Oklahoma City schedules 16,000-acre-foot Canton Lake release for Sept. 17

Oklahoma City is scheduled to begin releasing 16,000 acre-feet of water from Canton Lake on Thursday, Sept. 17, to support Lake Hefner, which supplies about 40% of the city’s drinking water.

The planned transfer comes as hot, dry conditions have lowered Lake Hefner. The water will travel roughly 100 miles through the North Canadian River before reaching the reservoir. Independent reporting estimates that 30% to 40% could evaporate or soak into the riverbed and banks during the trip.

What Oklahoma City plans to do

The Oklahoma City Water Utilities Trust is coordinating with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which manages Canton Lake, on the scheduled release. The Oklahoma Water Resources Board approved the city’s request shortly before Labor Day, according to KGOU. Oklahoma City officials told the outlet that the release is planned to begin Sept. 17.

The water is expected to take about three to five days to reach Lake Hefner. KOCO reported that the release is expected to continue for about two weeks.

Why Lake Hefner matters

Lake Hefner is a primary source in Oklahoma City’s drinking-water system and supplies about 40% of the city’s drinking water, according to KGOU. Its declining level matters to Oklahoma City water customers and other communities served by the city’s regional water system.

The Canton transfer is intended to help protect the city’s water supply as Lake Hefner falls. The action remains scheduled, not completed, so the full 16,000 acre-feet has not yet arrived at Lake Hefner and its eventual effect on the reservoir level is not known.

Canton Lake readings before the release

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers data recorded Canton Lake at 1.72 feet below normal at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13. The lake was listed at 87.06% of its conservation-pool capacity, with 96,608 acre-feet stored and a release rate of zero cubic feet per second at that time.

The Corps says the readings are gathered electronically, have not undergone quality control and may be revised. They describe Canton Lake’s reported condition before the scheduled transfer begins.

Concerns near Canton Lake

The Canton Lake Association projects that the release could lower the lake by about another three feet, according to KGOU. Residents and lake advocates have also raised concerns about recreation, water levels and possible environmental effects.

Those concerns are separate from Oklahoma City’s stated water-supply rationale and are not presented here as an official environmental finding. Likewise, the projected 30% to 40% loss during the river journey is an estimate reported by KGOU, not a final measured result.

What to watch next

The next key date is Sept. 17, when the release is scheduled to begin. Changes in rainfall, operating decisions, Canton Lake levels and river conditions will affect how much water ultimately reaches Lake Hefner. Residents should watch for updates from Oklahoma City, the Corps and other agencies as the transfer proceeds.

Sources

• City of Oklahoma City: Canton Lake water release to replenish Lake Hefner
• KGOU: Oklahoma City to bring in water from Canton Lake
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Canton Lake current readings

Look for updates to this story

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