| McGee Creek Reservoir | |
| Location: | Atoka County, Oklahoma, United States |
| Coords: | 34.3614°N -95.8934°W |
| Lake Type: | reservoir |
| Inflow: | McGee Creek |
| Outflow: | McGee Creek |
| Basin Countries: | United States |
| Area: | 3810km2 |
| Volume: | 113980acre.ft |
| Shore: | 64km (40miles) |
| Elevation: | 577feet |
| Cities: | Atoka, Oklahoma |
| Pushpin Map: | Oklahoma#USA |
| Pushpin Label Position: | top |
| Pushpin Map Alt: | Location of McGee Creek Reservoir in Oklahoma, USA. |
McGee Creek Reservoir is a reservoir in Atoka County, Oklahoma. It impounds the waters of McGee Creek and several smaller streams, including Potapo, Panther, Little Bugaboo, Bear, Blue, Mill, and Crooked creeks, all of which are tributaries of Muddy Boggy River. According to the Bureau of Reclamation (BuRec), the reservoir was designed to extend 14miles up McGee Creek and 9miles up Potapo Creek when the water is at "conservation level.[1]
McGee Creek Lake is bordered by the McGee Creek Wildlife Management Area, the McGee Creek Natural State Scenic Recreation Area, and McGee Creek State Park. The combined effect of these protected lands is to afford the area the same rural and isolated nature it has always known.[2]
McGee Creek Lake is 17miles east of Atoka; 18miles west of Antlers and 3miles north of Farris, Oklahoma[3]
The reservoir, which filled at the completion of the United States Bureau of Reclamation McGee Dam in 1987, consists of 3810acres surface area and 64miles of shoreline. Its pool elevation is 577feet above sea level and it holds 113930acre.ft. At flood stage its pool elevation is 595.5feet above sea level and its storage capacity rises to 199270acre.ft.[4] The reservoir has a maximum depth of 116feet at the dam when the water is at conservation pool level.[1]
The dam is an earth-filled structure that is 1968.5feet long and 160.7feet high across McGee Creek. An earthen dike 4800feet long and 59feet high, blocks several saddles on the west side of the reservoir rim. A riprap blanket prevents erosion of the upstream sides of both the dam and the dike.[1] The river outlet works located on the east side of the dam release water to McGee Creek under extreme conditions. The works include an intake structure, three conduits (each about 15feet in diameter), a stilling basin, associated gates and controls. The discharge channel to McGee Creek can pass flows ranging from 6500ft3 to 50000ft3 per second.[1]
Water from the lake is routinely pumped to municipal consumers via pipeline. The municipal outlet works has a bypass that diverts 11cuft directly downstream to McGee Creek. This provides a constant stream of water that is beneficial to marine life. The river outlet works, located on the east side of the dam, handle this function. A separate intake leads to three conduits (each 15feet diameter), which terminate in a stilling basin, that has a single pipe leading to the three variable-capacity centrifugal discharge pumps. The pumps discharge into a surge tank at the Atoka Lake, 18miles away, via a concrete pipe that is 5feet diameter. Other pumps then transfer the water to Oklahoma City.[1]
The McGee Creek Project and McGee Creek Authority were established in 1978 to develop and maintain the McGee Creek Reservoir to provide a municipal and industrial water supply for areas in central and southern Oklahoma, including Oklahoma City and Atoka County. Under the direct supervision of superintendent Glen Russell, the authority has operated and maintained the reservoir and associated facilities, including an attached water pipeline, a surge tank, a regulating tank, a maintenance complex, and land easements surrounding these facilities. The U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Reclamation owns the reservoir, but has granted McGee Creek Authority ownership title to the project office, aqueduct and appurtenances, and other operation and maintenance related facilities.