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32 ft (9.8 m) above the standard level of the lake. The lakes' surface area was 5,349 acres (21.65 km). The volume of the reservoir (at this standard depth) was 105,838 acre-feet (130,549,000 m). The total watershed area feeding the lake is 163,840 acres (663.0 km). The rate at which sediment was accumulating in the lake is 393 acre-feet (485,000 m) a year. The reservoir had lost a total of 13,762 acre-feet (16,975,000 m) of capacity since its completion in 1965. The shoreline length was 60 miles (97 km). 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.
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367:. In addition to water activities the park offers hunting, horse rental and boarding, equestrian trails, hiking, mountain biking, nature trails, a nature center, and an archery range. The park has 447 primitive campsites and unfurnished one-room lake huts as well as RV provisions. The park is near two casinos. It had its own restaurant, the Clear Bay Cafe, until during the late spring rains in May and June 2015, Lake Thunderbird flooded and the restaurant was so badly damaged that it closed permanently. On
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The water temperature of the lake ranges from about 86 °F (30 °C) during the summer months to under 40 °F (4 °C) during the winter months. In the summer, at a depth of 30 feet (9.1 m), the water temperature is about 10 °F (5.6 °C) cooler than at the surface. Surface
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As of 2001, the lakes' standard surface level was at 1,039 ft (317 m) above sea level, the maximum depth of the lake was 58 ft (18 m), with an average depth of 15.4 ft (4.7 m). The top of the Lake
Thunderbird Dam was (and is) 1,071 ft (326 m) above sea level,
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There are a number of specified swimming beaches at Lake
Thunderbird, including Zoom Beach and Little Sandy. Little Sandy is protected by a buoy-line about 50 yards from the shore that prevents boat access, Zoom Beach has a designated swimming area with buoys indicating 'no boats' allowed. Regular
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The lake has two marinas and a boathouse that are operated and maintained by the Lake
Thunderbird Boathouse volunteer organization. The Boathouse Organization in cooperation with the Lake Thunderbird Education Foundation make possible several events throughout the year, including sailing lessons,
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weekly organized open water swimming events are organized by the
Triathlon Club of Oklahoma City in partnership with the Lake Thunderbird Boathouse from the end of April through to the end of September each year. Some 'winter swimmers' even swim throughout the colder months.
292:, 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.
340:
On April 6, 2021 local swimmer Piers Hale swam the length of the lake, covering a distance of 16,800 yards in 6 hours and 10 minutes. The water temperature was 59.5 degrees, the wind was 17-20 mph, gusts from 25-30 mph.
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409:. To date the octopus remains a myth since no freshwater species of octopus are known to exist, and because of the relatively young age of the human-made lake with no connecting inlets.
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winter migration corridor. Bald eagles are present at the lake roughly from
December through February. Guided eagle tours are provided by the Crow's Secret Nature Center.
399:. Due to an increase in reports of drownings in recent years, tales of the "Oklahoma Octopus" have increased, gaining national attention from media outlets such as
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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
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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
260:, a supernatural bird of power and strength. Many locals commonly refer to the lake as "Lake Dirtybird" due to the very murky lake water.
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sailing camps for children, an annual fishing derby for developmentally disabled children, sanctioned sailboat races, and fun regattas.
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253:. In addition to being a source for drinking water, Lake Thunderbird's secondary uses include numerous recreational activities.
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237:. The lake was constructed between 1962 and 1965 for the purpose of providing municipal water to the nearby communities of
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Fish species stocked at the lake include large-mouth bass, crappie, sunfish, channel catfish, white bass, and saugeye.
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of water. The Bureau owns the dam, which is operated by the local
Central Oklahoma Master Conservancy District.
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https://web.archive.org/web/20160306142219/http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Project.jsp?proj_Name=Norman%20Project
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In recent years the lake has become the subject of national attention due to allegations of a
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the Little River Marina was struck by a tornado and was closed until it was rebuilt in 2012.
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water temperature is usually about 60 °F (16 °C) during spring and fall months.
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I-Chun (Nicky) Wu; Hung-Ling (Stella) Liu; Lowell
Caneday (August 9, 2019).
249:) 7,300 feet (2,200 m) long and up to 144 feet (44 m) high on the
729:. Department of Geography, Oklahoma State University. pp. 122, 151–152
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Lake
Thunderbird is a venue for boating, fishing, swimming, and hiking.
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wrote a 2010 song "Kissin' in the Rain" about Lake
Thunderbird off his
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302:. The earthen dam has a height of 144 feet and impounds 171,400
748:"Lake Thunderbird State Park takes direct hit, remains closed"
878:"KISSIN' IN THE RAIN Lyrics - TOBY KEITH | eLyrics.net"
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Surface elevation 1,010 feet (310 m) above sea level
493:, released in 2021, also featured a song about the lake.
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Surface elevation 1,039 feet (317 m) above sea level
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Surface elevation 1,049 feet (320 m) above sea level
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The Little River valley was the subject of several Army
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The lake is named for the Native American legend of the
811:"Are Giant Octopi Eating Swimmers of Oklahoma's Lakes?"
363:
The 6,000 acre (24 km) lake is the centerpiece of
790:"Lake Thunderbird State Park Nature Center Activities"
724:"Lake Thunderbird State Park Resource Management Plan"
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and Norman. It is formed by an earthfill embankment (
892:"THUNDERBIRD Lyrics - TOBY KEITH; cowboylyrics.com"
767:. OK Dept. of Wildlife Conservation. Archived from
212:5,349 acres (8.358 sq mi; 21.65 km)
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953:Bodies of water of Cleveland County, Oklahoma
933:Protected areas of Cleveland County, Oklahoma
853:"Are There Giant Octopi in Oklahoma's Lakes?"
654:. Lake Thunderbird Boathouse. Archived from
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537:. US Bureau of Reclamation. Archived from
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948:United States Bureau of Reclamation dams
908:Oklahoma State Parks & Outdoor Guide
698:"Oklahoma's Lake Thunderbird State Park"
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33:Lake Thunderbird from the water surface.
679:. Lake Thunderbird Education Foundation
677:"Lake Thunderbird Education Foundation"
516:. Bureau of Reclamation. Archived from
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442:119,600 acre-feet (147,500,000 m)
439:196,260 acre-feet (242,080,000 m)
395:, believed by some to be a freshwater
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445:13,640 acre-feet (16,820,000 m)
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270:United States Army Corps of Engineers
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855:. Enter the Octopus. Archived from
456:Maximum depth 29 feet (8.8 m)
300:United States Bureau of Reclamation
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379:Lake Thunderbird falls within the
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453:Maximum depth 58 feet (18 m)
450:Maximum depth 68 feet (21 m)
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765:"Statewide Eagle Viewing Events"
700:. Oklahoma Parks. Archived from
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834:. Animal Planet. 13 August 2012
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95:Show map of the United States
16:Reservoir in Norman, Oklahoma
652:"Lake Thunderbird Boathouse"
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365:Lake Thunderbird State Park
359:Lake Thunderbird State Park
353:Lake Thunderbird State Park
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220:1,039 ft (317 m)
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535:"Norman Project Details"
509:Wm. Joe Simonds (1999).
387:Lake monster controversy
296:Oklahoma State Highway 9
487:album. His final album
428:Full reservoir capacity
138:35.220833°N 97.218056°W
943:Dams completed in 1965
923:Reservoirs in Oklahoma
474:Pop culture references
290:Tinker Air Force Base
143:35.220833; -97.218056
65:Show map of Oklahoma
318:Boating and Sailing
134: /
832:"Oklahoma Octopus"
704:on August 27, 2009
484:Bullets in the Gun
336:Long distance swim
632:Missing or empty
586:Missing or empty
490:Peso in My Pocket
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434:Minimum capacity
431:Standard capacity
413:Reservoir details
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217:Surface elevation
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938:Dams in Oklahoma
928:Norman, Oklahoma
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813:. OK Gazette
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393:lake monster
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369:May 10, 2010
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278:Midwest City
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251:Little River
243:Midwest City
226:
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209:Surface area
188:Little River
174:Little River
258:Thunderbird
233:located in
141: /
116:Coordinates
917:Categories
863:2009-08-29
838:2015-11-06
817:2009-08-29
796:2009-08-29
775:2009-08-29
708:2009-08-29
683:2009-08-29
662:2009-08-29
616:2012-07-20
570:2012-07-20
545:2009-08-29
497:References
479:Toby Keith
406:Lost Tapes
381:bald eagle
310:Recreation
264:Norman Dam
129:97°13′05″W
126:35°13′15″N
733:March 22,
304:acre-feet
231:reservoir
160:reservoir
625:cite web
579:cite web
327:Swimming
282:Del City
239:Del City
105:Location
792:. Wimgo
397:octopus
345:Fishing
274:Norman
727:(PDF)
521:(PDF)
514:(PDF)
286:Moore
229:is a
195:Basin
735:2021
638:help
592:help
288:and
155:Type
403:'s
247:dam
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
