Eufaula Dam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eufaula Dam |
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 Location of Eufaula Dam in Oklahoma
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| Country | United States |
| Location | Haskell / McIntosh counties, east of Eufaula, Oklahoma |
| Coordinates | 35°18′25″N 95°21′29″W / 35.30694°N 95.35806°W |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | 1956 |
| Opening date | 1964 |
| Owner(s) | U.S. Army Corps of Engineers |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Earthen embankment, concrete gravity composite |
| Impounds | Canadian River |
| Height | 114 ft (35 m) |
| Length | 3,200 ft (975 m) |
| Spillways | 11 |
| Spillway type | Tainter gate-controlled ogee weir |
| Spillway capacity | 465,000 cu ft/s (13,167 m3/s) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Eufaula Lake |
| Total capacity | 2,099,000 acre⋅ft (2.589078377×109 m3) |
| Surface area | 102,000 acres (413 km2) |
| Power station | |
| Commission date | 1964 |
| Turbines | 3 x 30 MW |
| Installed capacity | 90 MW |
The Eufaula Dam is a large dam located across the Canadian River in Oklahoma, United States. It was finished in 1964. This dam creates Eufaula Lake, which is one of the biggest man-made lakes in the world. The lake covers a huge area of about 102,500 acres (41,500 hectares).
The Eufaula Dam helps with many important things. It controls floods, provides water for people, helps boats travel, and generates electricity. The dam has a power station that can produce 90 megawatts (MW) of electricity. This power comes from three generators, each making 30 MW.
Building the Eufaula Dam
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The idea for the Eufaula Dam was approved by a law called the Rivers and Harbors Act in 1946. Construction on the dam started in December 1956. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, a group that builds and manages many public works projects, was in charge of building it.
The total cost to build the dam was about $121.7 million. The dam was ready to help control floods by February 1964. The official opening ceremony for the dam happened on September 25, 1964. President Lyndon B. Johnson attended the event and dedicated the dam.
Managing Water Levels
The Eufaula Dam plays a key role in managing water levels in the Canadian River. For example, in the spring of 2015, there were very heavy rains. This caused Lake Eufaula to rise quickly. To prevent flooding, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had to open the dam's flood gates.
They released water at a very high rate, up to 48,000 cubic feet (1,359 cubic meters) per second. This was the highest amount of water released from the dam since 1990. State Highway 71 runs right across the top of the dam, making it easy to see this impressive structure.
