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.[2]
Its primary uses are for fishing and general recreation.[3] 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.[4] The town limits of Fort Towson were extended in 1979, so that residents around the lake would be enumerated in Fort Towson.[5]
Description of lake and dam
The lake has 9.9 miles (15.9 km) of shoreline and its surface normally covers 263 acres (106 ha).[6] Lake elevation is approximately 400 feet (120 m)[1] The maximum capacity is 3,960 acre-ft and the normal storage is 1,681 acre-ft.[6] The average depth is 6.4 feet (2.0 m), with a maximum depth of 22 feet (6.7 m)[6] The earthen dam is 900 feet (270 m) long and 30 feet (9.1 m) high. Maximum discharge is 20,460 cubic feet (579 m3) per second. It drains an area of 65 square miles (170 km2)[2]
Fishing is permitted. Species include bass, catfish and sunfish.
Raymond Gary State Park
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.[3]
References
- ^ a b "Lake Raymond Gary Topo Zone Map in Choctaw County OK." Topozone. Accessed May 28, 2018
- ^ a b find lakes.com "Raymond Gary Lake, southeast Oklahoma."
- ^ a b Groom, Don. Southeast Fisheries Supervisor, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. "Lake Raymond Gary." Retrieved September 18, 2012.
- ^ [1] "100 Years of Oklahoma Governors:Governor Raymond D. Gary."
- ^ "City of Hugo and Choctaw County: History of Fort Towson."
- ^ a b c [2] TravelOK.com "Lake Raymond Gary" Retrieved September 18, 2012.