Now that it appears the worst of the 2019 river floods has passed and the water levels are receding, it seems proper to reflect on what happened, what could have been done different, and what may be facing us during the rest of the year.  It appears that this year, the water levels have risen to above previously high records, at least in the Sand Springs levee area.

First, it seems that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is the operator of most of the dams in the state as well as the Kerr/McClelland commercial waterway from the Tulsa Port of Catoosa to the Arkansas state line at Fort Smith (as well as on to the Mississippi River). They may have not begun soon enough a draw-down of water in the Keystone Dam on the Arkansas River west of Tulsa.  It could be that there is a commercial consideration there as the dam generating section has a contract with an electric company and they have a minimum water level required to meet the electric requirements.

Even so, it seems to me that once the storms began upstream in the watershed, an opening of some of the gates to let some water go would have been practical and wise. Then, when the size of the rainy season began to show up, an increase could have been started – all of which would not have developed floods.  All that is in the past and as the old saying goes – “hindsight is strictly 20-20.” 

It should be remembered, however, that there are certain firm restrictions placed on the Corps pertaining to their decision to open or close the floodgates, as well as the generation gates.  We in the masses are not furnished these rules.  Sounds like the secrecy surrounding the “Rules of Engagement” placed on combat military during he last administration.

In my professional opinion, from education and experience, when the water is back to near normal and access is again possible, is that it will be found that the bottom of the river is lower than before from the sand and silt having been washed on downstream.

Even in the canal sections, this could be found to be the case, since it is expected that lock and dam floodgates were opened and flow substantially increased.  The size of the flow makes it possible that it will not be necessary to do extensive dredging to restore commerce.

It seems obvious to me that the current dirt levees are not sufficient.  While visiting in Cincinnati, Ohio, on business some decades ago, their downtown levees really impressed me.  They were behind the docks and attendant railroad tracks and were concrete.

Where streets and tracks went through the levee there were gates that could be closed that could seal and provide continuity to the wall system plus substantial pump stations to remove any water from behind the levee from either rain or leakage.  Of course, the river there is deeper and larger boats are using the river, and flood stages may be more often.

Still, it is in my memory about news(?) stories during and after the Katrina Hurricane in New Orleans some years ago that a Tulsa  manufacturing company was able to ship there some very high volume pumps to assist in the dewatering of the flooded, below-sea-level, areas.  They might have had some available in stock here.  It is also in my memory that the commission managing their levee system had diverted funding for levee improvement

to other uses, thus rendering them inadequate.  Here calls for more funding went unanswered in Washington with such funds diverted to areas with more population and business.  In any event, without the system of multi-use dams we have here, the situation could have been many times worse.

A word of caution about the future is due now.  In speaking with my No. 2 son, Tom, living in Southwest Metro Denver recently, he advised that the snow pack is over twice as high in the mountains as recorded in recent history.  One ski area, A-Basin, has not closed and most, if not all, of the others are re-opening  and expecting to stay open until August.  The Arkansas River begins just southwest of Leadville in the mountains.

When that snowmelt begins, there will be some substantial flooding likely since the recent rains in Kansas have reduced the need for irrigation and so the melt will flow on down the river. 

Hopefully we will not have the massive rainfall then such as we experienced this spring.