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List of lakes of Oklahoma facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Oklahoma is a state with lots of water, even though it's in the middle of the country! It has over 200 lakes, and almost all of them are man-made. This means people built dams to create these lakes. Only a few natural lakes exist in Oklahoma, like oxbow lakes (which are old bends of rivers) and playa lakes (shallow, temporary lakes in flat areas).

Oklahoma has 62 oxbow lakes that are at least 10 acres big. The largest one is 272 acres and is found near the Red River in McCurtain County. Playa lakes are like shallow bowls in the ground, mostly found in the high plains. They usually only hold water after it rains. Oklahoma has about 600 of these unique playa lakes.

Oklahoma's Biggest Lakes

Broken-bow-spillway
Broken Bow is one of Oklahoma's deepest and most scenic lakes.
Salt plains NWR
Great Salt Plains Lake is the centerpiece of a wildlife refuge that is a critical way-station for migratory birds.
Fort Gibson Lake Oklahoma
Aerial view of Fort Gibson Lake and Sequoyah State Park. Many large Oklahoma lakes have state parks and lodges. Shorelines of most lakes are publicly owned and accessible to everyone.

Oklahoma is home to some really big lakes! For example, Eufaula Lake is the 34th largest lake in the entire United States, and Lake Texoma is the 38th largest. These lakes are measured by their surface area, which is how much space they cover on the ground.

Here's a list of some of Oklahoma's largest lakes, showing how big they are and how deep they get:

Name Capacity (acre feet) Surface Area (acres) Average Depth (feet) Water Clarity
Lake Texoma 2,643,000 88,000 30 Average to excellent
Eufaula Lake 2,314,000 105,500 22 Poor to excellent
Grand Lake o' the Cherokees 1,515,416 41,779 36.3 Average to excellent
Broken Bow Lake 918,070 14,200 65 Excellent
Tenkiller Ferry Lake 654,100 12,900 51 Excellent
Keystone Lake 557,600 23,610 23 Average
Oologah Lake 553,400 29,640 19 Average
Robert S. Kerr Reservoir 525,700 43,800 12 Poor
Kaw Lake 428,600 17,040 25 Poor to average
Fort Gibson Lake 355,200 14,900 24 Good
Skiatook Lake 322,700 10,190 32 Good
Sardis Lake 274,330 13,610 20 Average
Waurika Lake 203,100 10,100 20 Average
Markham Ferry Reservoir (Lake Hudson) 200,300 10,900 18 Average
Webbers Falls Lake 170,100 11,600 15 Average
Foss Reservoir 160,145 8,800 18 Average
Hugo Lake 157,600 13,250 12 Poor
Lake Murray 153,250 5,728 27 Excellent
Sooner Lake 149,000 5,400 28 Excellent
Lake Altus-Lugert 132,830 6,260 21 Fair
Atoka Lake 125,000 5,700 22 Poor
Lake Thunderbird 119,600 6,070 20 Average
McGee Creek Reservoir 113,930 3,810 30 Excellent
Canton Lake 111,310 7,910 14 Average
Tom Steed Reservoir 109,276 6,400 - -
Lake Ellsworth 92,500 5,600 17 Fair to poor
Lake Stanley Draper 87,296 2,900 30 Good
Fort Cobb Reservoir 80,010 4,100 20 Average
Lake Eucha 79,600 2,860 28 Excellent
Lake Hefner 75,000 2,500 30 Good
Lake of the Arbuckles 72,400 2,350 31 Excellent
Wister Lake 61,423 7,300 9 Average
Carl Blackwell Lake 61,500 3,370 18 Average
Lake Lawtonka 56,574 2,398 24 Good
Pine Creek Lake 53,750 3,750 14 Good
Lake W. R. Holway 48,000 712 67 Excellent
Copan Lake 43,400 4,850 9 Average
Lake Spavinaw 38,000 1,584 24 Excellent
Great Salt Plains Lake 31,240 8,690 4 Poor
Hulah Lake 31,160 3,570 9 Poor
Arcadia Lake 27,520 1,820 15 Average
Chouteau Reservoir 23,840 2,270
Konawa Reservoir 23,000 1,350 17 Excellent
Shawnee Twin Lake, No. l 22,600 1,336 17 Good
Fuqua Lake 21,100 1,500 14 Average
Lake McMurtry 19,733 1,155 17 Average
Birch Lake 19,200 1,137 17 Good
Bluestem Lake 17,000 762 22 Average
Dripping Springs Lake 16,200 1,150 14 Excellent
Bellcow Lake 15,613 1,153 14 Average
Lake Overholser 13,526 1,581 16.9 max Fair to poor
Greenleaf Lake 14,720 920 16 Good
Lake Ponca 14,440 805 18 Good
Okmulgee Lake 14,170 668 21 Good
Wes Watkins Reservoir 14,065 1,142 12 Good
Fort Supply Lake 13,900 1,820 8 Fair to poor
Lake McAlester 13,398 1,521 9 Average
Lake R. C. Longmire 13,162 918 14 Good
Okemah Lake 13,100 761 17 Average
Elmer Thomas Lake 12,000 334 36 Excellent
Lake Humphreys 11,900 840 14 Good
Chickasha Lake 11,480 (est) 820 14 Good
Holdenville Lake 11,000 550 20 Average to good

Where are Oklahoma's Lakes Located?

Many of Oklahoma's lakes are managed by different groups, like the Army Corps of Engineers, the Oklahoma Wildlife Department, or even local cities. This table shows where some of these lakes are, which river basin they belong to, and who takes care of them.

Public Reservoirs in Oklahoma
Reservoir Nearby Town River Basin Surface Area (acres) Elevation (feet above sea level) Maintained by Notes
Lake Altus-Lugert Altus North Fork of the Red River 6,260 1,547 Bureau of Reclamation Information and photos
American Horse Lake Geary 100 Oklahoma Wildlife Department Information
Lake of the Arbuckles Sulphur Rock Creek 3,127 881.5 National Park Service Information
Arcadia Lake Arcadia, Edmond Deep Fork 1,820 974 Army Corps of Engineers Information
Atoka Lake Atoka North Boggy Creek 5,700 617 Oklahoma City Information
Bellcow Lake Chandler, Oklahoma Bell Cow Creek 1,153 892 City of Chandler
Birch Lake Barnsdall Birch Creek 1,137 695 Army Corps of Engineers
Bixhoma Lake Bixby 110 899 City of Bixby
Carl Blackwell Lake Stillwater Stillwater Creek 3,350 977 Oklahoma State University
Bluestem Lake Pawhuska Middle Bird Creek 720 876
Boomer Lake Stillwater Stillwater Creek 251 896
Broken Bow Lake Broken Bow Mountain Fork River 14,200 627 Army Corps of Engineers Information
Lake Burtschi Chickasha 180 Oklahoma Wildlife Department
Canton Lake Canton North Canadian River 7,910 974 Army Corps of Engineers Information and photos
Cedar Lake Heavener Big Cedar Creek 86 900 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Information and photos
Evan Chambers Lake 80 Oklahoma Wildlife Department
Chickasha Lake Caddo County, Oklahoma Spring Creek 2086.8 1192 City of Chickasha
Chouteau Reservoir Chouteau Arkansas River 2270 511.5 Corps of Engineers MKARNS L&D 17
Clayton Lake Clayton Peal Creek 66 665 Information and photos
Claremore Lake Claremore Dog Creek 470 610 City of Claremore
Clear Creek Lake Duncan Clear Creek 600 1148
Ozzie Cobb Lake Rattan Rock Creek 116 513 Oklahoma Wildlife Department
Copan Lake Copan Caney River 4,850 Army Corps of Engineers Information
Lake Dahlgren Noble 30 Oklahoma Wildlife Department
Dripping Springs Lake Okmulgee 1150 741 City of Okmulgee Information and photos
Ellsworth Lake Lawton East Cache Creek 5,000 Information
Elmer Lake Kingfisher 60 1,119 Oklahoma Wildlife Department Information and photos
Carl G. Etling Lake Boise City Carrizo Creek 159 Oklahoma Wildlife Department
Eucha Lake Eucha, Oklahoma Spavinaw Creek 2,800 778 City of Tulsa
Eufaula Lake Eufaula Canadian River 102,000 585 Army Corps of Engineers Information, photos and videos
Fort Cobb Reservoir Fort Cobb Cobb Creek 2000 1341 Information and photos
Fort Gibson Lake Fort Gibson Grand River 19,900 582 Army Corps of Engineers Information, photos and video
Fort Supply Lake Fort Supply Wolf Creek 1,800 2,400 Army Corps of Engineers Information
Foss Reservoir Foss Washita River 5,956 1,652 Bureau of Reclamation Information and photos
Raymond Gary Lake Fort Towson Gates Creek 263 400 (approx.) Oklahoma Wildlife Department
Newt Graham Reservoir Inola, Tulsa Port of Catoosa Arkansas River 1490 532 Army Corps of Engineers
Grand Lake Grove, Afton, Langley Grand River 41,749 Grand River Dam Authority Information, photos and videos
Great Salt Plains Lake Jet, Cherokee Salt Fork Arkansas River 8,700 Army Corps of Engineers Information, photos and video
Greenleaf Lake Braggs Greenleaf Creek 930 699 Information and photos
Lake Hall Oklahoma Wildlife Department
John Paul Hammerschmidt Lake Fort Smith, Arkansas, Moffett, Oklahoma Arkansas River 7,700 392 Army Corps of Engineers
Hefner Lake Oklahoma City 2,500 Information, photos and video
Heyburn Lake Kellyville Polecat Creek 890 784 Army Corps of Engineers Information
Holdenville Lake Holdenville Little River 550 787
W. R. Holway Lake Salina Grand River 712 865 Grand River Dam Authority
Hudson Lake Locust Grove Grand River 12,000 649 Grand River Dam Authority
Hugo Lake Hugo Kiamichi River 18,196 404.5 (normal) Army Corps of Engineers Information and video
Hulah Lake Copan Caney River 3,570 733 Army Corps of Engineers Information, photos, and video
Lake Humphreys Stephens County, Oklahoma Wildhorse Creek 882 City of Duncan, Oklahoma
Lake Jap Beaver 65 Oklahoma Wildlife Department
Lake Jed Johnson Lawton Blue Beaver Creek 57.5 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Kaw Lake Ponca City Arkansas River 17,000 1,010 Army Corps of Engineers Information and photos
Robert S. Kerr Reservoir Sallisaw Arkansas River 43,800 478 Grand River Dam Authority Information
Keystone Lake Sand Springs Arkansas River 23,600 Army Corps of Engineers Information, photos and videos
Konawa Reservoir Konawa Canadian River (Jumper Creek) 1,350 924 Oklahoma Gas & Electric Company
Lone Chimney Lake Pawnee County Camp Creek 550
W. D. Mayo Reservoir Le Flore County, Sequoyah County Arkansas River 1595 413 Army Corps of Engineers
McGee Creek Reservoir Atoka McGee Creek 3810 577
McMurtry Lake Stillwater North Stillwater Creek 155 950 City of Stillwater
Nanih Waiyah Lake Tuskahoma 131 594 Oklahoma Wildlife Department
Jean Neustadt Lake Ardmore 462 City of Ardmore
Oklahoma Lake Okmulgee - - - -
Oologah Lake Oologah, Nowata, Claremore Verdigris River 29,500 638 Army Corps of Engineers Information, photos and video
Optima Lake Hardesty Beaver River Army Corps of Engineers Information
Overholser Lake Oklahoma City, Bethany, and Yukon North Canadian River 1,581 1,242 City of Oklahoma City and the Oklahoma City Water Utilities Trust
Pine Creek Lake Fort Towson Little River (Red River) 3,750 Army Corps of Engineers Information
Sahoma Lake Sapulpa Rock Creek 277 716 City of Sapulpa 2,543 acre feet, 9.15' mean depth, & 35.66' maximum depth. Hydrographic Survey, 2011, OWRB
Sardis Lake Clayton Jackfork River 14,360 599 Army Corps of Engineers Information, photos and video
Schooler Lake 35 Oklahoma Wildlife Department
Skiatook Lake Skiatook Hominy Creek 10,190 714 Army Corps of Engineers Information, photos and video
Spavinaw Lake Spavinaw Spavinaw Creek 1,636 679
Tom Steed Reservoir Snyder Otter Creek 6,400 1,407
Stroud Lake Stroud Lincoln Creek 621 855
Tenkiller Lake Cookson, Vian, Gore, Park Hill, Tahlequah Illinois River 12,900 632 Army Corps of Engineers Information, photos and videos
Texoma Lake Kingston Red River 93,000 Army Corps of Engineers Information, photos and videos
Elmer Thomas Lake Lawton Little Medicine Creek 334 1,383 Information, photos and video
Thunderbird Lake Norman Little River (Canadian River) 5,349 1,039 The Bureau of Reclamation owns the dam, which is operated by the local Central Oklahoma Master Conservancy District.
Vanderwork Lake Gotebo Oklahoma Wildlife Department
Vincent Lake Arnett Oklahoma Wildlife Department
Watonga Lake Watonga 55 1375 Oklahoma Wildlife Department
Waurika Lake Waurika Beaver Creek 10,100 951 Army Corps of Engineers Information and photos
Webbers Falls Lake Webbers Falls Arkansas River 11,600 Army Corps of Engineers
Wister Lake Wister Poteau River 7,300 478 Army Corps of Engineers Information and photos
Yahola Lake Tulsa 400 City of Tulsa

All Lakes in Oklahoma (Alphabetical List)

USACE Tenkiller Lake and Dam
Tenkiller Ferry Lake and dam.
Altuslake-2
Lake Altus-Lugert is located in the rugged Quartz Mountain region of Oklahoma.
Keystone Lake aerial map
A satellite photo of Keystone Lake illustrates the sinuous nature of most large Oklahoma man-made lakes
Lake Lawtonka and Mount Scott and Migrating Geese
Mt. Scott in the Wichita Mountains looms over Lake Lawtonka.

Here's a full list of lakes and reservoirs in Oklahoma, organized in alphabetical order:

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List of lakes of Oklahoma Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.