Lake Ellsworth (Oklahoma)

Lake Ellsworth is a lake in Caddo and Comanche counties in the state of Oklahoma in the United States.[1] It was built by the City of Lawton, Oklahoma in 1962, primarily to serve as a water supply source for Lawton and the surrounding area. The nearest community is Elgin, Oklahoma.[5]

Lake Ellsworth
Location of Lake Ellsworth in Oklahoma, USA.
Location of Lake Ellsworth in Oklahoma, USA.
Lake Ellsworth
Location of Lake Ellsworth in Oklahoma, USA.
Location of Lake Ellsworth in Oklahoma, USA.
Lake Ellsworth
LocationComanche / Caddo counties, Oklahoma, United States
Coordinates34°49′21″N 98°21′13″W / 34.8224154°N 98.3537206°W / 34.8224154; -98.3537206[1]
Typereservoir
Primary inflowsEast Cache Creek
Primary outflowsEast Cache Creek
Catchment area251 sq mi (650 km2)
Basin countriesUnited States
Managing agencyCity of Lawton
Built1962
Surface area5,600 acres (23 km2)
Average depth15.8 ft (4.8 m)
Max. depth54.2 ft (16.5 m)
Water volume59,470 acre-feet (73,360,000 m3)
Shore length153.5 mi (86.1 km)
Surface elevation1,207 ft (368 m)
SettlementsApache, Elgin, Fletcher, Lawton
References[2][3][4]
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Description edit

Lake Ellsworth has a stream source from East Cache Creek, 53 miles (85 km) of shoreline, and encompasses 5,600 acres (23 km2).[6][7] The normal capacity is 59,470 acre-feet (73,360,000 m3)[5]

Recreation edit

Recreational activities allowed include fishing, wakeboarding, water skiing and jet skiing. Swimming is allowed in most of the lake, except near the dam, boat ramps and the boathouse. However, swimming is at the visitor's own risk, since there are no lifeguards.[8] Fishing and camping facilities are maintained by the City of Lawton, Oklahoma.[9]

Several species of fish live in the lake, including channel catfish, crappie, flathead catfish, largemouth bass, saugeye, sunfish, walleye and white bass. In 1999, a fisherman caught an 85-pound, 4-ounce Blue Catfish, which was the state record for that species at the time.[8]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Lake Ellsworth". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved Jan 15, 2021.
  2. ^ "Oklahoma Water Resources Board Lake Map (2005) with recreation areas" (PDF). (746 kB)
  3. ^ "Lake Ellsworth" (pdf). Oklahoma Water Resources Board ~ Beneficial Use Monitoring Program (BUMP). Oklahoma State Portal ~ OK.gov. Retrieved 2012-10-21.
  4. ^ "Lake Ellsworth Map". Oklahoma Water Resources Board ~ Lakes Of Oklahoma. Oklahoma State Portal ~ OK.gov. Retrieved 2012-10-21.
  5. ^ a b "USGS 07308990 Lake Ellsworth near Elgin, OK". USGS. November 11, 2016. Accessed November 11, 2016
  6. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: East Cache Creek
  7. ^ Lake Ellsworth Oklahoma
  8. ^ a b "Lake Ellsworth, Oklahoma, USA." lakelubbers.com. Accessed November 11, 2016.
  9. ^ Lawton Boating-Fishing-Camping-Swimming-Hunting Regulations Archived 2007-10-17 at the Wayback Machine

External links edit