Robert S. Kerr Reservoir, body of water

Robert S. Kerr Reservoir is a large body of water in Oklahoma used mainly for fishing and boating. The area includes several parks along the shores with boat ramps, picnic facilities, and walking paths that give visitors access to the water and surrounding natural areas.

Construction of the lock and dam began in 1963, when the project was still called Short Mountain Lock and Dam; it was renamed for Robert S. Kerr, the Oklahoma senator who had long pressed for a navigable Arkansas River, after his death that year. The Corps of Engineers completed the work in 1970 at a cost of $94.566 million, as part of the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System. The dam holds a hydroelectric plant with four units totalling 110 megawatts.

The reservoir is named after Robert S. Kerr, an Oklahoma senator whose work shaped water development in the region. Today it serves as a gathering place for locals who fish, boat, and spend time along the shoreline enjoying the natural surroundings.

The reservoir lies about eight miles south of Sallisaw, impounded by Robert S. Kerr Lock and Dam at river mile 336.2 on the Arkansas River, a few miles below its confluence with the Canadian River. Observation decks at the lake's visitors center let guests watch barges and private craft pass through the lock system. The Corps of Engineers manages over 10,000 acres around the lake for public hunting.

The area is known for abundant bird and fish life that visitors often spot while walking along the shores or being out on the water. The numerous coves and islands offer chances to explore quieter places where nature and water come together.