| Lake Oahe | |
|---|---|
 Lake Oahe in winter, 2009 | |
  Lake Oahe  Lake Oahe | |
| Location | South Dakota and North Dakota, United States |
| Coordinates | 44°27′04″N 100°24′08″W / 44.45111°N 100.40222°W at Oahe Dam |
| Lake type | reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Missouri River, Cheyenne River, Moreau River, Grand River |
| Primary outflows | Missouri River |
| Max. length | 231 mi (372 km)[1] |
| Surface area | 370,000 acres (150,000 ha)[1] |
| Max. depth | 205 ft (62 m)[1] |
| Water volume | 23,500,000 acre⋅ft (29.0 km3)[2] |
| Shore length1 | 2,250 mi (3,620 km)[1] |
| Surface elevation | 1,647 ft (502 m) |
| Settlements | Pierre, South Dakota, Fort Pierre, South Dakota, Mobridge, South Dakota, Pollock, South Dakota, Fort Yates, North Dakota, Cannon Ball, North Dakota, Bismarck, North Dakota |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Lake Oahe (/oʊˈwɑː.hiː/) is a large reservoir behind the Oahe Dam on the Missouri River; it begins in central South Dakota and continues north into North Dakota in the United States. The lake has an area of 370,000 acres (1,500 km2) and a maximum depth of 205 ft (62 m).[1] By volume, it is the fourth-largest reservoir in the US.[1] Lake Oahe has a length of approximately 231 mi (372 km) and has a shoreline of 2,250 mi (3,620 km).[1] 51 recreation areas are located along Lake Oahe,[3] and 1.5 million people visit the reservoir every year.[1] The lake is named for the 1874 Oahe Indian Mission.[3]
Lake Oahe begins just north of Pierre, South Dakota and extends nearly as far north as Bismarck, North Dakota. Mobridge, South Dakota is located on the eastern shore of the central portion of the lake. Bridges over Lake Oahe include US Route 212 west of Gettysburg, South Dakota and US Route 12 at Mobridge. The former town of Forest City has been flooded beneath Lake Oahe, about 9 miles west of Gettysburg. Prehistoric archaeological sites have been explored in the area, including Molstad Village near Mobridge. It dates to before the emergence of the Arikara, Hidatsa, and Mandan as separate peoples, and has been designated as a National Historic Landmark.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Oahe Dam & Lake" (PDF). United States Army Corps of Engineers. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-06-14. Retrieved 2010-04-26.
- ^ "Gavins Point Dam & Power Plant". United States Army Corps of Engineers. Archived from the original on 2011-06-01. Retrieved 2010-04-26.
- ^ a b "Corps Lakes Getaway: Oahe Dam/Lake Oahe". United States Army Corps of Engineers. Archived from the original on 2010-05-12. Retrieved 2010-04-26.