Thursday, February 28, 2013
Aerial photo of Canton Lake with snow on.
Sunday, February 24, 2013
What has the CLA been up to lately.....
The board of the Canton Lake Association has had two four hour plus meetings, two Friday nights in a row. Working on game plans for the future of fighting this battle over the water in Canton lake and keeping Canton Lake a healthy vibrant part of NW Oklahoma.
We knew when we started that to have an effect and create change in this situation was going to be a long hard fought battle and we are committed to fighting it.
It's been kind of quiet on the public front but we want you to know we are working hard behind the scenes to make changes that will benefit lake goers.
We are very busy planning for our next public meeting which will be at the new gym in Canton on March the Thu, March 28, 6:30 PM CDT. Please save the date!~
We still need more members to sign up and become a part of this Association and help us get the word out. Please share this status if you see fit so your friends can see and possibly join the Association.
Please view our website for details at www.cantonlakeassn.org. Hope to see you at the meeting to catch you up to speed on what we have been working on.
We knew when we started that to have an effect and create change in this situation was going to be a long hard fought battle and we are committed to fighting it.
It's been kind of quiet on the public front but we want you to know we are working hard behind the scenes to make changes that will benefit lake goers.
We are very busy planning for our next public meeting which will be at the new gym in Canton on March the Thu, March 28, 6:30 PM CDT. Please save the date!~
We still need more members to sign up and become a part of this Association and help us get the word out. Please share this status if you see fit so your friends can see and possibly join the Association.
Please view our website for details at www.cantonlakeassn.org. Hope to see you at the meeting to catch you up to speed on what we have been working on.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Enid News and Eagle Article link
http://enidnews.com/localnews/x1303547351/With-lake-dry-Canton-eyes-its-options
Another link to an article in the Enid News and Eagle.
www.solarpumps.com
Another link to an article in the Enid News and Eagle.
www.solarpumps.com
Clinton Daily News Link
http://www.clintondailynews.com/daily_pages/2013-02-13.pdf
A link to an article in the Clinton paper concerning Canton Lake.
Word is spreading across out state about this dire situation.
www.solarpumps.com
A link to an article in the Clinton paper concerning Canton Lake.
Word is spreading across out state about this dire situation.
www.solarpumps.com
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Below is a link to an article in the Gazette.
After reading the article, if you would please sign in and leave a comment letting them know how much we appreciate their support of getting the seriousness of this drought out there....and the effects it's going to have on Canton Lake. Thanks.
http://www.okgazette.com/oklahoma/article-17569-dry-ideas.html#commAjax
www.solarpumps.com
After reading the article, if you would please sign in and leave a comment letting them know how much we appreciate their support of getting the seriousness of this drought out there....and the effects it's going to have on Canton Lake. Thanks.
http://www.okgazette.com/oklahoma/article-17569-dry-ideas.html#commAjax
www.solarpumps.com
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Canton Lake History and more Janie Dunn
http://www.cantonok.org/understanding.html
Click on the link above and read the article.
www.solarpumps.com
Click on the link above and read the article.
www.solarpumps.com
CLA Support Sticker!
Hey, come join the Association today and get your sticker to show your support!! Please don't wait!
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Friday, February 8, 2013
A message from CLA President Jeff Converse
I want to assure you that the Canton Lake Association will continue fighting for both the near-term and long term health of Canton Lake. I know it seems like the end of our lake world as we know it now that the gates are open and a water release is ongoing. The very simple word “a” in the preceding sentence is very important. This is A water release. Although mentally difficult, the focus needs to be directed to the NEXT water release and this could happen sooner than you might think. Marsha Slaughter, director of the OKC Water Utilities Trust, told the OKC city council recently that she expects Canton Lake to be back at full pool within 2 years and could see the potential for another 30,000 acre-foot release next year. (I would so love to address this balderdash but not here and not now). However, I feel that another release could occur very easily within the next few months. An important point regarding the current release is that the 20,000 or so acre-feet of water that will make it to OKC will not even fill Lake Hefner much less fill Lake Overholser or the Oklahoma River or any new water-devouring project that is on the horizon. Existing and proposed water conservation measures are not going to alleviate the current water crisis in OKC. It’s simply too late.
My prediction is that as soon as Canton Lake recovers 5 feet of water (could happen with a single very slow moving thunderstorm over Seiling this spring), OKC will be back for another release and this time it could dig 2 feet deeper than the current release. It’s possible that every 5-7 feet of water that returns to the lake for the foreseeable future will be immediately drawn to OKC. I feel they are in a desperate situation and they will not be a bit shy about returning to the scene of the crime and we’ll have to endure repeat performances. This is a war folks. This is not a time to be complacent and think there is nothing that you or anybody else can do. If OKC is not stopped or at least deterred, this will be a never-ending process.
The CLA is fighting like hell every day and night for the future of Canton Lake. You must become active in the process. Become educated about the problems and the process. Educate others with the facts and figures that are serving as the basis for our fight (feel free to email me anytime at lawnmowershopww@gmail.com if you want to discuss). Write to your congressman and senators. Do your own independent research. Talk to people everyday about the problem and increase public awareness. And last but not least become a member of the Canton Lake Association (see Canton Lake association facebook page). There is strength in numbers and we need numbers to win this war.
We have begun preliminary cooperation with "Oklahomans for Responsible Water Policy" (orwp.net) an organization from southeastern Oklahoma that is extremely involved in state water issues and has been influential in the battle over Lake Sardis between OKC and the Choctaw and Chickasaw tribes. Jointly, we will be holding a public meeting in Canton in the very near future. They are kindly volunteering to help us in our fight and we need a large turnout at the meeting. Stay tuned for date and time.
Jeff Converse, President
Canton Lake Association
www.solarpumps.com
My prediction is that as soon as Canton Lake recovers 5 feet of water (could happen with a single very slow moving thunderstorm over Seiling this spring), OKC will be back for another release and this time it could dig 2 feet deeper than the current release. It’s possible that every 5-7 feet of water that returns to the lake for the foreseeable future will be immediately drawn to OKC. I feel they are in a desperate situation and they will not be a bit shy about returning to the scene of the crime and we’ll have to endure repeat performances. This is a war folks. This is not a time to be complacent and think there is nothing that you or anybody else can do. If OKC is not stopped or at least deterred, this will be a never-ending process.
The CLA is fighting like hell every day and night for the future of Canton Lake. You must become active in the process. Become educated about the problems and the process. Educate others with the facts and figures that are serving as the basis for our fight (feel free to email me anytime at lawnmowershopww@gmail.com if you want to discuss). Write to your congressman and senators. Do your own independent research. Talk to people everyday about the problem and increase public awareness. And last but not least become a member of the Canton Lake Association (see Canton Lake association facebook page). There is strength in numbers and we need numbers to win this war.
We have begun preliminary cooperation with "Oklahomans for Responsible Water Policy" (orwp.net) an organization from southeastern Oklahoma that is extremely involved in state water issues and has been influential in the battle over Lake Sardis between OKC and the Choctaw and Chickasaw tribes. Jointly, we will be holding a public meeting in Canton in the very near future. They are kindly volunteering to help us in our fight and we need a large turnout at the meeting. Stay tuned for date and time.
Jeff Converse, President
Canton Lake Association
www.solarpumps.com
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Canton Lake story receives National Media coverage.
Beaumont Enterprise, Houston Chronicle and San
Francisco Chronicle. Could be more. AP picked up the story.
http://www.beaumontenterprise.
http://www.chron.com/default/
http://www.sfgate.com/news/
www.solarpumps.com
Beaumont Enterprise, Houston Chronicle and San
Francisco Chronicle. Could be more. AP picked up the story.
http://www.beaumontenterprise.
http://www.chron.com/default/
http://www.sfgate.com/news/
www.solarpumps.com
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Website that we need to get out to every place possible in OKC.
We desperately need to spread this website to the people of OKC in anyway we can. It might bring awareness of possible ways they can help the situation. If they had been doing these simple things for the last two years, I doubt seriously we would be in such a mess right now at Canton Lake. Education about the facts and the severity of this drought and it's effects on everyone involved including those in OKC in the future, could make huge a huge impact on over all water consumption by the masses.
www.solarpumps.com
Friday, February 1, 2013
More facts by Troy Everett
Per OKC Water Utilities: Hefner can't receive water from any other pipelines, wells, ..., only rain run off & Canton Lake; Hefner is only source for nearly 200k NW OKC residents; Before the release Hefner was nearly 2/3 full (40,000 ac- ft)and using USGS website gauge numbers for water loss out of Hefner, the following calculations were made: At 12 month average usage from Hefner and only drawing down 1/2 of the Hefner pool, their water would last nearly 200 days without rain or Canton Lake water. If Hefner receives rain and rain runoff this would extend the 200 days further. Hefner's normal pool is 60,000 ac-ft. Before release Hefner is at 40,000 ac-ft. Of Canton Lake's 30,000 ac-ft release, 20,000 should reach Hefner, thus bringing it to normal or possibly above normal level since the riverbed was wet from recent rain.
If any rain at all occurs in or upstream from Hefner, what will OKC do with this surplus water? I might guess, let if flow into Overholser. Overholser water can conveniently flow into downtown OKC , or could it go on by Overholser into the Oklahoma River. Hmmm
www.solarpumps.com
If any rain at all occurs in or upstream from Hefner, what will OKC do with this surplus water? I might guess, let if flow into Overholser. Overholser water can conveniently flow into downtown OKC , or could it go on by Overholser into the Oklahoma River. Hmmm
www.solarpumps.com
A good read and some strong points by John Sprunger
Oklahoma City Water Future
sub-titled:
You’re Up a Creek Without a Paddle
Oklahoma City: What were you thinking? You grew in population from 243,504 in 1950 to a population of 579,999 in 2010. You planned and laid out utilities as necessary for an expanding population. The metro area grew with you to now total over 1,252,987 in population. You added 14 additional communities and water districts to your water supply. And now W-Day is upon you. Did you really think you could rely on a water supply from a semi-arid water basin such as the North Canadian River watershed? What are you going to do this summer when you are out of water and Canton Lake is empty?
Here are some facts that need documented to correct OKC utility Director Marsha Slaughter’s revisionist talking points. Canton Lake was the brainchild of Frank Raab and others from northwest Oklahoma. After a devastating flood in 1928, planning and lobbying began, and in 1938 Congress authorized the Canton Lake project for flood control. The project started in 1940, was delayed by the war, and then completed in late 1948. The Flood Control Acts of 1946 and 1948 authorized irrigation and water storage to Enid, Oklahoma. When Enid did not access their water rights, in 1955 Oklahoma City began a series of 5 year contracts with the federal government to utilize some of Canton’s water storage. In 1990, without public revelation to northwest Oklahomans affected by the consequences, Oklahoma City successfully changed the agreement by convincing Congress to reassign Canton Lake water to the Oklahoma City by Section 102 of the Water Resource Development Act of 1990. (See Title I, Water Resource Projects, Section 102: Project Modifications)
Oklahoma City has an average annual rainfall of 36 inches. To give Oklahoma City water planners a hint, southeast Oklahoma receives 56 inches. Moving to the northwest and the North Canadian River watershed area these totals change drastically. Canton annual average is 29 inches, Beaver is 21 inches, Hardesty is 19 inches, and Des Moines, New Mexico, where the North Canadian originates is 18 inches. Much of the watershed area for the North Canadian River is over the Ogallala Aquifer. Since the time of completion of Canton Lake, the Ogallala Aquifer has dropped some 10 feet in areas proximal to Canton, to as much as 40 feet in area of far western Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Panhandle. In northeast New Mexico, the originating point of the North Canadian River, there is no longer a measurable saturated thickness of the Ogallala Aquifer. The cause and effect comes down to this. Dry springs, dry creeks, and a dry Beaver River result in drastically reduced water flow into Canton Lake. Northwest Oklahoma is a semi-arid climate. Why would Oklahoma City ever think the semi-arid North Canadian River watershed basin would provide them with water as they grew in number, and the watershed receded in water flow?
Oklahoma City, your greatest challenge will be what you will do for water this summer. You have probably killed Canton Lake for years to come. Your second biggest challenge, and one you must address and settle immediately, is procurement of water from Sardis Lake. You were right in paying off the $27 million dollar debt on Sardis Lake, and getting approval from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board for 90 percent of those water rights. Without that plentiful and renewable source from Sardis Lake, Oklahoma City will be in the same boat as you have put Northwest Oklahoma and Canton Lake, up a creek without a paddle.
Signed: John Sprunger
www.solarpumps.com
sub-titled:
You’re Up a Creek Without a Paddle
Oklahoma City: What were you thinking? You grew in population from 243,504 in 1950 to a population of 579,999 in 2010. You planned and laid out utilities as necessary for an expanding population. The metro area grew with you to now total over 1,252,987 in population. You added 14 additional communities and water districts to your water supply. And now W-Day is upon you. Did you really think you could rely on a water supply from a semi-arid water basin such as the North Canadian River watershed? What are you going to do this summer when you are out of water and Canton Lake is empty?
Here are some facts that need documented to correct OKC utility Director Marsha Slaughter’s revisionist talking points. Canton Lake was the brainchild of Frank Raab and others from northwest Oklahoma. After a devastating flood in 1928, planning and lobbying began, and in 1938 Congress authorized the Canton Lake project for flood control. The project started in 1940, was delayed by the war, and then completed in late 1948. The Flood Control Acts of 1946 and 1948 authorized irrigation and water storage to Enid, Oklahoma. When Enid did not access their water rights, in 1955 Oklahoma City began a series of 5 year contracts with the federal government to utilize some of Canton’s water storage. In 1990, without public revelation to northwest Oklahomans affected by the consequences, Oklahoma City successfully changed the agreement by convincing Congress to reassign Canton Lake water to the Oklahoma City by Section 102 of the Water Resource Development Act of 1990. (See Title I, Water Resource Projects, Section 102: Project Modifications)
Oklahoma City has an average annual rainfall of 36 inches. To give Oklahoma City water planners a hint, southeast Oklahoma receives 56 inches. Moving to the northwest and the North Canadian River watershed area these totals change drastically. Canton annual average is 29 inches, Beaver is 21 inches, Hardesty is 19 inches, and Des Moines, New Mexico, where the North Canadian originates is 18 inches. Much of the watershed area for the North Canadian River is over the Ogallala Aquifer. Since the time of completion of Canton Lake, the Ogallala Aquifer has dropped some 10 feet in areas proximal to Canton, to as much as 40 feet in area of far western Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Panhandle. In northeast New Mexico, the originating point of the North Canadian River, there is no longer a measurable saturated thickness of the Ogallala Aquifer. The cause and effect comes down to this. Dry springs, dry creeks, and a dry Beaver River result in drastically reduced water flow into Canton Lake. Northwest Oklahoma is a semi-arid climate. Why would Oklahoma City ever think the semi-arid North Canadian River watershed basin would provide them with water as they grew in number, and the watershed receded in water flow?
Oklahoma City, your greatest challenge will be what you will do for water this summer. You have probably killed Canton Lake for years to come. Your second biggest challenge, and one you must address and settle immediately, is procurement of water from Sardis Lake. You were right in paying off the $27 million dollar debt on Sardis Lake, and getting approval from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board for 90 percent of those water rights. Without that plentiful and renewable source from Sardis Lake, Oklahoma City will be in the same boat as you have put Northwest Oklahoma and Canton Lake, up a creek without a paddle.
Signed: John Sprunger
www.solarpumps.com
Troy Everett asks a question of the Corp
All of the 21 KS & OK lakes in Tulsa's District Reservoir are at Drought Level 1 or 2. None at 3 or 4 drought level. After water release to OKC, Canton Lake will be at Drought Level 4!!
In the US Army Corps of Engineers Environmental Operating Principles it states:
"Proactively consider environmental consequences of all Corps activities and act accordingly."
Is allowing this devastating release mindful to the possible environmental outcome?
www.solarpumps.com
In the US Army Corps of Engineers Environmental Operating Principles it states:
"Proactively consider environmental consequences of all Corps activities and act accordingly."
Is allowing this devastating release mindful to the possible environmental outcome?
www.solarpumps.com
Correcting some facts being misreported in the news.
Is there no truth or fact checking mandated for reporting anymore??!!
Let's get some facts straight that the major news outlets are reporting incorrectly!
Marsha Slaughter with the Oklahoma
City Water Utilities Trust has stated only 200,000 residents depend on the water from
Lake Hefner which gets it's water from Canton Lake. Where did this 1.2 million figure come from?? 1.2 million is the entirety of the population of the metro area and we all know
they don't all depend on Canton Lake/Hefner water for their drinking. This is a highly inflated figure to make this draw look more necessary to the public, than it actually is..
Why aren't you mentioning the 40,000 acre feet that is currently in Lake Hefner that would have gotten the people who rely on Canton/Hefner water by until late spring early summer??
This draw was not necessary at this time! All the Canton Lake Assn asked for was that you try and get us into spring and see if any spring rains would alleviate the severity of this situation, so that perhaps all the fish in our lake could survive and not die which is very likely to happen in the summer due to this draw of water.
Once you take the water from Canton it's gone and we can't get it back, and it's highly unlikely rains will come out west due to the drought, but the odds of OKC receiving the needed rainfall to help put water in Hefner are much greater. Over a 30 year period Canadian county averaged 9 more inches annually than Woodward County in western Oklahoma, so who do you think has the better odds of receiving the much needed spring rains?? It always rains a lot more between Watonga and OKC than it does out west of Canton to refill our lake.
Further more please stop spreading the untruth that Canton was built for OKC water storage!! That is an easy statement to disprove. Mrs. Regan should be ashamed of herself for implying that to the reporter and coercing her to lie on live TV. The FACT is, the city of Enid had some limited storage rights for a good many years after the lake was built and it wasn't for quite some time until OKC received any water rights in Canton at all.
And please stop using the term "drinking water" until you mandate no outside watering!! Unless you count the grass and trees "drinking" while they are dormant! You are again slanting the story to sound more severe on your end so you can justify the damage you are doing on this end in Western Oklahoma.
What a shame, the innocent people in the communities that surround Canton Lake are getting ready to pay dearly for the sins of those in power in OKC, who have not educated the people that there is a severe water crisis on the very near horizon. It's no longer on the horizon for the people of Canton and surrounding towns, it's now here with the begin of this release. It will be severe in areas of OKC soon enough if spring rains don't come. The people of OKC are good people, but nobody has told them how serious this situation is so they haven't changed their water practices to start conserving. The people in authority have done a disservice to the people of OKC and greatly to the people who rely on Canton Lake for their livelihood. This could have all been avoided or at least put off for several months or years had those in power shared the need for conservation a year or two ago when the drought started instead of waiting until it was a dire situation. Shame on you leaders, shame on you.
Mark Fuqua
Canton Lake Association Board Member
www.solarpumps.com
Let's get some facts straight that the major news outlets are reporting incorrectly!
Marsha Slaughter with the Oklahoma
City Water Utilities Trust has stated only 200,000 residents depend on the water from
Lake Hefner which gets it's water from Canton Lake. Where did this 1.2 million figure come from?? 1.2 million is the entirety of the population of the metro area and we all know
they don't all depend on Canton Lake/Hefner water for their drinking. This is a highly inflated figure to make this draw look more necessary to the public, than it actually is..
Why aren't you mentioning the 40,000 acre feet that is currently in Lake Hefner that would have gotten the people who rely on Canton/Hefner water by until late spring early summer??
This draw was not necessary at this time! All the Canton Lake Assn asked for was that you try and get us into spring and see if any spring rains would alleviate the severity of this situation, so that perhaps all the fish in our lake could survive and not die which is very likely to happen in the summer due to this draw of water.
Once you take the water from Canton it's gone and we can't get it back, and it's highly unlikely rains will come out west due to the drought, but the odds of OKC receiving the needed rainfall to help put water in Hefner are much greater. Over a 30 year period Canadian county averaged 9 more inches annually than Woodward County in western Oklahoma, so who do you think has the better odds of receiving the much needed spring rains?? It always rains a lot more between Watonga and OKC than it does out west of Canton to refill our lake.
Further more please stop spreading the untruth that Canton was built for OKC water storage!! That is an easy statement to disprove. Mrs. Regan should be ashamed of herself for implying that to the reporter and coercing her to lie on live TV. The FACT is, the city of Enid had some limited storage rights for a good many years after the lake was built and it wasn't for quite some time until OKC received any water rights in Canton at all.
And please stop using the term "drinking water" until you mandate no outside watering!! Unless you count the grass and trees "drinking" while they are dormant! You are again slanting the story to sound more severe on your end so you can justify the damage you are doing on this end in Western Oklahoma.
What a shame, the innocent people in the communities that surround Canton Lake are getting ready to pay dearly for the sins of those in power in OKC, who have not educated the people that there is a severe water crisis on the very near horizon. It's no longer on the horizon for the people of Canton and surrounding towns, it's now here with the begin of this release. It will be severe in areas of OKC soon enough if spring rains don't come. The people of OKC are good people, but nobody has told them how serious this situation is so they haven't changed their water practices to start conserving. The people in authority have done a disservice to the people of OKC and greatly to the people who rely on Canton Lake for their livelihood. This could have all been avoided or at least put off for several months or years had those in power shared the need for conservation a year or two ago when the drought started instead of waiting until it was a dire situation. Shame on you leaders, shame on you.
Mark Fuqua
Canton Lake Association Board Member
www.solarpumps.com
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