Cedar Lake Drought Leaves Lake Seven Feet Below Normal

Cedar Lake Drought Leaves Lake Seven Feet Low as Wells Struggle in Canadian County

Residents around Cedar Lake in Canadian County are dealing with a lake roughly seven feet below normal and growing concerns about private drinking-water wells, but a state investigation says nearby dams are not responsible for the decline.

The Oklahoma Water Resources Board investigated complaints involving private dams, Cedar Lake’s water rights and the community’s water supply. Its findings point instead to a combination of extreme drought, evaporation, limited streamflow and declining groundwater levels in the Rush Springs Aquifer.

Cedar Lake Drought Investigation Finds No Evidence Dams Caused Decline

The investigation began after an anonymous complaint filed in May 2025 alleged that private dams were preventing water from reaching Cedar Lake.

Residents have argued that the Western Sportsman Club holds the lake’s water rights and questioned whether several dams owned by members of the Coffee family were retaining water that otherwise would flow into the lake.

Those concerns prompted the Oklahoma Water Resources Board to expand its investigation beyond the original complaint, examining the dams, water rights, groundwater conditions and drinking-water supply.

In its 69-page report, the board said investigators found no evidence that the dams interfere with Cedar Lake’s water right or caused the decline of the lake and surrounding wells.

The agency also determined the dams are stable and do not currently pose an immediate public safety threat.

Instead, investigators found evidence that Cedar Lake has faced water-supply challenges dating back to before the lake was constructed.

A 1956 letter from the Oklahoma Planning and Resources Board warned that natural streamflow would not be sufficient to maintain the lake and recommended using groundwater wells as a supplemental source.

Cedar Lake eventually obtained a 482-acre-foot groundwater permit, but according to the state report, that supplemental groundwater use ended in 2003.

Extreme Drought and Rush Springs Aquifer Affect Cedar Lake

The state investigation identified drought and water loss as major factors behind current conditions.

Cedar Lake was last reported full in 2019. The lake is estimated to lose between 280 and 320 acre-feet of water annually through evaporation alone.

The report said approximately 460 acre-feet of supplemental water per year would be needed to replace losses from evaporation and seepage.

Cedar Lake currently has a water right allowing approximately 163 acre-feet per year, while residents in the surrounding community rely on as many as 400 domestic wells.

Canadian County experienced severe drought conditions during 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, according to the investigation. In 2026, the Cedar Lake area is experiencing extreme drought.

The Oklahoma Water Resources Board also pointed to falling groundwater levels in the Rush Springs Aquifer, which contributes to Cedar Lake and supplies private wells in the area.

Those conditions are becoming increasingly noticeable for residents.

Some homeowners report having to manually operate well pumps and limit showers because their wells can no longer consistently provide enough water. Others say the dramatic decline in Cedar Lake has affected recreation and family traditions that have existed around the lake for years.

Cedar Lake Well Testing Finds Uranium Concern

The investigation also examined the quality of Cedar Lake drinking water as residents raised concerns about their private wells.

The Oklahoma Water Resources Board collected samples from 82 wells, which were analyzed by the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality.

According to the report, one well received a notice indicating that its water exceeded the drinking-water standard for uranium, creating a potential health concern for that individual water supply.

The broader investigation, however, concluded that Cedar Lake’s primary problem is a longstanding imbalance between the amount of water naturally entering the lake and the amount lost through evaporation, seepage and drought.

That leaves the community facing a complicated problem without a single source to blame.

The Oklahoma Water Resources Board said it is now working with the Canadian County commissioner, Oklahoma Rural Water Association and attorneys representing Cedar Lake to explore possible solutions for the community.

For residents, the state findings may resolve the question of whether the private dams caused the decline, but they do not resolve the larger concern: how to provide a reliable long-term water supply if drought and groundwater levels continue to strain Cedar Lake and surrounding wells.

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