McGee Creek Reservoir facts for kids
Quick facts for kids McGee Creek Reservoir |
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 McGee Creek Reservoir
Location in Oklahoma
McGee Creek Reservoir
Location in the United States
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| Location | Atoka County, Oklahoma, United States |
| Coordinates | 34°21′41″N 95°53′36″W / 34.3614°N 95.8934°W |
| Lake type | reservoir |
| Primary inflows | McGee Creek |
| Primary outflows | McGee Creek |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 3,810 km2 (1,470 sq mi) |
| Water volume | 113,980 acre⋅ft (0.14059 km3) |
| Shore length1 | 64 km (40 mi) |
| Surface elevation | 577 ft (176 m) |
| Settlements | Atoka, Oklahoma; Antlers, Oklahoma |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
McGee Creek Reservoir is a large, man-made lake in Atoka County, Oklahoma. It holds water from McGee Creek and many smaller streams. These streams include Potapo, Panther, Little Bugaboo, Bear, Blue, Mill, and Crooked creeks. All of them flow into the Muddy Boggy River.
The reservoir was planned to stretch about 14 miles (23 km) along McGee Creek. It also goes about 9 miles (14 km) up Potapo Creek. This is when the water is at its normal "conservation level."
McGee Creek Lake is surrounded by special protected areas. These include the McGee Creek Wildlife Management Area, the McGee Creek Natural State Scenic Recreation Area, and McGee Creek State Park. These areas help keep the lake and its surroundings wild and natural.
Contents
About McGee Creek Lake
Where is the Lake?
McGee Creek Lake is located in Oklahoma. It is about 17 miles (27 km) east of Atoka. It's also 18 miles (29 km) west of Antlers. You can find it about 3 miles (4.8 km) north of Farris, Oklahoma.
Lake Details
The lake was finished in 1987 when the United States Bureau of Reclamation built the McGee Dam. It covers an area of 3,810 acres (15.4 km2). The shoreline around the lake is about 64 miles (103 km) long.
The normal water level, called the "pool elevation," is 577 feet (176 m) above sea level. At this level, the lake holds about 113,930 acre-feet (140,530,000 m3) of water. When there's a lot of rain, the water level can rise to 595.5 feet (181.5 m). Then, it can hold up to 199,270 acre-feet (245,800,000 m3) of water. The deepest part of the lake is 116 feet (35 m) near the dam.
The Dam and River Outlet
The dam is made of earth and is very long. It stretches 1,968.5 feet (600.0 m) across McGee Creek. It is also 160.7 feet (49.0 m) high. There's also a long earthen wall, called a dike, that is 4,800 feet (1,500 m) long and 59 feet (18 m) high. This dike blocks water from flowing out on the west side of the lake.
Both the dam and the dike are covered with a layer of large rocks. This rock layer is called riprap. It helps stop the soil from washing away.
On the east side of the dam, there are special structures called "river outlet works." These are used to release water into McGee Creek during extreme conditions. They include an intake structure and three large pipes, each about 15 feet (4.6 m) wide. There's also a stilling basin, which slows down the water, and special gates to control the flow. The water released can range from 6,500 cubic feet (180 m3) to 50,000 cubic feet (1,400 m3) per second.
Water for Cities
Water from McGee Creek Lake is regularly sent to cities through pipelines. This is for people to use as drinking water. The system has a bypass that sends a small amount of water directly into McGee Creek. This constant flow of water helps keep the plants and animals in the creek healthy.
The municipal outlet works also have three large pipes, each 15 feet (4.6 m) wide. These pipes lead to a stilling basin. From there, a single pipe goes to three large pumps. These pumps send the water to a surge tank at Atoka Lake, which is 18 miles (29 km) away. Other pumps then move the water further to Oklahoma City.
History of the Project
The McGee Creek Project started in 1978. The McGee Creek Authority was also created then. Their main goal was to build and manage the McGee Creek Reservoir. This was to provide water for homes and industries in central and southern Oklahoma. This included Oklahoma City and Atoka County.
The McGee Creek Authority manages the reservoir and all its related parts. This includes the water pipeline, surge tank, and maintenance buildings. They also manage the land around these facilities. The U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, owns the reservoir itself. However, the McGee Creek Authority owns and operates the project office and other facilities needed to run the reservoir.
