Meet The "Other" Mystery Dam on Lake Texoma




Let's face it, Lake Texoma is big. It's so big that there are many different "neighborhoods" to explore, whether you're just visiting the lake or seriously looking for a lake place to call your own. Although the Denison Dam is well known as the primary reason the Red River between Oklahoma and Texas swelled into the lake we all love today, there is actually another dam, or so it's rumored. Our mystery dam has a neighborhood all its own. But, first things first. The Denison Dam was built during the second world war, completed in 1944, and at that time it was the largest earth-filled dam in America. It eventually lost that status (now it's number 12) but it serves as flood control as well as a hydro-electric power generator, and, as many fisherman will tell you, a great place to fish. The Denison Dam is accessed by Highway 91, off Highway 75 at Denison, Texas. So, where is that other, mystery dam on Lake Texoma located? Actually, the Army Corps of Engineers calls it a levee, not a dam. But fisherman call it a dam, hence the confusion. And it's really two levees (dams) not one, just to confuse the issue a little more. The Cumberland Levee North and the Cumberland Levee South are located at the far north end of Lake Texoma, off Hwy 78, west of Fort Washita in Bryan County, Oklahoma. They control flooding in the area, which the Corps describes as "high risk," and serve as a significant component of the flood control purposes of Lake Texoma, augmenting the larger purposes of the Denison Dam. There's a little town called Cumberland that is located west of Lake Texoma in Marshall County, Oklahoma, in the general area as well. And, the partially restored ruins of old Fort Washita, unused since the Civil War period, are maintained by the Oklahoma Historical Society and open to the public, east of the levees. So, there you have it. You are in the know regarding the "other" dam on Lake Texoma. Don't let anyone (except the Army Corps of Engineers of course) tell you that there's only one dam on Lake Texoma. Now you know better!




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Lake Texoma Current Weather Alerts

There are no active watches, warnings or advisories.

 

Lake Texoma Weather Forecast

Saturday

Sunny

Hi: 86

Saturday Night

Clear

Lo: 69

Sunday

Sunny

Hi: 88

Sunday Night

Mostly Clear

Lo: 74

Monday

Mostly Sunny

Hi: 88

Monday Night

Partly Cloudy

Lo: 75

Tuesday

Partly Sunny

Hi: 87

Tuesday Night

Slight Chance Thunderstorms

Lo: 73


Lake Texoma Water Level (last 30 days)


Water Level on 5/18: 620.53 (+3.53)



Lake Texoma

Fishing Report from TPWD (May 15)

GOOD. Water normal stain; 67 degrees; 4.91 feet above pool. Striped bass fish are great using live shad on deep flats 50-60 feet of water and on humps along river ledges in 30-50 feet of water. Small schools of post spawn stripers with a lot of over 20 inch fish. Topwaters early along the rocks where shad are spawning as well. Bass fishing is good using live shad and top waters along the bluffs and dam wall in the clear water. Mudline is north and west of Washita Point with clear water on the southern end of the lake. Catfish are good on live shad and cut shad along the bluffs in 20-30 feet of water. Channel catfish are on the rocks in 5-10 feet of water, prepared baits and live shad are working. Crappie fishing is good on brush piles in 12-18 feet of water using jigs and live minnows catching them suspended around the structure and boat docks. Report by Jacob Orr, Guaranteed Guide Service Lake Texoma. Lake is flooded with floating debris so navigate with caution. Stripers can be caught along the mudlines, where the clear water and muddy water converge, with swimbaits and topwaters. Fish are moving around a lot but limits daily can be caught. Bait anglers are reeling in larger sized fish catches in deeper water. As the water starts to drop back down fish should return to the banks. There is sporadic bird action. Report by John Blasingame, Adventure Texoma Outdoors.

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