Oklahoma's Once-Pristine Lake Is Rapidly Transforming Into One Of America's Dirtiest

Some places in America have been making headlines for the right reasons, such as Orange County having more clean beaches than any other California county. Others have drawn attention for being on the other end of the spectrum, like the Ohio River, one of America's dirtiest rivers full of toxic chemicals. Unfortunately, when it comes to Lake Eufaula, Oklahoma, it's trending towards the latter, with many locals and regular anglers claiming it's far dirtier now than it was a year or two ago.

The water at Lake Eufaula has become so dirty and full of sediment that locals are claiming you leave behind a dust trail instead of a wake when you're boating across it. They're also switching up their fishing gear to help their hooks sink through the layers of mud throughout the water. Despite this, they're still reeling up mud, and more mud, instead of what the lake used to be known for: fish. 

Lake Eufaula has long been a year-round fishing destination, hosting annual tournaments where professional anglers reel in prize-winning white bass, catfish, and various other species. Unfortunately, due to increased levels of pollution, this may be changing. Anglers in the 2024 Bassmaster Opens competition weren't pleased with the drastically different water conditions when the competition was hosted at Lake Eufaula that year. "The lake seems very different from last year," 2023 Lake Eufaula champion, Joey Nania, said to Bassmaster. "Overall the lake is way, way dirtier this year." While Eufaula isn't as bad as Lake Okeechobee, the dirtiest lake in America, its pollution levels still put it in the top four dirtiest, according to chemical data from the National Water Quality Monitoring Council.

Lake Eufaula was created in 1964 by damming the Canadian River. The 105,500-acre behemoth is Oklahoma's largest lake and an important state resource, providing recreation, flood control, power and water supply, fish, and culture. Unfortunately, Oklahoma's lakes often face two simultaneous battles, against drought and silt. The original design of these lakes, including Eufaula, means debris and sediment builds up and requires expensive dredging to keep the lakes in a healthy condition. "Just to keep up with the amount of sediment that comes into Lake Eufaula on an annual basis, you'd have to be running — I think it was about 3,500 six-yard dump trucks a day," a U.S. Army Corps engineer, Greg Estep, said to State Impact back in 2015.

Despite this design flaw, the lake has continued to be used for recreation, including boating, watersports, fishing, swimming, and kayaking. Chemical runoffs from motorized watercraft, as well as sediment buildup, can harm the lake's delicate ecosystem. The sediment creates that brown, muddy surface people are now seeing, which can kill aquatic plants by blocking their sunlight. As plants die and decompose, the sediment builds, compounding the problem. Eventually, if nothing is done, the lake becomes shallower until it dries up completely.

Fortunately, projects are underway to help Lake Eufaula's ecosystem. The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation is putting 109 Shelbyville cubes into the lake. These innovative devices attract fish and help enhance marine habitats. As a visitor to the lake, you can help too. Reducing your waste on the land and water can make a big difference. You could also join or donate to Friends of Lake Eufaula, a community dedicated to keeping the lake clean.