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]

Raymond Gary Lake
Location of Raymond Gary Lake in Oklahoma, USA.
Location of Raymond Gary Lake in Oklahoma, USA.
Raymond Gary Lake
Location of Raymond Gary Lake in Oklahoma, USA.
Location of Raymond Gary Lake in Oklahoma, USA.
Raymond Gary Lake
LocationChoctaw County, Oklahoma
Coordinates34°0′33″N 95°15′41″W / 34.00917°N 95.26139°W / 34.00917; -95.26139
TypeReservoir
Primary inflowsGates Creek
Primary outflowsGates Creek
Managing agencyOklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation
BuiltCompleted 1956
Surface area263 acres (106 ha)
Average depth6.4 ft (2.0 m)
Max. depth22 ft (6.7 m)
Water volume1,681 acre⋅ft (2.073×10^6 m3) (normal)
Shore length19.9 mi (15.9 km)
Surface elevation400 feet (120 m)(approx.)[1]
SettlementsFort Towson, Oklahoma
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

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

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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

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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

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