McGee Creek Reservoir is a reservoir in Atoka County, Oklahoma. It impounds the waters of McGee Creek and several smaller streams, including Potapo, Panther, Little Bugaboo, Bear, Blue, Mill, and Crooked creeks, all of which are tributaries of Muddy Boggy River. According to the Bureau of Reclamation (BuRec), the reservoir was designed to extend 14 miles up McGee Creek and 9 miles up Potapo Creek when the water is at "conservation level. McGee Creek Lake is bordered by the McGee Creek Wildlife Management Area, the McGee Creek Natural State Scenic Recreation Area, and McGee Creek State Park. The combined effect of these protected lands is to afford the area the same rural and isolated nature it has always known.

Description

Reservoir

McGee Creek Lake is 17 miles east of Atoka; 18 miles west of Antlers and 3 miles north of Farris, Oklahoma The reservoir, which filled at the completion of the United States Bureau of Reclamation McGee Dam in 1987, consists of 3810 acre surface area and 64 mi of shoreline. Its pool elevation is 577 ft above sea level and it holds 113,930 acre.ft. At flood stage its pool elevation is 595.5 ft above sea level and its storage capacity rises to 199270 acre.ft. The reservoir has a maximum depth of 116 feet at the dam when the water is at conservation pool level.

Dam and river outlet

The dam is an earth-filled structure that is 1968.5 feet long and 160.7 feet high across McGee Creek. An earthen dike 4800 feet long and 59 feet high, blocks several saddles on the west side of the reservoir rim. A riprap blanket prevents erosion of the upstream sides of both the dam and the dike. The river outlet works located on the east side of the dam release water to McGee Creek under extreme conditions. The works include an intake structure, three conduits (each about 15 ft in diameter), a stilling basin, associated gates and controls. The discharge channel to McGee Creek can pass flows ranging from 6500 ft3 to 50000 ft3 per second.

Municipal water outlet

Water from the lake is routinely pumped to municipal consumers via pipeline. The municipal outlet works has a bypass that diverts 11 cuft directly downstream to McGee Creek. This provides a constant stream of water that is beneficial to marine life. The river outlet works, located on the east side of the dam, handle this function. A separate intake leads to three conduits (each 15 feet diameter), which terminate in a stilling basin, that has a single pipe leading to the three variable-capacity centrifugal discharge pumps. The pumps discharge into a surge tank at the Atoka Lake, 18 miles away, via a concrete pipe that is 5 feet diameter. Other pumps then transfer the water to Oklahoma City.

History

The McGee Creek Project and McGee Creek Authority were established in 1978 to develop and maintain the McGee Creek Reservoir to provide a municipal and industrial water supply for areas in central and southern Oklahoma, including Oklahoma City and Atoka County. Under the direct supervision of superintendent Glen Russell, the authority has operated and maintained the reservoir and associated facilities, including an attached water pipeline, a surge tank, a regulating tank, a maintenance complex, and land easements surrounding these facilities. The U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Reclamation owns the reservoir, but has granted McGee Creek Authority ownership title to the project office, aqueduct and appurtenances, and other operation and maintenance related facilities.