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Skiatook Lake
Osage County

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From the 1986 edition of A Guide to Birding in Oklahoma published by the Tulsa Audubon Society. This account was partially reviewed and updated in 2007.

To reach Skiatook Lake, take SH 20 west of Skiatook. The first turn­off for the lake is 3.2 miles west of the intersection of SH 20 and SH 11. This turn south will lead to the project offices, dam, and Tall Chief Cove public use area. SH 20 continues west, crossing the lake three times in the next 8 to 10 miles with access to the public use areas of Skiatook Point, Osage Park, Black Dog Park, Bull Creek Peninsula, Twin Points, and Hominy Landing.

The lake began filling in late 1985 and has a surface area of about 10,500 acres and a shoreline of approximately 160 miles plus several small islands. The dam site is located on Hominy Creek. The main tributaries in the Hominy Creek drainage area are Tall Chief, Turkey, Gouin, Bull, Wildhorse, Boar, Sand, and Mahala creeks. Completed and future public use areas, most of which are peninsulas, consist of about 1,800 acres with an additional 8,000 acres to be avail­able for hunting and wildlife management.

The lake is among the rolling hills of Osage County. The habitat is a combination of large, open mixed-grass prairies and pasture lands, heavily wooded areas including postoak-blackjack forest with large limestone outcroppings and bluffs. Many redbuds may be found especially on or near these limestone bluffs.

At this writing it is difficult to determine future habitat development for the species of birds expected to be observed in the lake area. In appropriate seasons, species to be found include dabbling and diving ducks as well as geese, waders, and shorebirds, along with passerines. Planned elevation of 714 feet is projected to be reached in 1989 and until that time sufficient data will not be available to pinpoint specific habitat locations.