Lake Hefner
Encyclopedia
Lake Hefner is a reservoir
in northwestern Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
. It was built in 1947 to expand the water
supply for the city of Oklahoma City. It also serves as a major recreational destination, as it is surrounded by 9.5 miles (15.3 km) of bicycle trails. Lake Hefner covers 2,500 acre
s (10 km²) and averages 29 feet (9 m) deep. It is named after Robert A. Hefner
, who served as mayor of Oklahoma City from April 11, 1939 to April 8, 1947.
The lake is situated within the Oklahoma City urban area and is subsequently closely bordered by residential areas to the
north, west, and east. The Lake Hefner Dam is located along the entire northern side of the lake. The Lake Hefner Parkway
borders the east side of the lake. The south side is the least developed, retaining the original forest along much of the shore. The Lake Hefner Golf Course is located on the southwest corner of the lake. Immediately south of this are the Oklahoma City docks, commonly known as the city-side docks, the largest marina on the lake. The other marina on Lake Hefner is the Oklahoma City Boat Club, a private organization that holds weekly sailboat races during the summer and is located on the east side. Just north of the OCBC is the East Wharf area, which contains several fairly upscale restaurants. On the south side of the lake is the YMCA
Sailing Center, and Stars and Stripes Park.
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
in northwestern Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City is the capital and the largest city in the state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, the city ranks 31st among United States cities in population. The city's population, from the 2010 census, was 579,999, with a metro-area population of 1,252,987 . In 2010, the Oklahoma...
. It was built in 1947 to expand the water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
supply for the city of Oklahoma City. It also serves as a major recreational destination, as it is surrounded by 9.5 miles (15.3 km) of bicycle trails. Lake Hefner covers 2,500 acre
Acre
The acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
s (10 km²) and averages 29 feet (9 m) deep. It is named after Robert A. Hefner
Robert A. Hefner
Robert A. Hefner Sr. was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 1949. He was born on February 7, 1874 in the community of Hefner Chapel four miles north of Lone Oak, Hunt County, Texas to William Lafayette Hefner and Sarah Jane Masters Hefner. Hefner was father to Robert A...
, who served as mayor of Oklahoma City from April 11, 1939 to April 8, 1947.
The lake is situated within the Oklahoma City urban area and is subsequently closely bordered by residential areas to the
north, west, and east. The Lake Hefner Dam is located along the entire northern side of the lake. The Lake Hefner Parkway
Lake Hefner Parkway
The Lake Hefner Parkway is a freeway of length 7.46 mi in northwest Oklahoma City that is part of a major north–south corridor across the western part of the city. It was opened in 1992.-Traffic information:...
borders the east side of the lake. The south side is the least developed, retaining the original forest along much of the shore. The Lake Hefner Golf Course is located on the southwest corner of the lake. Immediately south of this are the Oklahoma City docks, commonly known as the city-side docks, the largest marina on the lake. The other marina on Lake Hefner is the Oklahoma City Boat Club, a private organization that holds weekly sailboat races during the summer and is located on the east side. Just north of the OCBC is the East Wharf area, which contains several fairly upscale restaurants. On the south side of the lake is the YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
Sailing Center, and Stars and Stripes Park.
External links
- Lake website by Oklahoma City government
- Lake Hefner Bike Trails
- Hefner to Overholser Bike Trail
- Lake Hefner information, photos and videos on TravelOK.com Official travel and tourism website for the State of Oklahoma
- BLOG related to fishing Lake Hefner and other OKC lakes.
- Oklahoma City Kiteboarding website