High Water Info & Safe Boating Tips from GRDA Lake Patrol

From GRDA Lake Patrol
High Water Info and Safe Boating Tips

At 3:00 PM on Friday, July 6:

	Grand Lake elevation was 753.99 feet.
	Grand Lake flood control pool was at 88.65 percent capacity.
	Total inflows into Grand Lake were 79,565 cubic feet per second (cfs).
	Total discharge through floodgates and generation (six units) was 89,849
	At the direction of the United States Army Corps of Engineers, eleven (11) floodgates were open at Pensacola Dam.
	Lake Hudson elevation was 635.45 feet.
	Lake Hudson’s flood control pool was at 95.85 percent capacity.
	Total inflows into Lake Hudson were 90,735 cfs.
	Total discharge through floodgates and generation (2 units) was 85,414
	At the direction of the Corps of Engineers, four (4) floodgates were open at Robert S. Kerr Dam.
	Currently, the United States Army Corps of Engineers is running new models and elevation forecasts for both Grand and Hudson lakes.

The Grand River watershed consists of approximately 12,000 square miles of runoff in parts of Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Of that total, over half—7,000 square miles—is uncontrolled runoff, meaning there is no reservoir to control it above the Pensacola Dam. However, the remaining 5,000 square miles of runoff passes through the John Redmond Dam, located near Burlington, Kansas, prior to reaching the Grand River system in Oklahoma.

Important boating information:
In light of the recent heavy rains and the higher elevations of Grand and Hudson lakes, the Grand River Dam Authority Lake Patrol wants to pass along some very important tips for those who are heading to the lakes for the upcoming weekend:

1) Be aware of floating debris. Higher lake levels can mean more driftwood and debris floating in the water. Please be on the look out as you are boating.

2) Stay away from floodgates and spillways. It is possible that floodgates on both Pensacola and Kerr dams will be open during much of the week. Please obey the buoys designating the spillway areas and allow plenty of distance between those locations and your boat.

3) Do not go into spillway areas below the dams. Please use common sense and stay away from areas below floodgates where water is being released. The swift water can be very dangerous.

4) Finally, use common sense while boating. The GRDA Lake Patrol reminds you to always play safe on the water, wear your life jacket and follow all boating rules and regulations. For more information, contact the Lake Patrol at (918) 782-9594 or visit the lake patrol web site.