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

[bchris02]

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

I agree. This has been a very wet summer even by east coast standards. It's insane to water right now even though I see it all the time.

[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.

[MikeLucky]

To take the pressure off of our reservoirs so they can be more effective at flood control.

Oh, I thought the answer was "because we can(ton)!"

[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.

[Stew]

Like he stated, he was only posting the pics he took, he had no hidden agenda or motive by doing so. IMHO, your response was rude and uncalled for.

Yep...my thoughts exactly.

[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?

[kevinpate]

Every night the fae scoop up little spoonfuls of Hefner and take it back to Canton.

[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" . . .

[OKCRT]

Looks like canton is getting pouring rains again.

[venture]

Looks like canton is getting pouring rains again.

Up to 23% full! LOL

[Urbanized]

I don't understand. The lake (Canton) doesn't seem to gain elevation at a rate equal to the amount of rain it receives. A few weeks ago they got a good soak and the level actually went DOWN. It should be simple math; if there are two inches of precipitation over the lake, it should gain 2 inches of elevation, and then gain a bit more in subsequent days as rain further up the watershed runs down toward the lake. This doesn't seem to be happening. It's weird; I've been semi-obsessed with watching it for months.

[Snowman]

It matters more what rain is falling in it's catchment area than at the lake. As of a week ago the vast majority has been in a severe hydrologic drought. It might get bumped up this week to a less extreme category but it will likely not yet be normal. Plus in oklahoma only a small amount of land drains into it compared to the Canadian and whatever is north of it, so on an average year more might come from upstream but the Texas panhandle has been in a worse drought than us. We have had several rains this year that looked promising but fell more in the surrounding rivers.

[adaniel]

The N Canadian watershed is super narrow in that part of the state, I don't think its more than 30 miles wide in some areas.

The rapid depletion of the Ogallala Aquifer in NW OK means any groundwater gets sucked into replenishing that rather than feeding streams that would otherwise flow into the lake.

[Snowman]

Usually the max the ground can absorb is less than an inch in a thunderstorm so at least some will continue downstream but yea the state of the aquifer hurts on how much gets downstream unless you have the storms coming back to back to back like right now.

[soonerguru]

The N Canadian watershed is super narrow in that part of the state, I don't think its more than 30 miles wide in some areas.

The rapid depletion of the Ogallala Aquifer in NW OK means any groundwater gets sucked into replenishing that rather than feeding streams that would otherwise flow into the lake.

What is causing the depletion of the aquifer? Farming? Fracking? Drought?

[Urbanized]

I understand how drought etc. negatively affects what makes it down to the lake from the catchment basin. What I am saying is that if two inches of rain fall on top of the lake itself, there should be roughly two inches more elevation added to the lake after such a rain. It's not like two inches of snow; two inches of rain should equal two inches of elevation whether it falls in a rain gauge or into a swimming pool...or into a lake. I'm trying to figure out what caused it to actually BACKSLIDE a month or two ago when I know rain was reported at the lake, and why it doesn't gain elevation at a similar rate to the reported precip.