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

[warreng88]

I think the Canton area got a lot of rain Wednesday night when everything went north of us. Not sure how much it affected the lake though.

[Anonymous.]

Canton's catch-basin has been decently soaked this week. The rains next week will most likely contribute significantly to the refill.

[OKCRT]

Canton's catch-basin has been decently soaked this week. The rains next week will most likely contribute significantly to the refill.

I hope they can get back to normal by the end of the year. You never know what's in store for next year and I don't want to see those sail boats on Hefner dry docked.

[Midtowner]

I hope they can get back to normal by the end of the year. You never know what's in store for next year and I don't want to see those sail boats on Hefner dry docked.

At the very least, we could do away with these annoying watering restrictions.

[OKCRT]

At the very least, we could do away with these annoying watering restrictions.

Told by a city worker that they haven't been enforcing the odd and even water restrictions since the lakes are over flowing. I see people watering on both sides of the street at same time all over the city. There's no water shortage in Okc.

[Midtowner]

Told by a city worker that they haven't been enforcing the odd and even water restrictions since the lakes are over flowing. I see people watering on both sides of the street at same time all over the city. There's no water shortage in Okc.

A good friend of mine got a $200 ticket not too long ago because he was running his sprinklers to water in new sod. He couldn't have hand watered it because he just had knee surgery. So someone's still enforcing it.

[soonerguru]

Told by a city worker that they haven't been enforcing the odd and even water restrictions since the lakes are over flowing. I see people watering on both sides of the street at same time all over the city. There's no water shortage in Okc.

Why would people need to be watering their lawns right now?

[soonerguru]

Should this thread be retired? Perhaps since Hefner is overflowing we can start a Canton Lake Water Level thread instead.

[Snowman]

Should this thread be retired? Perhaps since Hefner is overflowing we can start a Canton Lake Water Level thread instead.

This could just be retitled to about Canton's water level since there is probably been more discussion here about Canton than Hefner anyway.

I think any hope of Canton being full this year is overly optimistic. During the traditionally heaviest rainy times of the year it is only up three or four percent from it's low. Some of that is just bad luck with a few storms that droped a inches nearby would totally miss it's catchment area but where we are at in the year it would be great to even getting a couple more feet and breaking the drought upstream in western Oklahoma and Texas's panhandle.

[Midtowner]

C'mon now.. according to some, the desertification process of central Oklahoma is well underway.

[venture]

Hmmm...never water and my grass is nice and green. I guess people need to pick a better grass type. :-P

[kevinpate]

Hmmm...never water and my grass is nice and green. ...

Mine as well .... dagnabit.
Fortunately, youngest son is back in town again and he detests mowing less than I and he enjoys having extra gas money. win-win.

[betts]

This year has been great in terms of annual rainfall, especially compared to the last two years. But, this may well be an aberration and the past two years the new standard. I think we need to regard water as a precious resource and start thinking about lawns that aren't so water hungry or tolerate less than lush lawns. People probably have their sprinkler systems on automatic and they don't even think about whether they need to water, and that needs to change. Unfortunately, some people won't change behavior unless they are forced so the city needs to think long and hard about what is a reasonable watering policy, IMO.

[soonerguru]

What gets me fired up is when I see large businesses watering in the heat of the day, or worse, when its pouring down rain.

[rcjunkie]

What gets me fired up is when I see large businesses watering in the heat of the day, or worse, when its pouring down rain.

I agree, all automatic sprinkler systems should be equipped with wind and rain sensors..

[OKCRT]

I agree, all automatic sprinkler systems should be equipped with wind and rain sensors..

Yes agree. I seen sprinklers on today.

[soonerguru]

I agree, all automatic sprinkler systems should be equipped with wind and rain sensors..

Can they also be shut off when it's clear we don't need to be watering?

[HOT ROD]

I think a Oklahoma City should have automatic water restrictions during every summer. OKC gets way too hot and typically is its driest season, to justify not preserving resources. By restrictions I mean there is increasing severity, based on Temperature vs. Precipitation + duration. Here is an example:

Summer Water Schedule (May 15 - September 15)
Level 0 - water restriction only during rain events* [violation $200 ticket instantly given if caught watering during rain events]
Level 1 - daytime restriction Summer (no watering from noon-3:00pm) odd/even $200 violation
Level 2 - daytime restriction Summer (no watering from noon-6:00pm) odd/even $200 violation
Level 3 - daytime restriction Summer (no watering from noon-3:00pm) any address $200 violation
Level 4 - daytime restriction Summer (no watering from noon-6:00pm) any address $200 violation
-------------
Level 5 - nighttime watering only (allowed between 10pm-6am) any address $400 violation
Level 6 - nighttime watering only (allowed between 10pm-6am) odd/even $400 violation
-------------
Level 7 - no watering $1000 violation

business add $1000 to each violation level. Instant $200 violation if caught watering the street, without a permit!

[bluedogok]

We are under an independent water district, East Cherry Creek Valley Water & Sanitation District (sitting between the cities of Aurora and Centennial) and their restrictions tend to mirror the City of Aurora. Starting the spring we were under two day watering restrictions (15 min. per zone), since the summer monsoon season has been going full force with rain somewhere almost every day we are at three day watering.

Here is our schedule of residential violations

First Offense: Notice of Violation
Second Offense: Notice of Violation and $100 penalty added to water bill
Third Offense: Notice of Violation and $250 penalty added to water bill
Fourth Offense: Notice of Violation and $500 penalty added to water bill
Fifth Offense: Notice of Violation and $1,000 penalty added to water bill
Sixth Offense: Flow limiter placed inside of meter

My yard was white last night with hail and the yard is covered with leaves since we had a nasty cell come through here yesterday afternoon. Manitou Springs has been getting hit hard with flooding and mud slides coming off the burn scar above them, US 24 between there and Pikes Peak has been hammered with rocks as big as cars.

[TAlan CB]

We are under an independent water district, East Cherry Creek Valley Water & Sanitation District (sitting between the cities of Aurora and Centennial) and their restrictions tend to mirror the City of Aurora. Starting the spring we were under two day watering restrictions (15 min. per zone), since the summer monsoon season has been going full force with rain somewhere almost every day we are at three day watering.

Here is our schedule of residential violations

First Offense: Notice of Violation
Second Offense: Notice of Violation and $100 penalty added to water bill
Third Offense: Notice of Violation and $250 penalty added to water bill
Fourth Offense: Notice of Violation and $500 penalty added to water bill
Fifth Offense: Notice of Violation and $1,000 penalty added to water bill
Sixth Offense: Flow limiter placed inside of meter

My yard was white last night with hail and the yard is covered with leaves since we had a nasty cell come through here yesterday afternoon. Manitou Springs has been getting hit hard with flooding and mud slides coming off the burn scar above them, US 24 between there and Pikes Peak has been hammered with rocks as big as cars.

Yeah, weather can 'turn on a dime'. When I visited my old home this summer I could'nt go the Royal Gorge because a fire had just started and the Black Forest burned just north of my Hotel (which I shared with fire refugees) the whole of the time I was there. The types of grass (fescue, etc.) grown in yards on the 'Front Range' are vulnerable to temps. over 85degrees. After that, they required frequent watering to keep them from turning brown. I noticed a similar problem in northern Raleigh, where the same types of grass are erroneously grown. In the south Raleigh NC metro they know to grow 'summer grasses' - zoyzia, bermuda, etc. The north-side communites are settled mostly from NY and NJ transfers - southsiders are local N. Carolinans. During a severe drought 3 years ago they would leave their water sprinklers on constantly, despite fines and threats from the city. Their response was they would rather pay the fines than replace the yards (landscaping major investment in those parts). I lived near the 'north-side' water supply lake and could see the bottom in most areas except near the dam. In OKC most yards have the proper types of grass, etc. They are drought tolerant and can take a lot less water. They may turn brown, but a little water will keep it alive until the rains return. In-short, they have no real excuse to not ration. Weather will change again, a wet Summer could turn into a dry Fall and Winter - okies will cry foul, but will water less if fined. The same should be for all types of water use, beyound reasonalbe usage, there should be a strict price increase. Use beyound need is waste, and should be fined and treated as waste - if you want it you should have to pay for it. People need to learn sustainable habits, including what are the best types of plants to grow - if they want something more for whatever reason, they need to be willing to pay for it.

[bucktalk]

Question: Is there no spillway or flood gates at Hefner like most lakes have? I've ridden my bike around the lake several times and have yet to see a spillway. With a massive amount of water that seems to be coming into the lake presently - how can they control flooding at Hefner?

[Just the facts]

Question: Is there no spillway or flood gates at Hefner like most lakes have? I've ridden my bike around the lake several times and have yet to see a spillway. With a massive amount of water that seems to be coming into the lake presently - how can they control flooding at Hefner?

Hefner has no natural water running into it. If it gets full they just turn the canal from Overholser off. I am sure they can also flush it through the water plant as well.

[Bellaboo]

Hefner has no natural water running into it. If it gets full they just turn the canal from Overholser off. I am sure they can also flush it through the water plant as well.

Hefner has a creek running into it over by Portland and a concrete creek over on the west side of the Hertz buildings. These are both just neighborhood runoffs, but I've seen the one by Hertz roaring with water before.

There is an overflow tube on the dam that feeds the creek below it, but no actual spillway.

[RadicalModerate]

And there is that mysterious pipe placed by "ancient astronauts" . . .

[pw405]

And there is that mysterious pipe placed by "ancient astronauts" . . .