About Spring Creek
Spring
Creek is the most pristine large Ozark stream left in the state of Oklahoma.
It begins in Delaware County near the town of Kansas, OK and flows southwest
approximately 34 miles through Cherokee, Delaware and Mayes Counties.
Spring Creek eventually discharges into the Ft. Gibson Reservoir. The
estimated average flow rate is 24,000,000 gallons per day. The Spring
Creek Watershed drains 124,000 acres.
About the Spring Creek Coalition
Landowners in the watershed are proud of their land and their way of life.
Many of them grew up in the woods hunting and fishing. Other landowners that
have moved to the area did so because the land was still remote, wild and free
and the water was pure. We all love the resource, but we want to avoid taking it
for granted and assuming someone else will take care of these problems. It is
far easier to complain about a problem than it is to do something about it! Many
of the landowners have come together to form the
Spring Creek Coalition.
Recreation & Wildlife
Spring Creek supports thirty species of fish, including Smallmouth Bass.
Seventy percent of these fish are cool water species and have strict habitat
requirements: they cannot thrive in degraded water quality or habitat.
Spring Creek water temperature ranges from around 45 to 75 degrees. The
combination of cool temperatures and crystal clear water make Spring Creek's
thirteen swimming areas enjoyable for recreational activities.
Spring Creek Watershed has provided excellent hunting opportunities for thousands of years, as indicated by the abundance of Indian artifacts in the area. An average of 2300 Whitetail Deer and 70 Wild Turkey is reportedly taken out of the watershed each year.
How Can We Help Preserve Spring Creek?
Current studies on Spring Creek indicate that a main problem is deterioration of the creek banks and streambed. Read more about this issue and how you can help in Streambed Degradation.
