Oakes is a city in Dickey County, North Dakota in the United States. The population was 1,979 at the 2000 census. Oakes was founded in 1886. The city of Oakes has recently built an updated outdoor pool, a new hospital, a new water treatment plant, a new discount store named ALCO, and a new Dialysis Center that was just completed recently and is open. Oakes is also adding on to its current gym that will include a stage and a new lobby with 2 women, 2 men, and a family bathroom. The new gym will be used for Phy Ed and sporting events like basketball and volleyball. The Stage will be used for plays and musical events. The Gym should be completed sometime in the first week of March, but the new lobby is already completed and opened. Oakes constructed a water treatment plant in order to be in compliance with drinking water standards for arsenic. In addition to flocculation to remove iron and arsenic, the plant uses nanofiltration to soften the water. According to information published in the Oakes Times, a local newspaper, water with a hardness of nine to grains will eventually be delivered. After the treatment plant started operating in 2008 there were complaints of ornamental and vegetable plants watered with municipal water dying. Investigation by the North Dakota Department of Health discovered the new municipal well constructed to serve the new water treatment plant was contaminated with Tordon. Details can be found in several articles published by the Aberdeen American News and at a website created to disseminate information and allow discussion of Oakes issues. Oakes high school has earned several state championships in North Dakota Class B athletics. Mostly recently they earned the 2009 State Class B Wrestling Championship.