg counties, Oklahoma, USA
Coordinates 35°16′51″N 95°31′47″W / 35.28083°N 95.52972°W / 35.28083; -95.52972Coordinates: 35°16′51″N 95°31′47″W / 35.28083°N 95.52972°W / 35.28083; -95.52972
Lake type reservoir
Primary inflows North and South Canadian Rivers
Primary outflows Canadian River
Basin countries United States
Surface area 102,000 acres (410 km2)
Average depth 23 ft (7.0 m) (avg.)
Max. depth 87 ft (27 m)
Water volume 2,099,000 acre feet (2.589×109 m3) (full pool)
Shore length1 600 mi (970 km)
Surface elevation 585 ft (178 m)
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Eufaula Lake is a reservoir in Oklahoma. It is located on the Canadian River, 27 mi (43 km) upstream from its confluence with the Arkansas River and near the town of Eufaula. The lake covers parts of McIntosh County, Pittsburg, Haskell and Okmulgee counties and drains 47,522 square miles (123,080 km2). Water sources include the Canadian, North Fork Canadian and Deep Fork rivers.[1] It is the largest-capacity lake in the state of Oklahoma (3,798,000,000 acre feet (4.685×1012 m3)), a surface area of 102,000 acres (410 km2) and 600 miles (970 km) of shoreline.[2]

History

Congress approved construction of the dam and lake in 1946 to provide flood control, hydroelectric power, water supply, navigation and recreation. The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers began construction of the 975 meter-long (3,199 feet) Eufaula Dam wall began in 1956 and was completed in 1964. President Lyndon B. Johnson came to Oklahoma to dedicate the dam on September 25, 1964. The dam holds back a lake area of over 412 square kilometres (159 sq mi). The hydroelectric power station was designed to provide 90,000 kilowatts of electric power from the lake waters.[1]

Standing Rock

Standing Rock is now covered by the waters of Lake Eufaula. The historic landmark stood in the middle of the Canadian river about two miles (3 km) below the junction of the North and South Canadians. When the lake is at its top level, 585 feet (178 m), the top of the huge upright rock is approximately 25 feet (7.6 m) below the surface.[3]

Recreational facilities

Activities at Lake Eufaula include boating, fishing, swimming, hiking, hunting, golfing and horseback riding. Picnic areas are scattered throughout the area. Facilities include marinas, boat ramps, swim beaches, tent and RV campsites, cabins, group shelters, restrooms, showers and an enclosed fishing dock.

A well-known tournament lake, Lake Eufaula draws anglers from across the United States to test their skills at catching largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, Kentucky bass, crappie, catfish, sandbass, stripers (below the dam), and other species.

Oklahoma created two state parks, Arrowhead and Fountainhead, to provide recreational activities and camping facilities at the lake. The state borrowed $8 million from the Federal government to build a lodge at each park. However, the lodges did not provide enough money to repay the loan, so ownership reverted to the Federal government. In 1986, the U.S. Economic Administration sold Arrowhead Lodge to the Choctaw Nation and Fountainhead Lodge to a group of private investors.[1]

Marinas

List of Marinas on Lake Eufaula.

  • Area 51 Marina
  • Belle Starr Marina
  • Duchess Creek Marina [4]
  • Eufaula Cove Marina [5]
  • Evergreen Marina [6]
  • Lake Eufaula Marina
  • No. 9 Marina [7]

Popular culture

The 2011 Jason Boland & the Stragglers song 'Farmer's Luck', written by Greg Jacobs, tells the story of how eminent domain laws were used to force farmers to sell their land to make way for the artificial lake.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 O'Dell, Larry. Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. "Lake Eufaula."Retrieved April 20, 2013.
  2. ↑ http://www.travelok.com/listings/view.profile/id.4330 accessed 6-23-2010
  3. ↑ Muskogee Phoenix Standing Rock surrounded by myths and legends accessed 11-21-2011
  4. ↑ http://www.duchesscreekmarina.com/ Duchess Creek Marina website accessed 3-24-2011
  5. ↑ http://www.eufaulacovemarina.net/ Eufaula Cove Marina website accessed 3-24-2011
  6. ↑ http://www.evergreenmarina.com/ website accessed 3-24-2011
  7. ↑ http://www.no9marina.com/ No. 9 Marina website accessed 3-24-2011

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike; additional terms may apply for the media files.