Lake Hefner at record low water levels, when will city buy Canton water?

[adaniel]

UPDATE: Altus-Lugert is now almost 90% full, less than 3 feet below normal, and still filling at approximately 7,500 CFS as of this morning. It will be full by tomorrow, with additional water going into the flood control pool. Get your boats ready. The Western Oklahoma lakes may be the only ones open to boating for a while.

I will be surprised if any of the eastern Oklahoma lakes are open to boating before Independence Day, and unless we have a very dry June, it may be a stretch that they're open by then.

SW Oklahoma's scenery is vastly underrated, even among people native to Oklahoma. I had the opportunity to stay in the Quartz Mountain Lodge for a retreat a few years ago when the lake was somewhat full and it was fantastic. It felt like something you would see further out west than in OK. I'm thrilled the lake is finally filling back up.

I wish more people would give that area some love; the stop at Meers for burgers is worth the trip alone.

[Jeepnokc]

SW Oklahoma's scenery is vastly underrated, even among people native to Oklahoma. I had the opportunity to stay in the Quartz Mountain Lodge for a retreat a few years ago when the lake was somewhat full and it was fantastic. It felt like something you would see further out west than in OK. I'm thrilled the lake is finally filling back up.

I wish more people would give that area some love; the stop at Meers for burgers is worth the trip alone.

I agree. Here are a few pics I took a few years ago at the Wichita Wildlife Refuge

[soonerguru]

I love Western Oklahoma. I love Eastern Oklahoma, too. I love Southern Oklahoma. The only part I'm not crazy about is northern Oklahoma West of Ponca City.

[soonerguru]

If you want to see beauty, go hike through the Wichitas this weekend. There are waterfalls everywhere and all of the streams are rapidly flowing. Wildflowers everywhere. It's a fabulous place.

[kevinpate]

Last lodge stay for us was a bit over 3 years back. Lake at Quartz was horridly low then. Saw a photo from this morning that really made me smile to see the water up so well. Difference in April level and now is major major.

[Roger S]

You want to see how happy I am with all this rain?

After 3 years and being as much as 15 feet low... I was so happy to see my pond full that I walked on water.

[poe]

I agree. Here are a few pics I took a few years ago at the Wichita Wildlife Refuge

Great shots! Totally in love with that second photo.

[ou48A]

I love Western Oklahoma. I love Eastern Oklahoma, too. I love Southern Oklahoma. The only part I'm not crazy about is northern Oklahoma West of Ponca City.

It’s all in the eye of the beholder….That area of north central Oklahoma is Oklahoma’s most productive farm ground.

[kevinpate]

Just seems a bit appropriate for this thread.

[Mel]

And that's an indoor cat.

[kevinpate]

Whole lotta indoorsy kitties getting their lil' paws wet these days.

C'mon week of sunshine!

[UnclePete]

Who were the bright minds that decided on getting water from Canton? Seems like the arid parts of the state may not have much to spare.

[ctchandler]

Who were the bright minds that decided on getting water from Canton? Seems like the arid parts of the state may not have much to spare.

UnclePete,
I'm not sure if you are questioning the wisdom from recent years or the whole concept. Just to address the history, Enid didn't want the storage rights so OKC signed a contract with the Corps of Engineers for the water. As far as recent withdrawals, that was addressed in previous posts, and I believe Ubanized explained it pretty well in post 1926.
C. T.

[OSUFan]

Who were the bright minds that decided on getting water from Canton? Seems like the arid parts of the state may not have much to spare.

Freaking idiots, how dare they take something that belongs to them.

[Just the facts]

I think UnclePetes comment was in regards to the origin of the lake, but maybe not.

[jn1780]

Who were the bright minds that decided on getting water from Canton? Seems like the arid parts of the state may not have much to spare.

I don't know about Canton, but a lot of the lakes also act as flood control. So its cheaper to also use it to get water.

[Urbanized]

It was already mostly established in this thread that Canton was originally built primarily for flood control. The reservoir usage and recreational usages were apparently incidental, and a bonus.

[kevinpate]

Not Hefner, but saw this on fb today re the lake and quartz mountain resort north of Altus, as posted by Meteorologist Matt Mahler.


Left is March 6, 2015 and Right is June 4, 2015

[Bunty]

I've walked across that bridge before. It's real cool.

[DowntownMan]

I've walked across that bridge before. It's real cool.

I was told that Altus (sw ok) has lifted their water restrictions to level one which is basically no restriction.

I guess nothing was learned over the past years. They should at least go to a mandatory every other day or something.

[Snowman]

I was told that Altus (sw ok) has lifted their water restrictions to level one which is basically no restriction.

I guess nothing was learned over the past years. They should at least go to a mandatory every other day or something.

The lake is getting into the flood zone, their river is running high and there is more above average rain predicted in the next few weeks, so this is the time when some easing can be done on restrictions. Another month or two when Oklahoma is out of our normal rainy season is when it should start being looked at tightening back up.

[mugofbeer]

Too bad this cant go to fill Optima out in the panhandle. I think i read its never been filled

[OKCisOK4me]

Too bad this cant go to fill Optima out in the panhandle. I think i read its never been filled

Optima can never be filled because the Corps of Engineers made some kind of mistake when building that lake--something to do with the water table being waaaay lower than the level the lake sits.

[Urbanized]

I read somewhere that the Corps calculated Optima based on the conditions of the time - which factored the condition of the aquifer below - but that the completion of the lake coincided with the emergence of large-scale commercial farms in the area which all tapped and essentially permanently lowered the aquifer.

[Snowman]

I read somewhere that the Corps calculated Optima based on the conditions of the time - which factored the condition of the aquifer below - but that the completion of the lake coincided with the emergence of large-scale commercial farms in the area which all tapped and essentially permanently lowered the aquifer.

If in the area means all the way to at least Amarillo, TX that is certainly a heavy part of it. Granted the time between the original study/design and getting funding was probably at least a decade or more likely two. Though also it has been affected by land owners retaining more rain water on their property (thus never reaching the river) and cities near the river tapping the aquifer as well.

Another thing I read about Lake Meredith (a large lake near Amarillo on the river, or more accurately use to be), is that their regional rain pattern seems to have shifted somewhat and for the last few decades (long before this drought) it's catchment area has not been getting as much as it use to, even while other parts nearby have not been nearly as far off.