Heyburn Lake is a reservoir on Polecat Creek in Creek County, Oklahoma. It is about 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Sapulpa, Oklahoma. Tiger and Brown Creeks also drain into the lake. The nearest town is Kellyville, Oklahoma.[2] It was named for the now-defunct community of Heyburn.[3] Its primary objectives are to provide flood control, drinking water and recreation. It is owned by the Corps of Engineers. Heyburn State Park (Oklahoma) adjoins the lake.

Heyburn Lake
Location of Heyburn Lake in Oklahoma, USA.
Location of Heyburn Lake in Oklahoma, USA.
Heyburn Lake
Location of Heyburn Lake in Oklahoma, USA.
Location of Heyburn Lake in Oklahoma, USA.
Heyburn Lake
LocationCreek County, near Kellyville, Oklahoma
Coordinates35°57′09″N 96°18′10″W / 35.952629°N 96.302672°W / 35.952629; -96.302672
Managing agencyArmy Corps of Engineers
Built1950
Surface area940 acres (380 ha)
Water volume55,395 acre⋅ft (68,329,000 m3)
Shore length152 mi (84 km)
Surface elevation784 ft (239 m)
References[1]
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Description edit

The earthen dam was completed in 1950, and is 89 feet (27 m) above the original streambed and 2,920 feet (890 m) long.[3][4]

The lake capacity is 55,030 acre feet; the conservation storage provides 3,800 acre-feet of storage which includes 1,900 acre-feet for water supply and 1,900 acre-feet for sediment reserve.[3] The flood storage portion of the lake has 48,410 acre-feet reserved to store flood waters.[3] The normal surface area is 940 acres (380 ha).[4] The shoreline is 52 miles (84 km).[2]

Recreation facilities edit

Recreational facilities include boating, water skiing, swimming and fishing. Three areas offer campgrounds: Sunset Bay (tent sites), Sheppard Point (tent and RV sites) and Heyburn Park (RV sites). They all have picnic areas, restrooms, showers, playgrounds and boat launches.[2]

The Heyburn Public Hunting Area is a 6,000 acres (2,400 ha) tract that allows hunting quail, squirrel, rabbit, waterfowl and wild turkey.[2]

Heyburn, Oklahoma edit

The hamlet known as Heyburn, Oklahoma, was built along the Frisco railroad during the 1880s. It was named for a local resident, Clay Heyburn. By 1920, there were 35 residents, a railroad station, a post office, two general stores and a cotton gin. The post office opened December 11, 1911 and closed October 14, 1922. When U, S. Route 66 was built a half mile north of the community, one of the general stores moved to the highway. The rest of the hamlet was soon abandoned and the structures vanished. The store on the highway has changed owners and locations several times, but is still known as the Heyburn store.[5]

References edit

  1. ^ "Heyburn Lake". Archived from the original on November 1, 2011. Retrieved January 13, 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d Oklahoma Native America. "Heyburn Lake." Accessed January 8, 2012
  3. ^ a b c d "History of Heyburn Lake". U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa District Website. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
  4. ^ a b FindLakes.com, "Heyburn Lake, northeast Oklahoma." Accessed January 8, 2012.[1] Archived November 1, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ RootsWeb. Towns, Cities, Communities and Populated Places: "Heyburn." December 19, 2001. Retrieved January 12, 2012.[2]