Mysterious pipe leading into/out of Lake Hefner

[Joe Kimball]

I started a thread on this some time back, but I cannot find it now, and anyway the answer was inconclusive if I recall correctly.

I came across this video just now:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAkSDGT5Xi4

It illustrates better than I did before (and with added dramatics!) about this mystery pipe, which now is more visible than ever due to the drought, exposing a rather attention-getting elbow, to boot.

Anyone know what it is?

[Thunder]

I remember something was said about the pipe bringing in water from a lake/river afar, somewhere way up north/northwest.

[Joe Kimball]

Out of THAT little pipe? I'd be surprised but accepting nonetheless. But, I thought that Canton Lake (the only source that way that I know of) would drain into Overholser first, then go through the Bluff Creek canal, which does meet Hefner near this pipe.

[jn1780]

A water or gas line that goes all the way across the lake?

[bluedogok]

Out of THAT little pipe? I'd be surprised but accepting nonetheless. But, I thought that Canton Lake (the only source that way that I know of) would drain into Overholser first, then go through the Bluff Creek canal, which does meet Hefner near this pipe.

That is what happens, that is a water supply line into the lake. They can divert water from the North Canadian River through the sluice gates into the Bluff Creek Canal on the north side of 39th Street before it goes into Lake Overholser. They can divert it at any time but usually wait until a release from Canton, but they like to do that after a big rain because much of the water is lost due to absorption and evaporation on the tip down from Northwest Oklahoma. In reference to the pipe size, I think there are several feeds into the lake instead of one large one to reduce the erosion around the opening.

[rondvu]

Maybe it's a Tarantula tunnel. (see another thread)

[Bill Robertson]

All the water from Canton and the North Canadian comes through the canal, not through any piping. When water is being put into the lake it often flows at 200 to 400 cubic feet per second. That's not coming through a 2 foot pipe.

I'm 99% sure the pipe in question is the feed pipe to the old pump house that watered the golf course. The old pump house was toward the NW corner of the course. It was abandoned years ago when the pump house at the boat dock was upgraded to be large enough to handle the entire course. The old pump house building is long gone but you can still find the remains on Google Earth since the images are old.

[Snowman]

A water or gas line that goes all the way across the lake?

Any gas or oil pipeline that large around here will likely only be next to a railroad or highway.

[easternobserver]

Any gas or oil pipeline that large around here will likely only be next to a railroad or highway.

On what information do you base thiat statement? It is entirely untrue. First of all, that was not a large pipe -- there are bigger water mains running along the arterial streets. Second, oil and gas pipelines were in place before highways and most railroad lines -- they run all over the place. My wife's grandmother has a high pressure jet fuel line 6 feet from her house, running through her yard.

[okc_bel_air]

Maybe it is part of the mystery tunnels connected to Crossroads mall!!!

[Joe Kimball]

I'm 99% sure the pipe in question is the feed pipe to the old pump house that watered the golf course. The old pump house was toward the NW corner of the course. It was abandoned years ago when the pump house at the boat dock was upgraded to be large enough to handle the entire course. The old pump house building is long gone but you can still find the remains on Google Earth since the images are old.

This would seem to make the most sense. I appreciate the information from all!

By the way, can someone with a YouTube account pass that on to the man who made the video?

[Thunder]

I told him to come here. I guess he don't want to. lol

[okcphotoguy76]

I'm here. I made the video. Sorry, been really really busy the past week. Thanks for the info on what the pipe could be.