Nichols Lake
Nichols Lake is an earth dam located in Okmulgee County, Oklahoma, built in 1910. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Nichols Lake
The primary purpose of Nichols Lake is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by City Of Henryetta (local government). It impounds the Tr-coal Creek near Henryetta.
The dam stands 37 feet tall and stretches 310 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 27 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 417 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1910, the structure is over a century old.
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. Its condition is rated poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 12/15/2022.
At 37 feet, this dam is taller than 84% 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 | Okmulgee |
| Nearest City | Henryetta |
| River/Stream | Tr-coal Creek |
| Coordinates | 35.40963, -95.98068 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 37 ft |
| Dam Height | 37 ft |
| Dam Length | 310 ft |
| Year Completed | 1910 (116 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 417 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 417 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 305 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 27 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 740 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | CITY OF HENRYETTA |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 12/15/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | OK11079 |
| Federal ID | OK11079 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |