Representing a fragile ecosystem, freshwater lakes in Oklahoma present a particular challenge from Oklahoma’s sometimes-extreme weather.
With that in mind, the Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) – which oversees about 3,000 lakes and large ponds throughout the state – and the Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA) – which oversees water in eastern Oklahoma – keep a vigilant eye on water quality year-round.
Darla Whitley, administrator for the OWRB, notes that lakes, ponds and streams “touch the lives of every Oklahoman.” She says many Oklahoma lakes are formed by “jurisdictional dams” that, on average, are more than 60 years old.
“As these systems mature, careful monitoring of structural integrity, storage capacity, water quality and ecosystem health becomes increasingly important,” she says.
Shifting weather patterns don’t help. To assist, the OWRB has developed a plan with a goal of ensuring that “communities, industries and ecosystems continue to have the water they need from our lakes,” says Whitley.
Maintaining that consistent water quality is also the goal of the GRDA, which manages three lakes in eastern Oklahoma, including Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees, and in total, oversees some 70,000 surface lake waters.
Justin Alberty, GRDA spokesperson, says the lakes, which also include Lake Hudson and the R.W. Holway Reservoir, have fared well in Oklahoma’s fickle and sometimes harsh weather – even through extreme cold snaps such as the conditions experienced in February 2021, when temperatures plunged to near zero degrees.
“Managing the infrastructure during such cold extremes can be challenging,” Alberty says, “but the GRDA team handled it well. [We have] a very active and comprehensive water quality monitoring program.”
Monitors check for E. coli bacteria, algae and invasive species such as zebra mussels. The association also operates a water quality laboratory at Langley and another at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah that mainly focuses on water quality of the recreationally popular Illinois River.
Alberty says that the GRDA has several programs that support conservation, reclamation, habitat enhancement and shoreline maintenance around the shores of its lakes.
One challenge, he mentions, presents itself mainly in spring, when Oklahoma has bouts of high water from excessive rainfall. Last year was one of the wettest years on record for Oklahoma, and Alberty says several floodgate operations were completed at the direction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at the Pensacola Dam that forms Grand Lake, and at the Robert S. Kerr dam that forms Lake Hudson.
When those situations occur, Alberty says, “the Corps orders release rates that are consistent with downstream conditions and projected river crests.”
Likewise, Whitley mentions, the OWRB routinely measures water levels along with chemical and biological indicators to catch emerging problems early. The OWRB’s hazard mitigation plan for 2025 strongly emphasized the importance of water resilience, calling for sustained investment, sound science and proactive management.
Whitley says the OWRB anticipates possible consideration of legislation supporting those goals from the state legislature.
“Updating infrastructure, strengthening monitoring programs and planning for drought, flooding and other risks will ensure Oklahoma lakes remain reliable for future generations,” she says.
For More Information:
Oklahoma Water Resources Board
405-530-8800
oklahoma.gov/owrb
Grand River Dam Authority
918-256-0911
grda.com
