Cushing Lake
Cushing Lake is an earth dam located in Payne County, Oklahoma, built in 1950. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a unsatisfactory condition assessment.
About Cushing Lake
The primary purpose of Cushing Lake is water supply. The dam stores water for municipal, industrial, or agricultural use, helping ensure a reliable supply for the surrounding area. The dam is owned by City Of Cushing (local government). It impounds the Big Creek near Yale.
The dam stands 48 feet tall and stretches 1,320 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 591 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 7,050 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 31 square miles. Completed in 1950, 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. Its condition is rated unsatisfactory, indicating serious safety deficiencies exist that require immediate attention or remedial action. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 12/07/2022.
At 48 feet, this dam is taller than 92% 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 | Payne |
| Nearest City | Yale |
| River/Stream | Big Creek |
| Coordinates | 36.01293, -96.87536 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 48 ft |
| Dam Height | 48 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,320 ft |
| Year Completed | 1950 (76 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 7,050 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 7,050 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 3,044 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 591 acres |
| Drainage Area | 31 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 21,974 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Water Supply |
| Owner | CITY OF CUSHING |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Unsatisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 12/07/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | OK10642 |
| Federal ID | OK10642 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |