Flood control dams in Noble County

              Watershed Dams In Noble County
Oklahoma has 129 USDA Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS) as sisted
watershed projects in 64 counties. Over 2,100
watershed dams have been built in the state with
financial and technical assistance from NRCS
authorized through Public Law 78-534, Flood
Control Act of 1944 (Washita RiverWatershed) and
Public Law 83-566Watershed Protection and Flood
Prevention Program.
Watershed projects address a myriad of natural
resource issues such as flooding, soil erosion, water
quality, animal waste management, irrigation water
management, water supply, wetland development
or enhancement, fish and wildlife habitat and
recreation. Many of these watershed projects also
include conservation practices such as terraces,
waterways, ponds, gully control, and pasture and
rangeland plantings.
Operation and Maintenance of
Watershed Projects
The annualoperation andmaintenance ofdams and
their components is amajor responsibility for project
sponsors (local units of governments, usually
conservation districts, conservancy districts, or city
or county governments).
Operation andmaintenance of watershed dams can
be expensive and labor intensive, but is necessary to
ensure the dams function as designed and remain
safe.Maintenance work includes clearing trees from
dams and spillway, repairing soil erosion damage,
repairing damage to the spillway and dams after
heavy rainstorms, and keeping the inlet towers
cleared of debris.
Operation and Maintenance Needs
$11.7 million is needed to meet operation and
maintenance needs on all watershed dams in the
state for fiscal years 2009-2012.
Rehabilitation ofAging Dams
Oklahoma has 321watershed dams that will exceed their 50-year design
life in 2009 and that number increases to 806 by 2013 and 1,435 by 2019.
Noble County has three dams that will exceed their 50-year design life
in 2010 and that number increases to 13 dams by 2013.
Some damswill need rehabilitation toremain safe and protect the people
that live or work downstream. It is estimated that $30 million will be
needed to rehabilitate the highest priority of these dams during the next
five years. Oklahoma currently has several rehabilitation projects in
various stages of planning, design, or construction.
NRCS assistance is available to rehabilitate aging watershed dams with
65 percent federal cost-share. Local project sponsors provide 35 percent
of the rehabilitation costs.
Noble County Conservation District
nobleccd@conservation.ok.gov
1302 Hwy 77 N.
Perry,OK 73077-2433
580-336-2003
Long Branch Creek 11 5 $74,332 73 12 197 31,430
Lower Black Bear Ck. 19 3 $1,790,901 280 10 374 77,233
Lower Red Rock Ck. 7 7 $90,380 46 2 124 18,308
Stillwater Creek 33 6 $2,116,991 252 20 524 87,655
Upper Black Bear Ck. 72 50 $936,071 475 38 1,910 496,767
Upper Red Rock Ck. 42 17 $488,071 186 17 1,317 217,935
Total 184 88 $5,406,366 1,312 99 4,446 929,328
*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 2007). December 2008
AnnualWatershed Benefits (EntireWatershed)
Watershed Dams in Dams in *Monetary Farms / Ranches Bridges Wetlands Reduced
Name Watershed Noble Co. Benefits Benefited Benefited Enhanced/Created Sedimentation
(acres) (tons of soil)