Lake Altus-Lugert

Lake in Oklahoma, United States
The heavy rains caused local flooding and property damage in the Quartz Mountain Nature Park. The Altus Dam flood gates had to be opened to relieve excess water, after the lake reached its normal capacity.

Altus Dam is a concrete gravity, partially curved structure faced with granite masonry except on the downstream face of the overflow section. The dam is 110 feet (34 m) above foundation and 1,104 feet (336 m) long. It contains 70,200 cubic yards (54,000 m³) of concrete and masonry. Incorporated within the dam section are both controlled and uncontrolled overflow type spillways and an irrigation outlet works which delivers water into the project canal system. The 58,000 cubic foot per second (1,600 m³/s) spillway is regulated by nine radial gates. Lake Altus has a total capacity of , of which are dead storage, are flood control storage, and are conservation storage. The last of conservation storage is reserved for municipal water for Altus, Oklahoma. Appurtenant reservoir structures are Lugert, East, North, and South Dikes, located at low places on the reservoir rim. Lugert Dike, the largest, is 4,245 feet (1294 m) long and has a maximum height of 45 feet (14 m).

Lake Altus, in the scenic Quartz Mountains, offers year round recreation. The north portion of the reservoir area is managed for wildlife benefits by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. This includes a total water surface area of over , and a land area of over
Many types of recreational activity are allowed on and around the lake. Water skiing, jet skiing and swimming are allowed. Fishing is quite popular. The most prevalent species of fish are: black bass, catfish, crappie, hybrid bass, sand bass, walleye and white bass. This lake holds the record for the largest walleye and hybrid bass caught in Oklahoma. The lodge contains a large collection of art created by professional artists and the gifted students who attend the Quartz Mountain Arts Institute each summer.

Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation biologists announced in 2013 that the lake was essentially dead as a fishery. After conducting a four day survey in April 2013, using electrofishing and gill netting, they found no live fish. They estimated that toxic golden algae had killed more than 350,000 fish over a three month period. The department then began stocking the lake with shad and sunfish, so that a good forage base could be established. When it appeared that a solid population of forage fish was present, the restocking began with largemouth bass, crappie, walleye and channel catfish. But sampling conducted in May 2015 showed the lake was virtually lifeless again, apparently as a result of another golden algae bloom in the summer of 2014. Nevertheless, given the heavy rains in May 2015 that refilled the lake and lowered its salt content, the department stated its efforts to re establish a viable fishery in Lake Altus Lugert would continue. In 2017, Fisheries Chief Barry Bolton reported that the Altus Lugert fishery had recovered quickly, and that Altus Lugert was once again a fishing destination in southwestern Oklahoma.