Lake Thunderbird
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Lake Thunderbird is a reservoir located in Norman, Oklahoma. The lake was constructed between 1962 and 1965 for the purpose of providing municipal water to the nearby communities of Del City, Midwest City and Norman. It is formed by an earthfill embankment (dam) Script error: No such module "convert". long and up to Script error: No such module "convert". high on the Little River.
In addition to being a source for drinking water, Lake Thunderbird's secondary uses include numerous recreational activities, which fall under the jurisdiction of Lake Thunderbird State Park.
The lake is named for the Native American legend of the Thunderbird, a supernatural bird of power and strength. Many locals commonly refer to the lake as "Lake Dirtybird" due to the very murky lake water.
Reservoir
Norman Dam
The Little River valley was the subject of several Army United States Army Corps of Engineers studies in 1936 and 1947 for flood control. In 1953 the issue of water supply was raised among a council of local governments consisting of Norman, Midwest City, Del City, Moore and Tinker Air Force Base, and it was forecast that by the 1970s and 1980s the cities would be requiring all available water to meet municipal demand. A feasibility study in 1954 led to a plan report in May 1961, and construction began on Norman Dam in 1962.[1]
Oklahoma State Highway 9 was re-routed in 1963 from present-day Alameda Street to its current location, south of the lake. The dam and lake were completed in 1965 by the United States Bureau of Reclamation.[2] The earthen dam has a height of 144 feet and impounds 171,400 acre-feet of water.[3] The Bureau owns the dam, which is operated by the local Central Oklahoma Master Conservancy District.[4]
Reservoir details
The water temperature of the lake ranges from about Script error: No such module "convert". during the summer months to under Script error: No such module "convert". during the winter months. In the summer, at a depth of Script error: No such module "convert"., the water temperature is about Script error: No such module "convert". cooler than at the surface. Surface water temperature is usually about Script error: No such module "convert". during spring and fall months.
As of 2001, the lakes' standard surface level was at Script error: No such module "convert". above sea level, the maximum depth of the lake was Script error: No such module "convert"., with an average depth of Script error: No such module "convert".. The top of the Lake Thunderbird Dam was (and is) Script error: No such module "convert". above sea level, Script error: No such module "convert". above the standard level of the lake. The lakes' surface area was Script error: No such module "convert".. The volume of the reservoir (at this standard depth) was Script error: No such module "convert".. The total watershed area feeding the lake is Script error: No such module "convert".. The rate at which sediment was accumulating in the lake is Script error: No such module "convert". a year. The reservoir had lost a total of Script error: No such module "convert". of capacity since its completion in 1965. The shoreline length was Script error: No such module "convert".. The capacity of the reservoir, the maximum depth, and the average depth had all decreased since 1965. The following table gives original statistics for the reservoir from 1965.
| Full reservoir capacity | Standard capacity | Minimum capacity |
|---|---|---|
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| Maximum depth Script error: No such module "convert". | Maximum depth Script error: No such module "convert". | Maximum depth Script error: No such module "convert". |
| Surface elevation Script error: No such module "convert". above sea level | Surface elevation Script error: No such module "convert". above sea level | Surface elevation Script error: No such module "convert". above sea level |
Lake Thunderbird State Park
Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". The 6,000 acre (24 km2) lake is the centerpiece of Lake Thunderbird State Park.[5] In addition to boating, fishing, and swimming, the park offers a variety of land-based activities. These include camping, hunting, horse rental and boarding, equestrian trails, hiking, mountain biking, bird watching, nature trails, a nature center, and an archery range.
References
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