Big Cedar Creek
Big Cedar Creek is an earth dam located in Le Flore County, Oklahoma, built in 1940. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Big Cedar Creek
The primary purpose of Big Cedar Creek is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Usda Fs (federal). It impounds the Big Cedar Creek.
The dam stands 55 feet tall and stretches 815 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 91 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,372 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 10 square miles. Completed in 1940, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 01/26/2016. That was 10 years ago — unusually long for a high-hazard dam, which typically requires more frequent inspections.
At 55 feet, this dam is taller than 94% of dams nationwide.
Living Downstream
If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The Oklahoma dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Oklahoma |
| County | Le Flore |
| River/Stream | Big Cedar Creek |
| Coordinates | 34.78399, -94.69340 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 55 ft |
| Dam Height | 55 ft |
| Dam Length | 815 ft |
| Year Completed | 1940 (86 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,372 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,372 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 1,217 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 91 acres |
| Drainage Area | 10 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | USDA FS |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Rated |
| Last Inspection | 01/26/2016 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | OK02303 |
| Federal ID | OK02303 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |