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

[gopokes88]

Oklahoma weather can be accurately described as "biblical"

[HOT ROD]

OKC does have another Lake Hefner, and it's actually larger body of water known as Lake Stanley Draper.

The key is linking the two to better serve the entire city. I don't think there was ever the same water shortage from the Draper watershed that there was from the Hefner/Overholser section of the city. ...

[Bill Robertson]

OKC does have another Lake Hefner, and it's actually larger body of water known as Lake Stanley Draper.

The key is linking the two to better serve the entire city. I don't think there was ever the same water shortage from the Draper watershed that there was from the Hefner/Overholser section of the city. ...

When Hefner was so low summer before last so was Draper. My bother-in-law and I Geocache and we hiked through dry areas of Draper that should have been 15 to 20 feet deep. Boat ramps were 100 feet from water. Etc.

[Snowman]

When Hefner was so low summer before last so was Draper. My bother-in-law and I Geocache and we hiked through dry areas of Draper that should have been 15 to 20 feet deep. Boat ramps were 100 feet from water. Etc.

They were low for different reasons though, Hefner was low due to drought. Draper was low due to the pipeline that brings most of it's inflow was down for heavy maintenance for almost an entire year and it was being drawn extra at times to make up for Hefner's level, the kind maintenance they were doing will probably only happen around every fifty years. It's source near Atoka remained pretty high through the drought.

[HOT ROD]

yeah, I thought they were doing mtc on Draper but that otherwise it did not have any issue with the weather/drought unlike Hefner/Overholser.

Great news about Canton, hopefully it will not only fill up but get into the flood control zone a bit make for some nice rehab of the ecosystem.

[Urbanized]

Canton is still about a foot and a half below the top of the conservation pool, which is considered normal elevation. The top of the flood control pool is 23' above that, but you don't want to keep TOO much water in the flood control pool or you lessen the lake's ability to deal with catastrophic flooding upstream.

[gopokes88]

Canton is still about a foot and a half below the top of the conservation pool, which is considered normal elevation. The top of the flood control pool is 23' above that, but you don't want to keep TOO much water in the flood control pool or you lessen the lake's ability to deal with catastrophic flooding upstream.

yeah they won't let it get into the flood control pool they open gates and drain it, you know because it's a "flood control pool" sorta defeats the purpose if it's full

[OKCRT]

yeah they won't let it get into the flood control pool they open gates and drain it, you know because it's a "flood control pool" sorta defeats the purpose if it's full

Looks like the lake is back to pretty much normal levels. Only about a foot low now and prob. still rising.

[Laramie]

Looks like the lake is back to pretty much normal levels. Only about a foot low now and prob. still rising.

Great news for both Lake Hefner & Canton Lake.

[gopokes88]

Looks like the lake is back to pretty much normal levels. Only about a foot low now and prob. still rising.

CNLO2: Canton Lake (tabular)

[OKCRT]

Great news for both Lake Hefner & Canton Lake.

Yes plenty of water in Canton to fill Hefner a couple times if needed. Hopefully Hefner doesn't get to where it needs to take a draw but it sure is nice knowing that it's there. I we get rain anything close to last year Canton water will be in the flood zone.

[gopokes88]

Yes plenty of water in Canton to fill Hefner a couple times if needed. Hopefully Hefner doesn't get to where it needs to take a draw but it sure is nice knowing that it's there. I we get rain anything close to last year Canton water will be in the flood zone.

No they'll open flood gates and send it downstream all the way to lake eufaula. They keep the flood zone empty, in case of floods.

[OKCRT]

No they'll open flood gates and send it downstream all the way to lake eufaula. They keep the flood zone empty, in case of floods.

They may have to open the flood gate tomorrow for the first time in years. It appears that they have already had a good amount of rain today and tonight/tomorrow might send it over the top. Many people thought this lake was dead after OKC took what was rightly theirs but not so. The drought busting rains came just in time to save the lake. Hopefully everything is back to normal in Canton for the businesses.

I think they have the Walleye rodeo next month and the lake should be completely full for all the fishermen for the first time in years.

[baralheia]

At current, the lake is 98.22% full, which puts the lake just under 3" down from being completely full. Inflow appears to have tapered off after yesterday's soaking, and the gates are closed. Another good rain like that and Canton will edge into the flood control pool.

Canton Lake

[OKCRT]

At current, the lake is 98.22% full, which puts the lake just under 3" down from being completely full. Inflow appears to have tapered off after yesterday's soaking, and the gates are closed. Another good rain like that and Canton will edge into the flood control pool.

Canton Lake

They did have two releases over the past couple days though. At least that what it was showing yesterday. Don't understand why they would so maybe that was a mistake on the site?

[Snowman]

They did have two releases over the past couple days though. At least that what it was showing yesterday. Don't understand why they would so maybe that was a mistake on the site?

Possibly maintenance to clear parts of the channel, access part of gates or verify operation who knows. Hefner is slightly into the flood stage and Overholser is nearly full, ones further downstream are in similar condition, so the water is certainly not needed here.

[DowntownMan]

Possibly maintenance to clear parts of the channel, access part of gates or verify operation who knows. Hefner is slightly into the flood stage and Overholser is nearly full, ones further downstream are in similar condition, so the water is certainly not needed here.

I noticed Canton is officially full and any increase now is in the flood pool.

[OKCRT]

I noticed Canton is officially full and any increase now is in the flood pool.

I have been watching this and they have had several releases already. They released water before the lake was 100% full.

[Snowman]

I have been watching this and they have had several releases already. They released water before the lake was 100% full.

There are also time limits by law on how long water can be retained before a rough equivalent is to be released downstream, I think it is like one year. A few years ago it was highlighted how stupid parts of that are, where they were forced to release large amounts of water from an area that was in drought into an area that was already so flooded that water was breaching into populated areas of cities with heavy rain forecasted for days, making the flooding in cities worse.

[mkjeeves]

GUYMON, Okla. (KVII) — For the first time in decades, the Beaver River is now flowing near Guymon.

The river is flowing after heavy rainfall over the weekend. Extreme flooding was reported in the area following 2 days of intense rain.

Officials said they believe the amount of water flowing through the Beaver River is the most documented in at least 36 years.

Texas County was declared a disaster area following the weekend's severe weather. Flooding caused the closure of several roads throughout the area.


Beaver River flows for first time in decades near Guymon | KOKH

[kevinpate]

So maybe there is some hope for poor Lake(less) Optima ???

[gopokes88]

So maybe there is some hope for poor Lake(less) Optima ???

After another 30 storms maybe?

[OKCRT]

[QUOTE=gopokes88;950762]After another 30 storms maybe?[/QUOTE

I can't even find a water level reading for Lake Optima. I assume most of that water in the Beaver Creek video dumped into the lake. You just never know,it may fill up at some point in the future and make the people of Guymon' dreams come true.

[OKCRT]

Canton Lake well into flood control area now.

[gopokes88]

After another 30 storms maybe?

I can't even find a water level reading for Lake Optima. I assume most of that water in the Beaver Creek video dumped into the lake. You just never know,it may fill up at some point in the future and make the people of Guymon' dreams come true.

It might but the sheer amount of rain that's going to take is 1000 year flood amounts.

Panhandle Rains Turning Dust Bowl Back Into Lake | NewsOK.com

That article is 20 years old same problem back then.