▁Pan handle . ▁Return ing ▁into ▁the ▁Oklahoma ▁Pan handle , ▁the ▁course ▁passes ▁through ▁the ▁Opt ima ▁National ▁Wild life ▁Ref uge , ▁before ▁joining ▁the ▁Be aver ▁River ▁in ▁Texas ▁County , ▁Oklahoma ▁ ▁above ▁Opt ima ▁Lake ▁Dam . ▁ ▁Opt ima ▁Lake ▁Opt ima ▁Lake ▁was ▁built ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁res er voir ▁about ▁ ▁n ortheast ▁of ▁Hard esty , ▁Oklahoma ▁or ▁ ▁east ▁of ▁Gu ym on . ▁The ▁lake ▁is ▁essentially ▁dry ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁time , ▁because ▁of ▁decl ining ▁water ▁table ▁levels ▁ ▁and ▁periodic ▁dr ought s ▁that ▁have ▁affected ▁the ▁pan hand les ▁of ▁Oklahoma ▁and ▁Texas . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁the ▁lake ▁project ▁( comple ted ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 ), ▁was ▁largely ▁abandoned ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁when ▁pic nic ▁tables ▁and ▁other ▁structures ▁were ▁demol ished ▁for ▁safety ▁reasons . ▁Public ▁use ▁areas ▁have ▁been ▁left ▁open , ▁but ▁are ▁over g rown ▁by ▁veget ation ▁and ▁without ▁services ▁such ▁as ▁electric ity ▁and ▁water . ▁Major ▁improvements ▁have ▁been ▁post pon ed ▁in def initely ▁because ▁of ▁budget ▁cut s ▁to ▁the ▁Corps ▁of ▁Engine ers . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁List ▁of ▁rivers ▁of ▁Oklahoma ▁List ▁of ▁rivers ▁of ▁Texas ▁Opt ima ▁Lake ▁ ▁Notes ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁US GS ▁Geographic ▁Names ▁Information ▁Service ▁US GS ▁H ydro logic ▁Unit ▁Map ▁- ▁State ▁of ▁Texas ▁( 1 9 7 4 ) ▁ ▁Category : R ivers ▁of ▁Oklahoma ▁Category : R ivers ▁of