silting and agricultural runoff. That and extremely hot dry summers cause the brine to become more concentrated. Oxygen in the water is mostly consumed by bacteria that break down organic matter in the water, leaving insufficient oxygen to support the fish. According to officials of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the future of the lake appears grim if no remedial action is taken. Proposed solutions are: Open the dam and allow the lake to flow into the river. Dig the silt out of the reservoir, which could cost $5 – 10 million. Plug the dam to raise the water level. There is a law requiring that a non federal partner help pay for restoration. The Corps regards this as an unlikely event. If no action is taken, the Corps has said that the seafood source will be depleted and the birds will abandon the lake. Recreation Also located along the shores of Great Salt Plains Lake is Great Salt Plains State Park. Recreational opportunities at Great Salt Plains State Park include boating, camping, picnicking, swimming, hiking, mountain biking and exploring. The park has RV and tent sites, comfort stations with showers, cabins, picnic sites, group shelters, swimming beach, playgrounds, boat ramps, fishing dock and equestrian trails. See also Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge References External links Great Salt Plains Lake Great Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge Great Salt Plains State Park Great Salt Plains Lake Area information, photos and video on TravelOK.com Official travel and tourism website for the State of Oklahoma Oklahoma Digital Maps: Digital Collections of Oklahoma and Indian Territory Reservoirs in Oklahoma Bodies of water of Alfalfa County, Oklahoma Salt flats of the United States United States Army Corps of Engineers dams Protected areas of Alfalfa County, Oklahoma Geography of Oklahoma 1941 establishments in Oklahoma