Lake W. R. Holway

Lake W. R. Holway Dam
CountryUnited States
LocationMayes County, Oklahoma
Construction began1968
Opening date1968
Dam and spillways
Type of damearth and rock
Elevation at crest200 ft (61 m)
Reservoir
CreatesLake W. R. Holway
(Chimney Rock Lake)
Total capacity50,372 acre⋅ft (62,133,000 m3)
Surface area762 acres (308 ha)
Maximum water depth182 ft (55 m)

Lake W. R. Holway, or Chimney Rock Lake is a reservoir in Mayes County, Oklahoma on the Saline Creek arm of Lake Hudson (Oklahoma). It was created in 1968 by the Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA) as an integral part of the Salina Pumped Storage Project. It is northeast of Locust Grove and southeast of Salina, Oklahoma. Originally named Chimney Rock Lake, it was renamed in 1981 to honor W. R. Holway, the consulting engineer who was responsible for constructing the Spavinaw Water Project, Pensacola Dam, and other important projects.[1] Its primary purpose is peak power generation.

The lake covers 712 acres and has a shoreline of 21 miles.[2]

A hydrographic survey of the lake in 2009 resulted in the following dimensions for the normal lake at an elevation of 865 ft:[3]

  • Area 762 acres
  • Volume 50,372 acre-ft
  • Mean depth 66.1 ft
  • Maximum depth 182 ft.