Zink Lake

{{Short description|Lake in Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States}} {{Use American English|date=July 2025}} '''Zink Lake''' is a redeveloped man-made reservoir located along the Arkansas River in Tulsa, Oklahoma, designed as part of the city’s Vision Tulsa program to revitalize the riverfront with recreation, safety, and environmental improvements.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Zink Info-and-maps |url=https://www.riverparks.org/experience/zink-info-and-maps |access-date=2025-10-16 |website=www.riverparks.org}}</ref>

==History and Redevelopment== The lake traces its origins to the Zink Dam, constructed in 1982 to maintain consistent water levels in the Arkansas River through Tulsa.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=City of Tulsa |url=https://www.cityoftulsa.org/zink |access-date=2025-10-16 |website=www.cityoftulsa.org}}</ref> Over decades, sediment buildup and mechanical wear degraded the structure, limiting recreation. In 2020, Tulsa voters approved a $48 million reconstruction as part of Vision Tulsa, adding new gates, a stairstep dam design, and a 1,050-foot whitewater flume for recreation south of the pedestrian bridge.<ref name=":0" /> The redeveloped lake officially opened during the Labor Day weekend of 2024, attracting nearly 100,000 visitors.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Abrams |first=Ben |last2=OPMX |date=2024-09-05 |title=Meet Tulsa's Zink Lake, Oklahoma's newest body of water |url=https://www.kgou.org/science-technology-and-environment/2024-09-05/meet-tulsas-zink-lake-oklahomas-newest-body-of-water |access-date=2025-10-16 |website=KGOU - Oklahoma's NPR Source |language=en}}</ref>

== Recreation and Access == As of 2026, Zink Lake serves as a central hub for outdoor recreation, including kayaking, paddleboarding, and riverside trails.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Zink Lake Tulsa: Transformed Waterway Becomes Premier Outdoor Adventure Destination |url=https://www.zinklakerecreation.com/articles/history-of-zink-lake |access-date=2025-10-16 |website=Zink Lake Recreation |language=en-US}}</ref>

The redesigned dam includes updated safety features and improved water flow management. Ongoing monitoring focuses on water quality, sediment control, and ecological impacts, while officials emphasize safe recreational use.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wheeler |first=Graycen |date=2023-09-01 |title=Tulsa promises water quality monitoring in Zink Lake after completion of nearby construction project |url=https://www.kosu.org/energy-environment/2023-09-01/tulsa-promises-water-quality-monitoring-in-zink-lake-after-completion-of-nearby-construction-project |access-date=2026-04-23 |website=KOSU |language=en}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

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Category:Arkansas River Category:Artificial lakes of the United States Category:Lakes of Oklahoma Category:Geography of Tulsa, Oklahoma