2016 Map of Sparks

About this map

The town of Sparks and the community of Payson anchor this central Oklahoma landscape, where the water management of the Quapaw Creek watershed is the defining modern feature. A vast series of numbered flood control reservoirs, such as Quapaw Creek Site 1 Reservoir and Quapaw Cr Site 7 Reservoir, are distributed across the drainage basins of Quapaw Creek and its many tributaries. This complex hydrological network reveals a coordinated effort to manage the local environment and agricultural land. In the northeast, the Deep Fork River creates a broad, marshy floodplain. Cultural history is marked by the presence of White Dove Cemetery and Sunnyside Cemetery, serving as local genealogical anchors. The terrain is further etched by numerous named streams including Hogshooter Creek, Breakfast Creek, and Little Sand Creek, which weave through the section-line road grid.