The project provides a municipal and industrial water supply to seven Oklahoma towns.
The project also provides over 3,500 acres of land and 7,300 acres of water surface for recreation and provides over 6,300 acres of land and over 5,500 acres of water surface for wildlife management, including the Washita National Wildlife Refuge.
Investigations by the United States Bureau of Reclamation began in 1945 to create a plan to address the basin's water supply problems and needs with further land and water resources development.
Surveys were then conducted in 1946 and 1951 to determine what form of improvement was needed.
This article related to a protected area in Oklahoma is a stub.