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The ponds and lakes scattered across the landscape of southwestern Oklahoma are man-made. When the first settlers arrived water resources were very limited.

Fortunately ground water is readily accessible. A well drilled on the museum grounds first encountered water at nine feet, although the total depth of the well is thirty-five feet. But for long stretches during the year, when rain is scarce, the attached windmill produces only a small amount of water.

Beyond agriculture where a reliable water supply is invaluable, the overall economic development of an area is tied to water resources. How large a community can grow, or what kind of an industrial base a town can support is tied directly to a stable water supply. As Altus and other communities in southwestern Oklahoma grew, they were necessarily concerned with water resources.

Fullerton Dam on Turkey Creek near Olustee was a fantastic agricultural success in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Constructed of stone and earth, the dam was fifteen feet high with a sliding outlet gate. Although short lived, the dam was a model for water resource development in southwestern Oklahoma.

By 1927, Altus completed a dam on the North Fork of the Red River creating Lake Lugert. An network of eighteen to twenty-four inch diameter redwood pipes carried water south to area farmers and the residents of Altus. The city established a local reservoir, a small lake itself, connected to Lake Lugert. Today the museum is across Falcon Road from the city reservoir.

During the 1940's, the US Bureau of Reclamation began building a new dam at Lake Lugert. Although stalled by World War II, the project finished after the war in 1947. This enlarged the existing lake and it was renamed Lake Altus. Today, Lake Altus supplies agriculture and industry in the area. Tom Steed Lake (northeast of Altus), completed in the 1970's, supplies municipal water.

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The original lake (Lugert) was named for a small town near the shore. The enlarged lake covered the abandoned townsite.

Area lakes also provide recreation centers. Lake Altus, situated at the western end of the Wichita Range, offers camping, fishing, hiking, boating, and other activities. With the reopening of the Quartz Mountain Lodge in 2001, the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute is once again headquartered in Southwest Oklahoma. For two weeks during the summer, students from across the state study with renowned artists in the visual, literary, and performing arts.

Quartz Mountain is an excellent place to experience the native environment of the area. As a state park, much of the land surrounding the lake remains undeveloped. Persons interested in geology often visit the Quartz Mountain area. There are not many places west of the Appalachians where can you see mountains that were old when the Rockies were new.

Last reviewed: 2004-Jan-21