Flood control dams in Grady County

              Flood Control Dams In Grady County
Bitter Creek 18 19 $370,400 150 13 217 49,257
Ionine Creek 2 2 $12,907 5 2 0 80,722
Little Washita 45 27 $1,278,815 492 69 748 171,836
Roaring Creek 40 40 $967,880 199 12 290 59,373
Round Creek 9 6 $300,758 148 10 259 41,129
Rush Creek 55 36 $2,714,415 570 9 778 181,337
Winter Creek 24 23 $505,630 204 10 356 62,267
Total 193 153 $6,150,805 1,768 125 2,648 645,921
*Monetary benefits include reduction in flood damages and may include other benefits such as soil erosion control, recreational
areas, irrigation water, municipal and industrial water supply, and wildlife habitat (Price Base 2010). February 2011
Annual Watershed Benefits (Entire Watershed)
Watershed Dams in Dams in *Monetary Farms / Ranches Bridges Wetlands Reduced
Name Watershed Grady Co. Benefits Benefited Benefited Enhanced/Created Sedimentation
(acres) (tons of soil)
Grady County Conservation District
gradyccd@conservation.ok.gov
828 W. Choctaw Ave.
Chickasha, OK 73018-2310
405/224-0523
Oklahoma has 2,107 flood control dams in 61
counties. These dam have been built in the
state through conservation districts with financial
and technical assistance from the Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS), authorized through
Public Law 78-534, Flood Control Act of 1944
(Washita River Watershed) and Public Law 83-566
Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention
Program.
The primary purpose of flood control dams is to
reduce flooding. The secondary benefits of the dams
address a myriad of natural resource issues such
as soil erosion, water quality, animal waste
management, irrigation water management, water
supply, wetland development or enhancement, fish
and wildlife habitat and recreation.
Watershed projects also include conservation
practices such as terraces, waterways, ponds, gully
control, and pasture and rangeland plantings.
Operation and Maintenance of Dams
The annual operation and maintenance of dams is a
major responsibility for project sponsors (local units
of governments such as conservation districts).
Operation and maintenance of dams can be
expensive and labor intensive, but is necessary to
ensure dams function as they were designed and
remain safe. Maintenance work includes clearing
trees from dams and spillways, repairing erosion
damage, repairing damage to dams and spillways
following heavy rainstorms and keeping inlet towers
cleared of debris.
Operation and Maintenance Needs
$22 million is needed to meet the operation and
maintenance needs of the 2,107 flood control dams
in the state for fiscal years 2012-2016.
Annual Benefits
The 2,107 flood control
dams and conservation
practices in the
watershed projects
provide an estimated $82
million in annual
benefits.
Listed below are the
average annual benefits
from watershed projects
that are located in Grady
and adjoining counties.
Rehabilitation and
Dam Safety
Some dams will need
rehabilitation to remain
safe and protect the
people that live or work
downstream.
It is estimated that $200 million will be required to rehabilitate the
existing high hazard dams to comply with federal and state dam
safety laws.
More dams will become high hazard as long as residential and
business development is allowed below the dam and in the breach
flood area.
NRCS assistance is available to project sponsors in rehabilitating
flood control dams with 65 percent federal cost-share and technical
assistance. Local project sponsors provide 35 percent of the
rehabilitation costs.