| Raymond Gary Lake | |
| Location: | Choctaw County, Oklahoma |
| Coords: | 34.0092°N -95.2614°W |
| Type: | Reservoir |
| Inflow: | Gates Creek |
| Outflow: | Gates Creek |
| Date-Built: | Completed 1956 |
| Agency: | Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation |
| Area: | 263acres |
| Depth: | 6.4feet |
| Max-Depth: | 22feet |
| Volume: | 1681acre feet (normal) |
| Shore: | 9.9miles |
| Elevation: | (approx.) |
| Cities: | Fort Towson, Oklahoma |
| Pushpin Map: | Oklahoma#USA |
| Pushpin Label Position: | top |
| Pushpin Map Alt: | Location of Raymond Gary Lake in Oklahoma, USA. |
Raymond Gary Lake is a reservoir in southeastern Oklahoma, United States, one mile east of the town of Fort Towson in Choctaw County. It was constructed on Gates Creek in 1956 by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.[1]
Its primary uses are for fishing and general recreation.[2] The lake and the adjacent Raymond Gary State Park were named for Raymond Dancel Gary, who served as governor of Oklahoma from 1955 until 1959.[3] The town limits of Fort Towson were extended in 1979, so that residents around the lake would be enumerated in Fort Towson.[4]
The lake has 9.9miles of shoreline and its surface normally covers 263acres. Lake elevation is approximately 400feet[5] The maximum capacity is 3,960 acre-ft and the normal storage is 1,681 acre-ft.[6] The average depth is 6.4feet, with a maximum depth of 22feet[6] The earthen dam is 900feet long and 30feet high. Maximum discharge is 20460ft3 per second. It drains an area of 65mi2[1]
Fishing is permitted. Species include bass, catfish and sunfish.
Raymond Gary State Park is on the opposite side of Raymond Gary Lake from Fort Towson, and contains most of the public access to the lake. Recreational facilities include multiple fishing jetties, two boat ramps, a handicap-accessible fishing dock, restrooms and sanitary facilities. Hunting is prohibited in the park.[2]