Canton Lake (Oklahoma) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Canton Lake |
|
|---|---|
 Canton Lake
Location in Oklahoma
Canton Lake
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Blaine / Dewey counties, Oklahoma, US |
| Coordinates | 36°7′23″N 98°35′58″W / 36.12306°N 98.59944°W |
| Primary inflows | North Canadian River |
| Primary outflows | North Canadian River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Water volume | 383,000 acre⋅ft (472 hm3) |
| Shore length1 | 45 mi (72 km) |
| Surface elevation | 1,615 ft (492 m) |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Canton Lake is a cool lake located in Blaine and Dewey Counties in Oklahoma, USA. It's found near the towns of Longdale and Canton. The main river that fills the lake is the North Canadian River.
This lake is super important! It serves as a major water supply for Oklahoma City. The city even pays to have water released from the lake when they need it.
Contents
About Canton Lake
Canton Lake is a large body of water. It has a shoreline that stretches for about 45 miles (72 kilometers). The lake's main purpose is to store water. It can hold a huge amount, about 383,000 acre-feet of water.
Building Canton Dam
The Canton Dam was built in 1948. It was a big project by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. This group helps manage many of the country's waterways. The dam is made of earth and stands 68 feet (21 meters) high. It is also very long, stretching over 15,000 feet (4,600 meters) across.
Even though the Army Corps of Engineers owns and operates the dam, Oklahoma City has special rights to use the water stored in the lake.
Fun at Canton Lake
Canton Lake is a great spot for fishing! You can find many different kinds of fish here. Some popular ones include largemouth bass, white bass, channel catfish, crappie, and walleye.
The Walleye Rodeo
Canton Lake is especially known for its walleye fish. In fact, it's a main source for walleye eggs. These eggs are used to stock other lakes in Oklahoma. Since 1968, the community has hosted an exciting event called the Walleye Rodeo. This four-day fishing competition lets visitors try to win cash and other cool prizes. The total prize money can be over $30,000!
Lake Facilities
If you visit Canton Lake, you'll find many things to do. There are boat ramps if you want to get out on the water. You can also enjoy picnic areas for a meal outdoors. For longer stays, there are campsites for both RVs and tents. The lake also has drinking water, group shelters, restrooms, and showers. There's even a swimming beach and a nature trail to explore.
Water Levels and the Lake
Lakes can have changing water levels. In early 2013, Oklahoma City needed more water. So, they moved about 30,000 acre-feet of water from Canton Lake to Lake Hefner. This helped fill up Oklahoma City's water supply.
Later that spring, heavy rains filled Lake Hefner back up. It even had to release water into the North Canadian River to prevent overflowing. However, this left Canton Lake about 13 feet (4 meters) lower than its usual level. This lower level caused some algae to grow more than usual.
Good news came in April 2016. The lake finally refilled completely from the water that was moved in 2013.
