U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...
of
Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
. The project provides a municipal and industrial water supply to seven Oklahoma towns. The project also provides over 3,500 acres of land and 7,300 acres of water surface for recreation and provides over 6,300 acres of land and over 5,500 acres of water surface for wildlife management, including the
Washita National Wildlife Refuge
Washita National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) of the United States located in Custer County, Oklahoma. Created in 1961 on the shore of Foss Lake, it was the fourth NWR in the state. It is west of Butler, Oklahoma.
.
History
Investigations 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 ...
began in 1945 to create a plan to address the basin's water supply problems and needs with further land and water resources development. Surveys were then conducted in 1946 and 1951 to determine what form of improvement was needed. The project was authorized in 1956 and work began on both the
Foss Reservoir
Foss Reservoir, also known as Foss Lake, is in Custer County, Oklahoma on the Washita River, about west of Clinton, Oklahoma. The reservoir was constructed during 1958–1961 by the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation. The project was known originally ...
and the
Fort Cobb Reservoir
Fort Cobb Reservoir (also called Fort Cobb Lake) is a reservoir located in Caddo County in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It impounds the waters of Cobb Creek (joining from the west), Lake Creek (joining from the north), and Willow Creek (joining ...
in 1958. The Fort Cobb Dam was completed in 1959 and the Foss Dam in 1961. Construction on the aqueduct for the Foss Reservoir lasted from 1960 to 1962 and on the Anadarko (Fort Cobb) aqueduct from 1958 to 1961.
Facilities
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Fort Cobb Reservoir
Fort Cobb Reservoir (also called Fort Cobb Lake) is a reservoir located in Caddo County in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It impounds the waters of Cobb Creek (joining from the west), Lake Creek (joining from the north), and Willow Creek (joining ...
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Foss Reservoir
Foss Reservoir, also known as Foss Lake, is in Custer County, Oklahoma on the Washita River, about west of Clinton, Oklahoma. The reservoir was constructed during 1958–1961 by the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation. The project was known originally ...
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 ...