Eufaula Dam is a dam across the Canadian River

Canadian River

The Canadian River is the longest tributary of the Arkansas River. It is about long, starting in Colorado and traveling through New Mexico, the Texas Panhandle, and most of Oklahoma....

 in Oklahoma

Oklahoma

Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...

. Completed in 1964, it impounds Eufaula Lake

Eufaula Lake

Eufaula Lake is a reservoir in Oklahoma. It is located on the Canadian River, upstream from its confluence with the Arkansas River and near the town of Eufaula. It is the largest lake in the state of Oklahoma with and of shoreline....

, one of the world’s largest man-made lakes, covering 102,500 acres (41,500 hectares). The dam serves to provide flood control, water supply, navigation

Navigability

A body of water, such as a river, canal or lake, is navigable if it is deep, wide and slow enough for a vessel to pass. Preferably there are few obstructions such as rocks or trees to avoid. Bridges must have sufficient clearance. High water speed may make a channel unnavigable. Waters may be...

 and hydroelectric power generation. It supports a 90 MW power station. The dam was approved by the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1946 and construction began in 1956. In February 1964, the river was closed and in July that year, the first generator was operational. By September, the other three generators were operational.

State Highway 71

State Highway 71 (Oklahoma)

State Highway 71 is a state highway in eastern Oklahoma. It runs from State Highway 31 in Quinton north to intersect State Highway 9 near Enterprise. It then continues north to Lake Eufaula Dam, and then turns east to end at State Highway 2...

runs across the top of the dam.