Lake Oahe Lake Oahe Lake Oahe (oh-WAH'-hee) is a large reservoir behind Oahe Dam on the Missouri River; it begins in central South Dakota and continues north into North Dakota in the United States. The lake has an area of and a maximum depth of . By volume, it is the fourth-largest reservoir in the US. Lake Oahe has a length of approximately and has a shoreline of . 51 recreation areas are located along Lake Oahe, and 1.5 million people visit the reservoir every year. The lake is named for the 1874 Oahe Indian Mission. Lake Oahe begins just north of
Hiwassee Dam bend in the river known as Fowler Bend. The dam is upstream from Apalachia Dam (which is near the Tennessee-North Carolina state line) and downstream from Chatuge Dam. Hiwassee Dam and its reservoir are surrounded by the Nantahala National Forest. Hiwassee Village, a small community that developed alongside the dam and reservoir, is located immediately south of Hiwassee Dam. North Carolina State Highway 1314 (Hiwassee Dam Access Road) crosses the top of the dam. Hiwassee Dam is a concrete gravity overflow dam high and long, and has a generating capacity of 185,000 kilowatts. The dam's spillway is controlled by seven