Grand Lake o' the Cherokees
| Grand Lake o' the Cherokees | |
|---|---|
View of a portion of Grand Lake near Grove, Oklahoma
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| Location | Delaware / Ottawa / Mayes / Craig counties, Oklahoma, US |
| Coordinates | 36°36′43″N 94°50′29″W / 36.6119°N 94.8415°WCoordinates: 36°36′43″N 94°50′29″W / 36.6119°N 94.8415°W |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 46,500 acres (18,800 ha) |
| Surface elevation | 742 ft (226 m) |
| Settlements | Grove, Oklahoma, Disney, Oklahoma cheesetown |
Grand Lake o' the Cherokees is situated in Northeast Oklahoma, nestled in the foothills of the Ozark Mountain Range. It is often simply called Grand Lake. It is administered by the Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA).
The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture credits Henry Holderman, a member of the Cherokee tribe, as first envisioning Grand River as a source for hydroelectric power for the Cherokee Nation. Even prior to Oklahoma statehood in 1907, Holderman began building political support for such a project. A feasibility study by the Army Corps of Engineers attracted favorable attention in the Oklahoma legislature, leading to creation of the Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA), a state agency, in 1935. Construction began in 1938 on the Pensacola Dam on the Grand River (lower Neosho River) as a Works Progress Administration project. The dam was completed in March 1940, creating the lake behind it. Between 1941 and 1946, the U.S. government took control of Pensacola Dam to divert power to the war effort. Control was returned to the GRDA by the Congress and President Truman amid local celebration in August 1946.
Pensacola Dam is claimed to be the longest multiple arch dam in the world, its main span consisting of 51 arches totaling 5,145 feet (1,568 m) in length, and supporting a walkway and narrow two lane highway. A 120 megawatt, 6-unit powerhouse sits at the west end, with 21 spillways on the east end. The project's chief engineer was W. R. Holway (who was also responsible for Tulsa's Spavinaw water project), while the architect of record for the PWA-style Art Deco design of the dam and powerhouse was Tulsan John Duncan Forsyth.
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