The Lake of the Arbuckles is a

reservoir A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation. Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including contro ...

located in southern Oklahoma, southwest of Sulphur in Murray County. The lake covers and is a principal water supply reservoir for the city of Ardmore, some to the southwest. It also supplies water to the cities of Sulphur, Davis, Wynnewood and a large oil refinery near Wynnewood. The lake also provides flood control, fish and wildlife habitat and recreation opportunities.U.S. Department of the Interior. Bureau of Reclamation."Arbuckle Project."
July 20, 2012. Retrieved September 11, 2013.

Project timeline

During the early 1950s, a drought seriously depleted then-existing water supplies for the cities and towns in the Arbuckle area. Bureau of Reclamation representatives began meeting in 1956 with local officials about the feasibility of an Arbuckle water project. The proposed project was supported by the Oklahoma Congressional delegation. The Bureau prepared a preliminary development plan in 1961. Public Law 87-594, approved August 24, 1962 (76 Stat. 395) authorized the Arbuckle Project. The final development plan was completed in 1964. A contract to construct Arbuckle Dam was awarded June 9, 1964, and completed June 30, 1966. The project also incorporated certain other infrastructure. These included an aqueduct and pumping system to supply water to area customers, The contract for this construction was awarded August 27, 1965, and the work was completed in 1968. The Bureau turned over the operation and maintenance responsibilities to the Arbuckle Master Conservancy District on January 1, 1968.

Description of dam and lake

Arbuckle Dam, creating Lake of the Arbuckles, was built by the

United States Bureau of Reclamation The Bureau of Reclamation, and formerly the United States Reclamation Service, is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior, which oversees water resource management, specifically as it applies to the oversight and opera ...

on Rock Creek. at the confluence of Buckhorn, Guy Sandy, and Rock Creeks. The lake is very scenic, nestled within the

Chickasaw National Recreation Area Chickasaw National Recreation Area is a national recreation area in the foothills of the Arbuckle Mountains in south-central Oklahoma near Sulphur in Murray County. It includes the former Platt National Park and Arbuckle Recreation Area. Part of ...

. The dam is constructed of earth fill, with a volume of .Its height is and crest length is . The total capacity of the lake at elevation is .The conservation capacity is at elevation . The surface area at the maximum elevation is .

Water delivery systems

The Arbuckle project included a pumping station downstream from the dam and a pipeline to deliver water to Davis and Wynnewood. The pipeline diameter ranges from to .

Recreation

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation has rated the lake as the best for bass fishing in the state. The lake features 36 miles of shoreline. Fishing is permitted year-round for crappie, catfish, largemouth bass, white bass and bluegill. Facilities include three campgrounds for tents and RVs, picnic areas, public restrooms and boat docks and ramps. There are of land available for recreational use adjacent to the reservoir. Included within the

managed by the National Park Service, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation provides wildlife management.

References

External links

Bureau of Reclamation - Listing of Arbuckle Lake Facilities

Lake of the Arbuckles
- Video footage of the area and a list of local activities and resources. *
Lake of the Arbuckles information, photos and videos on TravelOK.com
Official travel and tourism website for the State of Oklahoma
Oklahoma Digital Maps: Digital Collections of Oklahoma and Indian Territory

Arbuckle Project.
U. S. Department of the Interior. Bureau of Reclamation.
Southcentral Region Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. Lake of the Arbuckles Fisheries Management Plan.
Retrieved July 25, 2013. {{authority control Dams in Oklahoma

Arbuckles The Arbuckle Mountains are an ancient mountain range in south-central Oklahoma in the United States. They lie in Murray County, Oklahoma, Murray, Carter County, Oklahoma, Carter, Pontotoc County, Oklahoma, Pontotoc, and Johnston County, Oklahoma, J ...

Protected areas of Murray County, Oklahoma United States Bureau of Reclamation dams Dams completed in 1966 Infrastructure completed in 1968 Bodies of water of Murray County, Oklahoma 1968 establishments in Oklahoma