Snakes are among the few animals that frighten enthusiastic boaters, swimmers, and aquatic enthusiasts more than other creatures that inhabit and lurk beneath the waters of lakes and rivers across the continental United States.
Due of their inevitable need to surface for air, alligators are common and generally simple to spot in Florida. Snakes are not in need of such kind of survival.
Because of this awareness and worry, many individuals will refrain from diving into uncharted lakes and ponds unless they have a thorough understanding of the area indigenous wildlife.
These knowledgeable people have good reason to be worried, particularly if they have never visited any of the five unique lakes that dot Oklahoma.
While certain snakes will prey on swimmers and boaters, others will avoid them, all are worthy of awareness, respect, and understanding.
Lake Thunderbird
Collinsville Lake, a 55-acre artificial reservoir, is barely 25 feet deep. The topography is a range system that provides breathtaking views as it rises and falls around the lake’s edge. It is a well-liked location for hiking, mountain biking, water sports, and general nature trekking.
The cottonmouth, a very poisonous water snake that only becomes hostile when confronted, is the most prevalent snake to inhabit this tiny lake.
In the water snake community, cottonmouths are the most prevalent species and live and reproduce in the lake and nearby wetlands. Raccoons and garter snakes are examples of other snakes.
Lake Eufaula
With 102,000 acres and more than 600 miles of shoreline, Lake Eufaula is the biggest of the snake-infested lakes.
It is a reservoir on the Canadian River that has been built to control flooding and supply water to nearby settlements. Because of its enormous size, it is a top venue for a wide range of water sports and activities.
The vastness of the lake also provides ample room for snakes of all kinds to establish themselves, as one might expect.
Swimmers and boaters may come across three species: water snakes, copperheads, and western diamondbacks.
Although they are frequently seen in the marshy areas surrounding the lake, they have also been spotted close to less crowded swimming spots, so if you see them, leave them alone.
Collinsville Lake
Collinsville Lake, a 55-acre artificial reservoir, is barely 25 feet deep. The topography is a range system that provides breathtaking views as it rises and falls around the lake’s edge. It is a well-liked location for hiking, mountain biking, water sports, and general nature trekking.
The cottonmouth, a very poisonous water snake that only becomes hostile when confronted, is the most prevalent snake to inhabit this tiny lake.
In the water snake community, cottonmouths are the most prevalent species and live and reproduce in the lake and nearby wetlands. Raccoons and garter snakes are examples of other snakes.
Lake Hefner
This magnificent lake close to the capital city was constructed in 1940 as another lake to supply water to the people.
It bears the name of Robert A. Hefner, the mayor of Oklahoma City from 1939 to 1947, who guided the city and its citizens. Although it is 2,500 acres, its size varies according to evaporation, rainfall, and water use.
Because of the tree cover and the high temperatures the state frequently experiences in the summer, water snakes, garter snakes, and rattlesnakes call this place home.
As previously mentioned, most water snakes are not poisonous, however garter snakes can be somewhat poisonous. Rattlesnakes should be respected and avoided if they are around.
Lake Texoma
If nothing else, Lake Texoma, which is located close to US Highway 54 and nestled between Oklahoma and Texas, is worth the trek since it offers a break from the intense summer heat in northern Texas.
It covers an amazing 89,000 acres and is a result of the Denison Dam. Constructed in 1944, it is regarded as one of the biggest lakes in the US.
A sizable body of water draws a remarkable variety of water snakes, such as rattlesnakes, copperheads, and the common water snake. They mostly avoid swimmers and boats and are more frequently observed fishing and hunting tiny rodents and insects.
They are not innocuous, though. There are several venomous and non-venomous snakes in Lake Texoma, so it’s critical to know which to look for.
