CHAPTER IV STATEWIDE APPRAISAL
45 HISTORY Lincoln had signed in 1862, granting Oklahoma City is the state's capital, Archaeologists have discovered 160 acres of pub I ic land to any settler and along with Tulsa, these two Stan traces of human life 10 to 15 thou who would cultivate it for five years. dard Metropolitan Statistical Areas sand years old in the caves and ledges In 1889 a bill was passed opening the (SMSA) represent one-half of the of northeastern Oklahoma's Ozark Oklahoma District for settlement state's 2,811,000 residents. Mountains, making it perhaps one of beginning on April 22 . On that date Sloping gently from northwest to the oldest inhabited areas in the there was a frantic race for land, with southeast, Oklahoma's highest eleva United States. Still, Oklahoma did not Oklahoma City being established on tion is 4,973 feet above mean sea enter the mainstream of recorded the banks of the North Canadian level at Black Mesa in Cimarron history until the arrival of the first of River and Guthrie mushrooming County, and its lowest is 305 feet near the Spanish conquistadores, Fran along Cottonwood Creek. April 22 in Idabel in McCurtain County. Slightly cisco de Coronado, in 1541 . Although 1889 was marked by stifling heat and south of the geographic center of the Coronado never found the fabled dust and a strangling lack of water. A nation, Oklahoma is bordered by " Seven Cities of Cibola" he sought on wel l was hurriedly dug at the corner Texas, Kansas, New Mexico, Col his expedition through Oklahoma, he of Main and Broadway in Oklahoma orado, Missouri and Arkansas. Two claimed a vast expanse of the New City, and federal troops guarded the great river basins -the Red and the World for Spain. precious water supply source. Arkansas and their tributaries Long before the white man Interest in water and water -traverse the state from border to came to share the treasures of the fer development bagan even before border and contribute to the state's tile land, Indians had followed the sta t ehood. In 1902 Theodore wealth of water resources. seasons and the abundance of fish Roosevelt signed into law the Oklahoma' s abundance of and game on the banks of Reclamation Act to aid the arid resources has nurtured healthy social Oklahoma's great rivers, creeks and western states, and the following year and economic growth. In 1977, the fresh springs. In 1682 LaSalle investigations were begun in Okla state' s 10.7 million acres of navigated the Mississippi River from homa Territory to determine how agricultural land produced nearly $2 the north to the Gulf of Mexico and water supplies could best benefit the billion worth of crops and livestock. claimed for France all of its drainage area. The Eighth Legislative Assembly In that same year raw mineral produc area - land ultimately acquired by of Oklahoma Territory enacted the tion in Oklahoma was valued at $3.5 the United States in the Louisiana first water law in 1905, outI ining the billion, with mineral industries active Purchase of 1803. procedure for acquiring water rights, in 76 of the 77 counties and oil and Oklahoma possessed the poten regulating the use of water and gas produced in 71 counties. The tial for becoming one of the first creating the post of Territorial McClellan-Kerr Navigation System on states to be created from the Loui Engi neer to administer the new law. which more than 10 million tons of siana Purchase, but instead, its On November 16, 1907 Presi commodities were shipped during destiny was to be Indian Territory. In dent Theodore Roosevelt signed the 1978 is just one example of Okla 1830 Congress passed a bill for the Oklahoma Enabling Act, welding into homa's extensive water resource removal of the civilized tribes, a a single state the "twin territories" of development. document that would set the Creeks, white and Indian land, and that year Cherokees, Choctaws, Chickasaws Oklahoma became the 46th state in CLIMATE and Seminoles forth on the "Trail of the Union. Oklahoma is divided into two Tears." By 1855 there were five Oklahoma, represented by the basic climatic regions, the humid east separate Indian republics in 46th star on the f lag of the United and semiarid west. Summers are long Oklahoma, and the Reconstruction States, has a land area of 69,919 and hot, while winters are shorter and period brought the resettlement of square miles, divided into 77 coun less rigorous than those of the plains still more tribes, until some 67 Indian ties. The largest county is Osage in states lying farther north. However, tribes occupied the Territory by the northeastern Oklahoma and the recent winters have been increasingly end of the century. smallest is Marshall in the southern severe, registering record snowfalls Eager settlers coveting the lush portion. The state boasts wide and temperature readings. Moist air prairies and abundant streams geographical diversity, from the roll currents from the Gulf of Mexico discovered that a 1.9 mill ion acre sec ing, verdant Great Plains in the west temper the weather during most of tion of land in the center of Indian to the rugged, wooded hills of the the year, but cool, moist air masses Territory, called the Oklahoma east. Oklahoma's contrast in land sur from the Pacific and cold, dry Cana District or Unassigned Lands, remain faces is matched by broad diversities dian air masses influence Oklahoma's ed in the public domain. They began in populations, ranging from sparsely winter temperatures. to demand that the Federal Govern pop1ulated Panhandle farm and ranch Maximum precipitation occurs ment open it to them under the lands to thriving metropolitan centers in the spring, when thunderstorms fre Homestead Act that President in central and northeastern portions. quently spawn the damaging funnels
46 FIGURE 6 CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMARY Combined Period of Record 1915-1974
UGION UNGTH Of TlMPlRATUit( PRECIPITATION lt(CORO, YfAIIS (INCHES) STATION MEANS UTIIEMU
YEAR LY DAI LY DAILY MAl(. (OATl) MIN, (OAT£) YEARLY GREATEST AVG. AVG. MIN. AVG. DAILY (OATf)
SOUTHEAST
Ada 30 62 4 73.6 511 112 8116(43 ·6' 1/4/47 39.40 780 9/29126 Atoka 30 62 6 74.6 50 5 115 8/16/43 ·8 2/2/51 40 78 810 7/13127 Coalgate 30 63.0 75.3 50.7 112 9(2/51 ·5 1/8/40 4115 9 54 7/15153 Durant 30 63.3 75.3 51 2 113 8(7156 ·4 2/2/51 40.47 7.40 8/17/26 Hugo 24 63.8 75.5 52.0 110 8/5(64 ·6 2/2/51 4713 7.05 10/1/54 Tishomingo 30 62.9 75.2 50.5 120 7/26(43 ·8 2/2/51 38.95 8.62 7/14127
CENTRAL Oklahoma City (AP) 30 60.3 70.5 50.1 108 7/19(66 12/31/68 30.82 4.82 10/3/55 Shawnee 24 61.4 74.0 48.8 112 8(15/56 ·6' 1/5/59 35.89 6.56 5/25157
SOUTH CENTRAL Ardmore 30 64.3 75.9 52 7 110 8/16(43 ·4 1/14/47 35.83 8.80 7/14127 Duncan 23 62.9 75.0 50 8 110 819/46' ·8 1/3/47 32 90 9.85 5/4/55 Madill 30 63.2 74.2 521 111 8/5/64 1 2/2/51 3916 6.57 6/ 2157 Marietta 30 63.8 75.9 51 7 112 8(16/56 ·3 1/4/47 36.04 5.83 10/12137 Pauls Valley 30 62.5 75.1 499 112 8/16(56 ·9 1/4/47 34.79 590 10/8/70 Sulphur 30 62.5 75.0 500 111 8/15/56 ·10 1/9/44 37 47 11 61 10/8170 Waurika 24 641 77.5 506 116 816164 ·S 1/23/66 30.16 4.70 4/12167
SOUTHWEST Frederick 24 64.2 77.9 50.5 115 8/6/64 ·4' 2/1/51 25 57 5.90 9/22169 Hobart 24 606 72.7 484 113 7/25(54 ·3' 2/1/51 24.39 5.73 9/19165 Hollis 24 62 8 77.5 481 117 6(14(53 ·10 1/23/66 21 .53 4.66 5/17/51 Lawton 30 62.3 75.2 49 2 112' 8/3/43 ·7 1/4/47 3016 625 10/20153 Mangum 24 62 2 76.5 47 8 113 8/6/64 ·7 1/23166 23 41 5.46 9/23170 Sayre 24 60.5 74.3 466 114 6(14(53 ·7 1(23/66 22.32 4.22 10/9168 Walters 50 63.6 75.9 51 3 114 8/11(36 ·10' 1/18/30 29.69 7.50 10/2141 Weatherford 24 606 72.9 48 2 111' 8(6/53 ·4' 2/1/51 2714 6.25 9/24159
NORTHEAST Bartlesville 24 59 6 72.4 46.7 115 7/14/54 ·13 1/5/59 35.53 5.88 9/4/53 Miam1 24 597 71.4 47.8 116 7/14(54 ·8 12(23/63 41 .76 9.15 7/7/58 Muskogee 40 61.4 72.6 50.1 114 7/14(54 ·3' 12/23/63 41 .92 7.16 7115/61 Pryor 22 59.6 71.7 47.4 112 7/13/54 ·9 12/23/63 37.53 5.20 7/15/61 Spavinaw 24 60.9 71 .9 49.7 111 7/13/54 ·8 12/23/63 41.79 8.35 8/14161 Tu lsa (AP) 30 59.7 70.6 48.8 110 8/5(64 ·3 1 2/23/63 37.08 7.54 7/2163 Wagoner 24 61 0 73.0 48.9 115 7/13/54 ·6 12/23/63 40.76 6.15 7/15161
EAST CENTRAL McAlester 30 61 9 73.3 50.5 113 8/16/43 ·9 1/11/62 41 08 712 5/9/43 Poteau 24 62.3 74.3 50 2 111 ' 8117/52 ·7 2/2/51 44.67 7.82 5/1 4/68
NORTH CENTRAl En1d 30 60.3 72.0 48.7 113 7/14/54 ·10 1/4/47 3004 8 30 7/25160 Hennessey 24 604 72.8 47 9 114' 8/6164 ·10 1/4/59 28.59 9.78 5/15/57 Jefferson 24 59 8 72.6 470 115 7/14/54 ·9 1/4/59 30.01 10.00 10/11/73 Newk1rk 24 59.3 71 .0 47.6 117 7/1 4/54 ·8 1/4/59 32 99 6.23 9/13161 Ponca City 24 60.5 72.9 481 115 7/1 4/54 ·5' 1/1/51 33.85 5.75 7/25167 Stillwater 24 60.0 72.2 47.7 113 7/14/54 ·6' 12/14/58 32.68 7.00 5/21157
NORTHWEST Beaver 24 57.6 72.5 42 6 111' 6/28/60 ·23 1/4/59 19.50 4.45 5/14151 Goodwell 24 56.8 72.2 41 .3 111' 6/28/68 ·22 1/4/59 15.89 3.86 8/7/59 Kenton 24 56.0 72.2 39.8 109 6/29/57 ·23 1/4/59 15.41 6.37 10/17/65 Woodward 24 59.6 73.3 45.8 111' 8/6/64 ·14 1/4/59 22.98 3.82 8/28/74
• Also on earlier dates.
47 ...... -..., lines of Equal Value
Data - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Mappmg- Oklahoma Water Resources Board
1 :j ' 16 ~
~ lines of Equal Value
Data-National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Mapping-Oklahoma Water Resources Board
48 FIGURE 9 AVERAGE AN NUAL LAKE EVAPORATION (In Inches) Period 1946-1955
,..--...... ,_ Lines of Equal Value
Data-National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administratio11 Mapping-Oklahoma Water Resources Board
that cause Oklahoma to record the Panhandle to 57° F. High readings of consume an average of 80 percent of highest concentration of tornadoes in 120° F have been reported at several the annual rainfall. Estimates of the world. May is usually the wettest stations, and the record low of -27° F evaporation, precipitation. month and rainfall decreases through occurred at Watts in 1930, and at temperature, runoff and other the summer until fall, the second wet Vinita in 1935. Oklahoma's average variables are of great importance to test season. January ranks as Okla annual temperature pattern is shown planners in accurately determining homa's driest month. in Figure 7 . reservoir yields. Careful, in-depth The geographical distribution of The length of the growing ana lyses of such data were employed rainfall decreases sharply from east season, which is defined as the period in the development of the Oklahoma to west, ranging from an annual 56 in between the average date of the last Comprehensive Water Plan. ches measured in the southeastern 32° temperature in the spring and the corner to 15 inches in the western average date of the first 32° SCENIC AN D RE CREATIONAL A REAS Pan handle. The contrast in annual temperature in the fall, varies from Oklahoma's magnificent lakes, ra in fall is reflected in the officially 170 days in Cimarron County to 240 extensive state park system and recorded extremes of 6.53 inches at days in McCurtain County. East to pr ivately developed recreational Regnier in Cimarron County in 1956 west, along the northern border, the areas lure visitors from across the and 84.47 inches at Kiamichi Tower in average date of the final spring freeze United States. There are 30 state LeFlore County in 1957. Snowfall varies from April 5 to April 27; and in parks and 23 recreational areas across the state follows a general pat the south, from March 27 to April 5. throughout the state under the super tern of increasing from east to west. The first fall freeze generally occurs vision of the Oklahoma Tourism and During the 1970's average snowfall between October 12 and October 27 Recreation Department. They offer accumulations ranged from six inches in the north. and between November camping facilities, entertainment. in the southeast to more than 19 5 and November 10 along the lodging and a variety of other recrea inches in the southwest. However, southern border, with the latest oc tional and social activities. South cen despite recent heavy snowfalls in the curring in south central Oklahoma. tral Oklahoma's Chickasaw National west. winter precipitation accounts Annual lake evaporation Recreation Area at Sulphur is a for only a small percentage of the averages 48 inches in the extreme popular attraction, and Grand Lake in area's annual total. east and 65 inches in the the northeast has been extensively Mean annual temperature southwestern corner, as illustrated in developed by private interests. Grand ranges from 64° F along the southern Figure 9 . Evapotranspiration (loss of Lake's wooded hills. scenic lake border to 60° F in the northeast, water into the air) and percolation waters and luxurious vacation homes decreasing westward across the (seepage of water into the ground) distinguish it in the Southwest.
49 The state boasts a panorama of spotted bass and smallmouth bass, as smaller lakes, ponds and rivers of the scenery such as the Talimena Skyline wel l as striped bass. walleye, northern west provide excellent hunting. Drive in the southeast and the Black pike and Florida bass that have been Mallards are the most abundant Mesa region of the Pan hand le. introduced to Oklahoma waters to species, with pintails, gadwalls, Southwestern Oklahoma's Wichita provide even greater sport fishing op widgeon, teal and divers also plen Mountain Wildl ife Refuge is one of portunities. tiful. Canada geese are abundant only four national refuges for buffalo The State Wildlife Conservation statewide, while snows and. blues are in the nation, grazing nearly 1,000 of Department's fish hatcheries located found mainly in the east. The best this one time almost extinct species. at Holdenville, Durant. Medicine Park hunting is generally in wheat fields The Wichitas and Arbuckles are the and Byron provide fish for planting, near the Great Plains Wildlife Refuge oldest mountains in Oklahoma, form restocking and research. Annual in the northwest, and in fields ed about the same time as the Ap stocking exceeds 25 million f ish of 16 surrounding Tishomingo National palachians. Mount Scott in the species, with the number of species Wildlife Refuge in the southeast. San W ichitas is the state's best known varying each year to reflect needs dhill cranes offer good hunting in the peak, but Rich Mountain in the and the requests for research, southwest along the Red River in Ouachitas is the highest. rising 2,900 management and pond programs. Jackson and Til lman Counties. feet above southeastern Oklahoma's Oklahoma's abundance of large Eleven wildlife species, official plain. and small game provides boundless ly listed by the federal government as Oklahoma offers the sportsman challenge to resident hunters and out "endangered", are believed to exist in excellent hunting and fishing w ith an of-state adventurers. Whitetail deer Oklahoma. These species (seven abund ance of lakes and rivers stock are the most abundant big game birds, three mammals and one reptile) ed w ith a wide variety of fresh water animals, and are legal game in all 77 face the immediate threat of extinc fish. Hunting for smal l game is superb counties. Mule deer inhabit the tion. Despite the protection afforded throughout the state, and most areas Panhandle and extreme northwestern endangered wildlife by state and offer whitetail deer. The dry, open counties in limited numbers. Elk are federal law. loss of habitat, pesticide northwest offers the sportsman mule conf ined mainly to refuge areas in the poisoning, certain forestry practices deer and antelope as well. There are east and southwest. Antelope are and illegal shooting are applying many public hunting areas and native to the Panhandle, but are tem dangerous pressures to their ex wild I ife refuges where unique species porarily off limits to allow herd ex istence. of animals are preserved and enjoyed pansion. Oklahoma's endangered species by campers. naturalists and tourists. Bobwhite quail, found in central include the gray bat, black-footed fer Areas across the state possess and western prairie areas along field ret, Indiana bat, bald eagle, whooping unique environmental habitats sup edges and shelter belts, are the most crane, Ozark big-eared bat, red porting a w ide variety of sport fish, popular game birds in Oklahoma. cockaded woodpecker, Bachman's large and small game and waterfowl. Mourning doves are present in warbler, American peregrine falcon Oklahoma is a sportsman's paradise generous numbers across the state, and American alligator. Although not for hunting and fishing, making this while pheasa n ts inhabit the yet officially listed as endangered,
form of recreation a big business in Panhandle and northwest. Rio Grande one other species in Oklahoma1 the terms of revenue. These outdoor ac turkeys abound throughout the leopard darter, is threatened with ex tivities add mill ions of dollars each western two-thirds of the state, while tinction, if present trends continue. year to the local and state economy where about 10,000 birds are in the form of licensing fees, fishing harvested annually. Another variety WETLANDS and hunting equipment, lodging ex of wild turkey, smaller than the Rio Wetlands are areas requiring a penses and retail sa les. Grand turkey, is being successfully in high soil moisture content or occa Fish ing water is plentiful, as troduced in eastern Oklahoma. Squir sional inundation, and that land adja evidenced by 663,000 acres of major rel and rabbit are plentiful through cent to or dependent on a body of reservoirs. 450,000 acres of farm out Oklahoma. but are most abun water. The Soil Conservation Service ponds. approximately 23,000 miles of dant in the eastern half. est imates there are 53,000 acres of streams, and 17 lakes owned and Ducks, geese and sandhill wetlands in Oklahoma, occurring managed by the Oklahoma Depart cranes offer numerous opportunities along the flood plains of major ment of Wildlife Conservation. for waterfowl hunters. Because the streams and supporting countless Oklahoma ranks third in the nation in state lies on the Central Flyway exten varieties of fish, wild I ife and plants. fishable fresh waters. Within these ding form Canada to Mexico, about a Most of these wetland areas waters sportsmen fish for native quarter of a million ducks migrate have been altered drastically by species of largemouth bass. crappie. through Oklahoma annually. The clearing for agricultural, residential channel catfish. white bass. sunfish, major reservoirs and Arkansas River and industrial development or inun flathead catfish, sauger, paddlefish, Navigation System in the east and dated by water development pro-
50 FIGURE 10 OKLAHOMA POPULATION PROJECTIONS
YEAR 1970' 19771 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040
PLANNING REGION
Southeast 130.954 144.000 160,700 181,000 197.800 212.700 227,300 239.700 250.100 Central 699,092 768,500 886,900 1,059,100 1,193,800 1,301,900 1.397.500 1,478.300 1.550,500 South Central 158,592 180,500 192,700 219,600 240,000 258,600 276.200 291,600 303,900 Southwest 268.369 284.500 286.600 306,100 325.900 343,200 360,900 377.300 391.800 East Central 172,734 190,600 191,800 208.600 224.900 240,300 255.700 269,000 280.300 Northeast 796,733 877,800 907,900 1,030.900 1,168,900 1,304,900 1,435,100 1,557,400 1,664,200 North Central 236.270 262.800 269.200 298.700 325,000 349,100 372.800 393,600 412.100 Northwest 96,719 102.000 105.800 112.700 119.600 123,500 127,400 131,300 135.200
STATE TOTAL 2.559,463 2.809.900 3.001.600 3,416.700 3,795.900 4.134.200 4,452.900 4.738.200 4,988.100
' U.S. Census of Population, 1970 Oklahoma P.C. (1) ·338. 'Oklahoma Em ployment Security Commission estimate. jects. Few tracts remain undisturbed, increasing public awareness, and by grown sl ightly, while rural areas and the most extensive of these lying in organizing local fund-ra ising efforts towns under 2,000 have shown the flood-plain of the Deep Fork River for site acquisition. delines in recent census estimates. in Okmulgee, Creek and Okfuskee The population increased nearly Counties. SOCIO-ECONOMIC 1,000 percent, rising from 258,657 to CHARACTERISTICS 2,811 ,000 between 1890 and 1977, at Oklahoma has experienced ARCHEOLOGICAL AND the same t ime showing a definite rapid social and economic growth in HISTORICAL SITES trend toward urban concentration. In recent decades, evidenced by marked There are over 6,500 verified ar 1910 only 19.2 percent of the popula escalations in population, incomes, cheological sites located throughout t ion lived in cities or towns of 2,500 or agricultural production and industrial Oklahoma's 77 counties, with Coman more, but by 1940 this f igure had in development. Economists attribute che, LeFlore, Cimarron, McCurtain creased to 37.6 percent, and in the such increases to the state's abundant and Osage Counties offering the 1970's had reached 68 percent. natural resources (includ ing available greatest numbers. The locations of Based on projections from the land and water} and its favorable these counties indicate the wide Oklahoma Employment Security labor and tax cl imates. distribution of archeological sites Commiss ion, the state's population is As part of the nation's "Sunbelt" across the state. expected to reach 2.9 million by 1980; region, Oklahoma can expect further The re are 237 Oklahoma 3.7 m illion by 2000; and almost f ive development and growth, if it can historical sites in 57 counties record million by the year 2040. Projections continue to offer the water, land, ed in the National Register of number the state's 2090 population in energy and capital needed by new Historical Places. These sites attract excess of six million, which is ex residents and industries without suc mill ions of visitors to Oklahoma each pected to be heavily concent rated in cumbing to adverse social and en~ urban areas. See Figure 10. year, offering gl i mpses of vironmental impacts. Oklahoma's colorful history. Promi The ris ing and falling cycle of nent among the attractions are the population figures over the past cen Employment, Labor and National Cowboy Hall of Fame in tury is directly related to land. Prior Personal Income Oklahoma City, Tsa-La-Gi Cherokee to the 1920's the open lands of Oklahoma has trad itionally ex Indian Village in Tah lequah, the Oklahoma brought a steady in perienced a higher percentage of Creek Council House in Okmulgee, m igration, but the dust bowl days of employed persons, or conversely, a the Philbrook Museum in Tulsa, the the 1930's saw a drastic out lower unemployment rate, t han the Will Rogers Museum in Claremore m igration, as settlers abandoned their national average, an ind ication of t he and the Quanah Parker Star House farms and homesteads to seek lands generally healthy condition of t he near Cache. of greater promise. In-m igration state's economy and its relative im Coordination of historical and resumed in the 1960's, and the growth muity to short-term fluctuations in archeological site identification and trend continued in the early 1970's. the national economy. In 1977 Okla preservation is accomplished at the Today the Tulsa and Oklahoma City homa's average unemploym ent rate state level with valuable assistance metropolitan areas account for was five percent, with 1,166,000 of from local and regional societies. almost half the state's population. t he total labor force of 1,227,000 These local and regional societies Smaller cities -those over 2,000 - have employed. The national seasonally assist by erecting historical markers, maintained their populations or adjusted unemployment rate was
51 seven percent during the same year. Although Oklahoma boasts a FIGURE 11 MAJOR INDUSTRIES favorable overall employment ratio, INDUSTRIAl GROUP TOTAL NUMBER TOTAL NUMBER AVERAGE WEEKLY the distribution of employment in ESTABliSHMENTS EMPLOYEES EARNINGS dicates certain areas sustain much Lumber & Wood Products 146 3,687 174.46 higher unemployment rates than Furniture & Fixtures 86 2,378 160.42 Stone, Clay & Glass others. Southeastern Oklahoma 230 9,894 223.55 Primary Metal Industries 70 4,457 239.96 historically suffers high unemploy Fabricated Metal Products 438 19,737 227.67 ment rates and northwestern Machinery. Except Electrical 511 25,652 231.25 Oklahoma nominal rates; a variation Electrical Machinery 115 11,483 206.54 explained in part by the nature of the Food 319 16,183 199.52 Apparel industry in each region. While the 133 13,171 115.82 Printing & Publishing 565 9,463 181 .19 southeast's manufacturing and min Chemicals & Allied Products 100 2,814 270.48 ing industries are sensitive to drop Refining & Coal Products 36 8,807 292.86 efts in demand and register subse Other Manufacturing 489 28,655 218.90 quent layoffs, the northwest' s farmers TOTAL 3,272 156,381 210.97 are forced by their large personal capital investments to remain in SOURCE: Research and Planning Division, Oklahoma Employment Security Commis agricultural pursuits despite market sion, 1976. down trends. Population densities also influence the unemployment Coinciding with the pattern of em ing, packing and canning operations rate by determining the size of the ploy ment across the state, personal have also flourished in the state. labor force . Southeastern income is lower in the southeast and Oklahoma's higher concentration of higher in metropolitan areas and the Agricultural Development people makes labor available in ex west. However, due to extensive Since Land Run days, cess of demand, resulting in a higher employment in the oil and gas in Oklahoma's climate, soil, water and unemployment rate than in the dustry, Washington County in available lands have attracted sparsely populated northwest, where northeastern Oklahoma exhibits the farmers and ranchers, and products the labor supply and demand are ap highest 1977 per capita personal of the soil in the form of cattle, grain proximately balanced. income at $9,972. Total personal in and feed seed crops have made major Covered employment is defined come for the state in 1977 was contributions to the state's economy. as the number of workers on the $17,622,000,000. In 1976 the state ranked second in the payroll for the period including the Lower establishment costs, plen nation in winter wheat production, twelfth of each month, and who are tiful natural resources, an abundance fifth in grain sorghum, sixth in employed by employers subject to of labor and lower living costs have peanuts for nuts, and sixth in cattle, the Oklahoma Employment Security attracted business and industry to achieving a total agricultural produc Act. In 1977 the highest covered Oklahoma, spurring rapid and highly tion value of almost $1 .8 bill ion. The employment was recorded in diversified industrial growth in recent record for production value was wholesale and retail trade, which years. Today Oklahoma ranks thirty established in 1973 with a figure of employed 231 ,696; manufacturing, second in the nation in industrial over $2.1 billion. which employed 163,902; and service development. There were approximately industries, which employed 135,494. In 1976 there were 3,272 major 86,000 farms in Oklahoma in 1976, These three industries accounted for industries in Oklahoma with an an averaging 428 acres in size. The most two-thirds of the average covered nual payroll of over $1.7 billion. recent complete farm census in 1974 employment. Wood and pulp manufacturing in indicated Oklahoma had 38,449 full In terms of income, Oklahoma dustries find bountiful supplies of owners of farms, 22,847 part owners ranks somewhat below the national water needed in processing, and vast of farms and 8,423 tenants on farms, average of $7,026, with a 1977 per oil and gas deposits lend themselves with figures in all three categories capita personal income of $6,269. to all facets of energy production, as down from previous censuses. These Personal income is defined as current well as the manufacture of allied pro statistics support the trends in income received by residents from all ducts. evidence throughout the western sources. measured before the deduc S i nee Ok I a hom a is pre- United States of (1) migration from tion of personal and income taxes, dominantly an agricultrual state, farms to urban areas, and (2) increase but after the deduction of personal agribusiness firms have also migrated in farm sizes in an attempt to lower contributions for Social Security, to the region, opening profitable unit costs through increased produc government retirement and other markets in farm machinery, seed sup tion to defray escalating costs of farm social insurance programs. plies and fertilizer products. Process- machinery.
52 Signific ant portions of the state's industrial economy have FIGURE 12 GEOLOGIC TIME SCALE grown in response to agricultural CfOLOGIC IRA CIOlOCIC PERIOD BICINNINC (Mil liON development and are dependent YIARS AGO) upon it. These agribusinesses con stitute a multibillion dollar contribu Cenoz.o•c Quate rnary 1 tion to the state's total economy and Te rt;ary 70 include canning and processing of foods and by-products; agricultural M eSO l OiC Cretaceous 135 supplies. equipment and services; and Jurassic 180 Tfi3SS IC 220 transportaion and marketing services. According to the Oklahoma State University Extension Service, ir Paleo1.otc Pe rmidl1 270 Pennsylvanran 320 rigated agriculture is on the rise in Mtssippt,tn 350 Oklahoma. The slight decrease Devon ra n 400 registered between 1975 and 1977 is Silurtan 430 attributed to greater precipitation, O rdovt c i<~ n 490 higher fuel costs and depressed crop Cambrian 600 prices, and is not considered in dicative of a future trend. See Fig PreccJmbrt - - ,.. 1 ~ ~ t - ~ ~ - f - /------... - - -Years - FIGURE 13 ACRES IRRIGATED IN OKLAHOMA 53 - TriassiC through Cretar:eous c:=J 1 eruary c:=J ~' t> rm1 a n c:=J Cambrian a nd Ordov•c1an c:=J Pre·Cambnan through Pennsylvan1a n r=J Pennsylvanian - Ordov1uan thro ugh Pennsylvania•, c:=J Cambrian thro ugh Pe nnsylvol n Ja n c=J Cretaceous upl ift during the Pennsylvanian been covered by sea water. Okla deposited on the banks and in the period. North of these mountain homa's land surface sloped down to bottoms of rivers and lakes. uplifts I ie the deep Anadarko and the east and southeast, and extensive Arkoma basins, and still farther north, deposits of Tertiarry sand and gravel LA ND RESOURCES the re latively undisturbed shelf areas were washed in by large rivers flowing Oklahoma has a total area of of nort hern Oklahoma. from the newly formed Rocky Moun 44,748,160 acres, with 43,762,176 land tains. acres as of January 1978. Of this land Nonmarine shales and sand area, 1,727,778 acres are classified as stones characterize the Mesozoic The Quaternary period through built-up and urban land; 14,488,295 sedimentary rocks of Oklahoma. the present is characterized as a time acres as rangeland; 10,751,304 acres Shallow seas covered southern and of erosion. Rocks and loose sediment as cropland; 6,896,928 acres as western Oklahoma during some of at the surface are being weathered to pastureland; and 6,764,249 acres as the era's Cretaceous period, and soil, then the so il particles are carried forestland. There were 895,802 acres marine depos its resu lted in limestone away to streams and rivers. In this under irrigation in 1977, with most of and shale. way, hills and mountains are worn the total lying in western Oklahoma. Since the beginning of the Ter down, and the sediment is either car The Federal Government owns tiary period, none of the state has ried to the sea or at least temporarily 1,098,939 acres in the state, with FIGURE 15 MAJOR AGRICULTURAL LA ND USES (In Acres) WATU WATER PLANNI NG REGI ON CROPLAND PASTURELAND FORESTLAND RANGELAND 40 ACRES 40 ACRES TOTAL Southeast 163,363 1,636.516 2,132,679 626,655 103,055 19,016 4,618,284 Centra l 525,389 434,340 207,955 694,904 49,190 17,006 1,928,784 South Central 556,863 561 ,238 468.002 1,654,344 102,300 20.419 3,363,166 Southwest 3,047,122 310,223 241 ,446 2,503,917 117.385 66,909 6,287,002 East Central 175.350 1,299.333 1,901,975 707,831 176.900 20,212 4,281,601 Northeast 613,835 2,144,468 1,567,869 2,015,923 214,960 59,462 6,616,317 North Central 2,091,128 392,965 142,902 1,742,719 78,430 34,131 4,488,275 Northwest 3,578,254 117,845 101 ,421 4,542.202 143.764 33.324 8,516,810 STAT£ TOTA L 10.751,304 6,896,928 6,764,249 14,488,295 985.984 270.479 40,157,239 54 Or •ln•a~ Compl~ttd Muli· o,r.ua~ Compltt" WATEUHEO Aru or Und~ Purpow Art- • 01 Undtr Ho. N•mt- (AClrt1) Pl•nn«-4 (Oftltrudion Silt-s• No, N~.mt (A~f t'l) Pl• ....d Con•tru cUo n ARKANSAS tiiVE• BASIN 117 &11 Cow-Dry Cte.k 1&2,080 0 0 2·Pt 1 S11 l1 fC)t\ Arl•n}f)JtrYt:t 200.710 0 0 111 Sah.Ca.mp Creek) 13.0)0 1 1·8 f urtf'y Boii'f Cr~tk J1,900 0 0 119 Utd~ OHp FOrk CrH k 161.48& "s. s. l·Pt ' l •U if Mul~ CrH'k 18• .H9 0 0 120 h J t·W,_,t S,a;ndy CtHts Sl.~ 0 0 •' Mf' I ) Meservoh, I XISting or Undtt Consuucllon ~ -'uthorllt"d Rt'~ervo•r ~ At,Uhotlt~ Chfo11dr- Control Prof~l Data- Oklahoma Water Rt>sources &.rd. Buruu of Redamdhon •nd US Army Corp of Enameers M.l:PP•ng- Oklahoma Water Re-sources ~rd ~.,..Mrt. FIGURE 25 WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT 60a FIGURE 16 OKLAHOMA LAND INVENTORY SUMMARY (In Acres) FEDERAL AND PRIVATELY AREA IN ROADS STATE LAND OWNED RURAL PLANNING REGION TOTAL AREA WATER AREA' URBAN AREA AND RAILROADS AREA' LAND Southeast 5,068,1 60 103,055 62,625 48,786 199,838 4,653,856 Central 2,268,160 49,190 207,342 32,818 73,553 1,905,257 South Central 3.71 1 ,360 102,300 59,226 46,675 83,691 3,419,468 Southwest 7,043,840 117,385 90,155 160,811 336.734 6,338,755 East Centra l 5,010,560 176,900 84,819 66,599 310,215 4,372,027 Northeast 7,548,160 214,960 326,658 110,906 290,312 6,605,324 North Central 4,920,960 78,430 97,849 129,053 213,127 4,402,501 Northwest 9,176,960 143,764 38,926 164,530 510,466 8,319, 274 STATE TOTAL 44,748,160 985,984 967,600 760,178 2,017,936 40,0'16,462 'Includes bodies of water greater than 40 acres in size and ri verbeds more than one-eighth mile wide. ' Includes only state and federal owned lands. Does not include leased lands. almost half owned by the Corps of pattern on a unique type of land to $1.3 billion in 1973. About 96 per Engineers through its major water scape. These associations are com cent of the 1977 value was derived reservoir projects. The State of O kla prised of several series whose charac from the production of foss il fuels, homa holds 918,997 acres, with over tnstrcs, including climate, parent while prod u ced metal and 80 percent of it in school lands. Figure materials and natural vegetation, are nonmetallic minerals accounted for 16 shows present I and use in the state similar. Figure 17 illustrates ex isting the remaining four percent. as determined by the Soil Conserva soil associations and series with each The tremendous gains in value tion service in its Oklahoma Land In association. of produced minerals are somewhat ventory of January 1978. Broad differences exist in state m isleading and must be analyzed in The principal agricultural in soils. In the eastern part soils were terms of the production and value of dustry in the state is beef production, developed under humid conditions crude oil and natural gas. According followed by wheat and dairy cattle. where leaching is intense. These soils to the Bureau of Mines publication, This predominance of beef produc are low in phosphorus, lack adequate "Minerals in the Economy of Okla t ion prevails throughout western, cen potassium and range from moderate homa," the unit value of Oklahoma tral and east central Oklahoma, but ly to strongly acid. The vast western crude petroleum has increased ap the northeast and southeast show prairies, developed under lower rain proximately 162 percent since 1973, more diversified production including fall levels, exhibit a light red colo~ while annual p roduction of c rude o il barley and oats, sorghum, soybeans, and are less leached than eastern has declined 29 percent. Unit value of corn and hay. In the northeast soy soils. They are moderately acid, but natural gas was up 321 percent in bean production has doubled every low in phosphorus and nitrogen. Soils 1977 over that of 1973, but produc 10 years since 1940, while east central in the northwest region contain great t ion rose only three percent in 1977. and south central Oklahoma boast amounts of lime and are neutral to Thus, as a result of the increase in thriving commercial timber and wood alkaline at the surface, with calcium c ru de o il and natural gas values, the products industries. carbonate accumulations found at total value of all mineral production The first detailed soil surveys sha llow depths. Nitrogen levels are is highly inflated in proportion to were conducted in Oklahoma County low, but are not usually a l imiting fac quantities produced. Figure 18 in and a small area near Tishomingo in tor. Wind erosion is often the most d icates the major oil and gas deposits 1905. Soil survey maps and reports serious soil management and crop in the state. are available for 69 counties, w ith production p roblem. The mining of coal, a major reconnaissance level work in progress resource in a 15,000 square-m ile area for the remain ing eight counties. MINERAL RESOURCES of eastern Oklahoma, is garnrng Oklahoma soil surveys are made The primary mineral resource of renewed interest. Coal beds in this according to the " series concept" of Oklahoma is oil and gas, with a region range in thickness from one to classification. A series is a group of number of other minerals produced eight fee t with approximately 7.2 soils w i th simi l ar profile on a smaller scale. The total value of billion tons of coal available. characteristics and arrangements, ex mineral production in O klahoma, ris Thick sequences of salt underlie cluding surface texture. ing rapidly to reflect the worldwide most of western Oklahoma at depths Soil associations occur together escalation of oil prices, reached a of 30 to 30,000 feet, and reserves naturally in a defined proportional record $3.5 b illion in 1977, compared estimated at 20 trillion tons remain 55 FIGURE 20 AVERAGE ANNUAL RUNOFF (In Inches) Period 1931-1960 ,...... ,_ lines of Equal Value Data- U.S. Geologica l Survey Mapping-Oklahoma Water Resources Board virtually untapped. Current salt pro the past 80 yea rs. Figure 19 shows the sites and flow rates at other duction is from three solar evapora types and locations of the mineral strategic stream locations. This in tion plants located in Harmon and resources in Oklahoma. formation is utilized in determining Woods Counties. Brines are obtained reservoir yields and in the ap through relatively shallow wells drill WATER RESOURCES propriation of stream water rights. ed into salt beds. Dissolution of the (Appendix B. Figure 3 shows the sa lt by penetrating ground water Stream Water location of these streamflow gag yields natural brines that are pumped RUNOFF ing stations.) from the wells to solar evaporating Runoff is a measure used to pans for precipitation of crystalline identify the amount of water from MAJOR RIVER BAS INS salt. Underground storage facilities any form of precipitation that flows Oklahoma is drained by two are easi ly and economically made by over the surface. The runoff, rang major rivers; the Arkansas River in dissolving salt and forming cavities in ing from 0.2 inches in the Panhan the north, and the Red River in the sa lt beds . dle to 20 inches in the southeast south. These two mighty rivers Other resources produced in the corner, reflects the dramatic con enter Oklahoma from neighboring state are dolomite. l imestone, granite, trast in precipitation levels in states, pick up volume from sand and gravel, glass sand, gypsum, Oklahoma. See Figure 20 . In the several major tributaries, then flow l ead and zinc . Dolomite and northwest region average runoff out of the state toward their con limestone deposits are located amounts to about 820,000 acre-feet fluence with the Mississippi. The primarily in northeastern Oklahoma per year, compared to six million average amount of water leaving and in the Arbuckle Mountains. acre-feet per year for the southeast the state annually through these Granite is quarried near Snyder and region. Annual average runoff for two basins is an estimated 34 Granite in southwestern Oklahoma. the entire state is approximately 22 million acre-feet; with the Arkan and sand and gravel pits are located m iII ion acre-feet. sas River carrying 22 million acre throughout the state. Class sand, In an effort to accumulate feet, the Little River (tributary of used in the manufacture of high puri relevant data on state stream water the Red) three million, and the Red ty glass. is produced in the south cen flows, the Oklahoma Water River nine million. Despite these tral region. Gypsum outcrops located Resources Board cooperates with awesome quantities, their in w estern Oklahoma produce the U.S. Geological Survey in main beneficial uses are limited by poor 800,000 tons annually. Approximately taining gaging stations on water quality. 1.3 mill ion tons of lead and 5.2 selected streams throughout the The Arkansas River and its million tons of zinc have been mined state. These gages periodically tributaries drain 44,491 square from deposits in Ottawa County over record discharge levels at reservoir miles (28,762,240 acres), or about 56 two-thirds of Oklahoma. Major southern edge of the Kiamichi surveys and other engineering and tributaries of the Arkansas River Mountains in southeastern hydraulic analyses. (Appendix B, are the Canadian, flowing almost Oklahoma, meanders across Figure 2 summarizes by planning the width of the state; the Illinois, southwestern Arkansas and the region pertinent data for selected Verdigris and Grand (Neosho) coastal plain of Louisiana to its USGS stream gaging stations.) Rivers in the northeast, and the confluence with the Atchafalaya Poteau River in the southeast. Also River, and finally JOins the STREAM WATER QUALITY among the Arkansas' major Mississippi River. Major tributaries Water quality of Oklahoma's tributaries are the brac kish Cimar of the Red in Oklahoma are the streams is adversely affected by ron River and the Salt Fork. The Elm, Salt and North Forks in the natural and man-made pollution. In Arkansas River enters Oklahoma southwest; the Washita River the west, natural salt springs and salt from Kansas, near Newkirk in Kay which meets the Red at Lake Tex flats emit into local streams large County; flows southeasterly from oma; the Blue, Little and Kiamichi quantities of chlorides that are subse Tulsa; continues that path to a Rivers and Boggy Creek in the quently carried downstream, point north of Muskogee, then southeast. Lake Texoma is the only polluting other major streams as flows out of the state near Fort major reservoir project on the main they go. In populous central and Smith, Arkansas. It supports many stem of the Red River in the State eastern Oklahoma, municipal and in major reservoirs, as well as the of Oklahoma. dustrial effluents degrade many McClellan-Kerr Navigation System In order to effectively manage streams, restricting their beneficial that connects the Tulsa area with the state' s large rivers and smaller uses. However, many of the streams the Gulf ports of the southeastern streams, the Oklahoma Water in eastern Oklahoma are of excellent United States. Resources Board has further divid quality, consistently providing pure, The Red River and its ed the Arkansas and Red River into fresh water in large quantities. tributaries drain 24,978 square 49 subbasins. Figure 1 shows the A discussion of the quality of miles (15,985,920 acres), or about 23 subbasins of the Red and the 26 water rests primarily on the type and one-third of Oklahoma. The Red of the Arkansas. Such disaggrega amount of materials dissolved in any rises in the H igh Plains of eastern tion facil itates the hydrologic given water resou r ces. The New Mexico, flows eastward studies n·ecessary in the adjudica characteristics of these dissolved across the Texas Panhandle, then tion of stream water rights, im materials depend on such factors as marks the boundary between plementation of the area of origin geology, flow characteristics of Texas and Oklahoma. It skirts the protection, reservoir operation streams and man' s activities. Water FIGURE 21 AVERAGE DISCHARGE OF PRINCIPAL RIVERS CFS 500 1,000 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000 Data-U.S. Geological Survey Mapping- Oklahoma Water Resources Board 57 Ratings• Good - fa1r - Poor R~t1ng> ,ne bd5('(1 on dM harge- we1ghtl'd aver.tge of concPntratiOn' ot total d1s~olved sol1ds 1n ~treams and e>.1\t111g l.ti-<'~ Data-US Gcolog1tdl Sul'\ falling as rain contains minute Northeastern Oklahoma offers turbid, hard water stream, increasing amounts of dissolved materials, but both good quality and poor quality in turbidity and hardness in its flow as this water moves over and through streams. The Grand (Neosho) and downstream. From its headwaters to rock and soil, more materials are Illinois Rivers are of excellent quality Lake Texoma, the river is highly brought into solution. Man-made from their origin to their confluence mineral ized with sulfates and pollution also places soluable with the Arkansas River. However, the chlorides. material in water, further degrading Verdigris and Caney Rivers are rated Once the Red River flows from its quality. poor due to high total dissolved sol ids Lake Texoma, the quality of its water Water of the Arkansas River from natural and man-made sources. improves significantly with the addi Basin in the western and central por Because of its degraded western tion of the high quality waters of tions of the state is highly mineralized tributaries. the main stem of the Muddy Boggy and Clear Boggy and nutrient-rich. The Salt Fork and Arkansas is also of poor quality. Creeks and the Blue and Kiami\=hi Cimarron River Basins are highly The general water quality of the Rivers in southeastern Oklahoma. mineralized by natural chloride emis Red River Basin is poor from the The Blue River is low in mineraliza sion zones in their upper basins. The Texas Panhandle to Lake Texoma due tion and nutrification, while Muddy amount of chloride concentration is to high mineral and nutrient levels. Boggy and Clear Boggy Creeks are so great in some reaches of the Cimar Natural salt plains in the lower Texas turbid, soft water streams. The ron that the sa lt level often exceeds Panhandle, similar to those of Kiamichi River is a high quality that of sea water. The Cimarron also northwestern Oklahoma, emit high stream with low to moderate turbidi contains high levels of gypsum, which levels of chlorides into the Red River ty, soft water and low mineralization. contribute to the river's poor water making it unfit for beneficial use. The Figure 22 illustrates the quality. Salt Fork and North Fork drainage chemical water quality in major reser The North Canadian, Deep Fork basins in Oklahoma also add voirs (existing or under construction), and Canadian Rivers are also nutrient chlorides to the Red, raising its total as well as the general quality range of rich and highly mineralized. dissolved solids to undesirable levels. the state's major rivers and tributary Municipal and industrial discharges The highly nutrified East Cache Creek streams, in terms of the discharge in central Oklahoma have degraded and moderately nutrified Mud Creek weighted average of concentrations these rivers in recent years, however, flow into the Red in Cotton and jef of total dissolved solids. A discharge the water quality improves in the ferson Counties, respectively, further weighted average represents the lower reaches, as the assimilative polluting the river. The Washita River, average concentration of dissolved capacity of the streams increases. the major tributary of the Red, is a solids in all flows of a stream over an 58 extended period. Such averages pro vide a va lid measure of the quality of the water which will be impounded in .... :.r--~--~- -"'------~-----~~ . ·. ... · proposed and potential reservoirs. FLOOD CONTROL POOL Data upon which Figure 22 is based ... :·_.·. ~ ~------~ .. · .., • were collected by the U.S . Geological Municipal & Industrial ...... 0 Survey in cooperation with the .• . ~ ~------~~~--~ Oklahoma Water Resources Board . . .. Irrigation ~ and other state and federal agencies. 0 Water quality analyses data for selected USGS monitoring stations Water Quality and locations of the stations are shown in Appendix B, Figure 4 and Hydropower 5 , respectively. ·. " r------~L------~ Navigation STREAM WATER DEVELOPMENT Over the past three decades, Oklahoma has developed an im pressive system of man-made lakes, developed through the efforts of the FIGURE 23 STORAGE SPACE IN Corps of Engineers, Bureau of A TYPICAL MULTIPURPOSE RESERVOIR Reclamation, Soil Conservation Ser vice, Grand River Dam Authority and water supply, water quality control, record and, in some cases, the several state agencies and cities. In recreation, fish and wild I ife propaga 500-year f lood. Oklahoma has almost the 1920's there were only three ma tion, navigation and hydropower 14 million acre-feet of flood control jor lakes in Oklahoma. During the uses. Figure 24 presents pertinent storage in major existing lakes and 1930' s and 1940's, 12 more were com data on the major developed and those under construction. pleted, however, during the past 30 authorized water resources develop years, 25 major lakes have been com ment projects in Oklahoma. Municipal and Industrial pleted, and four more are currently Figure 23 illustrates in cross sec Municipal and industrial water under construction. Construction is tion the storage space in a typical supply storage in a federal reservoir is scheduled to begin on two additional multipurpose reservoir. Most large purchased by the water user through lakes in 1980, and five others are reservoirs contain space for sedimen a repayment contract with the con authorized by Congress. The tation storage, which continually fills struction agency, i.e., the Soil Conser M c Clellan-Kerr Arkansas River throughout the life of the project as vation Service, Corps of Engineers or Navigation System, the largest civil silt from the stream is deposited in Bureau of Reclamation. Such a con works project ever undertaken by the the lake, thereby reducing the lake's tract entitles the user to withdraw Corps of Engineers, was extended to yield. Above the sedimentation water directly from the lake or divert north of Tulsa in the 1970' s, opening storage lies conservation storage, and water downstream after requesting a the way for extensive commercial and above that, storage for flood control. release. Municipal and industrial industrial development along the en storage amounts to approximately 85 tire waterway. Flood Control percent of the total water supply More stream water develop Severe thunderstorms moving storage in Oklahoma' s developed ment has occurred in the eastern por across the state each year cause reservoirs. tion of the state than in the west, flooding problems throughout Okla where the drier climate has afforded homa. Since cities and towns and pro Irrigation limited opportunities. In many areas ductive agricultural bottomland must In eastern Oklahoma irrigation of the state there are restrictions on be assured protection against water supply comes primarily from further development due to the flooding, most federal reservoirs in natural precipitation, however in unavailability of water for appropria clude flood control as a major pur western Oklahoma, average annual tion and/or poor water quality. pose. Federal agencies design a reser precipitation does not supply ade Most major lakes in Oklahoma voir's flood control pool to accom quate water, so irrigation farmers sup have been designated as multi modate the most severe potential plement rainfall with water from purpose projects. allocating storage flood, based upon the drainage area ground water sources, by direct diver space for flood control and conserva and historical data. The flood control sion from streams or with water from tion purposes such as municipal and pool is usually designed to contain irrigation storage in reservoirs. Since industrial water supply, irrigation the SO-year or 100-year flood of irrigation is generally confined to the 59 FIGURE 24 WATER RESOURCE DEV ELOPMENT PROJECTS l lOOO WA.Tft WATI I COHTIOt. ..,,,.. SU,.L.\' ITO«ACI STOL\Gt Yll lO COHST I U(TlON DAft Of NAMl OJ SOUI CI SllfAM PUIPOJI• (All (Af) (Ari'YI) ACINCYO COMPU TION Altus l•k~ No rth Fork of Red River WS. FC. R. l 19,600 146,000 18,600 BR - D~c 1948 Arbuckle l oke Rock C r~ek WS. FC . R. FW 36.-400 62,600 22.700 BR Jan 1967 Arcadia la k~ + Deep Fork WS. FC, R 70,700 27,380 12,100 COE Oct 1984 Atoka loke North BoaKY Creek WS,R 0 123.500 65.000 City of Okla. Citv 1964 Birch Loke Bi1ch Creek WS. FC, WQ, R. FW 39.000 15,200 6,700 COE Mor 19 77 Broken Bow l ake Mount• ln Fork R 1v~r WS, FC, P, R. FW, WQ 450,000 152.500 196,000 COE Apr 1970 Candy loke+ Candy Creek WS, FC, R. FW 31,260 43, 100 8.620 COE Jul 1982 C•nto n Lake Ne>rch C•nadian River WS, FC, I 267,800 107,000' 13,440 CO E Jul 1948 lake Carl Blockwell 5tillwl ter Creek WS, R 0 55,000 7,000 U.S Dept o( Aauc 1948 Clayto n loke + Jock Fork Creek WS, FC,R, FW 128,200 297,200 156,800 CO E Oct 1981 Copon Loke+ little C1ney River WS, FC, WQ, R, FW 18-4,300 33,600 21,300 COE Oct 1981 Oroper lake bst Elm Creek WS, R 0 100,000 86,000' City of O kla. City 1962 loke Elbwor1h East Coche Creek WS, R 0 68.700 9,500 Coty oiL•wlon 1962 Eucho Loke Spa vinaw Cr« k WS. R 0 79,600 8-4,000' City o f Tulso 1952 Eufaula Lake Can•dian River WS, FC, N, P 1,470,000 56,000 56,000 COE feb 196-4 Fort Cobb Lake Cobb Creek WS. fC, R. I 63.330 78,350 13.300 BR Nov 1959 fort Gibson lake Grand (Neosho) River FC. P 919.200 0 0 CO E Sept 1953 Fort Supply Lake Woll Creek WS. FC, R 86,800 400 220 COE May 1942 Fon Lake WaJhlta River WS, FC, R,l 180,400 203,700 18,000 BR feb 1961 Grand Lake O'the Cherokees Grand (Neosho) River FC, P 52S.OOO 0 0 GRDA- 1940 C real Salt Plains Salt fork of L•ke Arkansas: River FC. R 240,000 0 0 COE Mav 1941 l ake Hefner Bluff Creek WS, R 0 75,000 17,000 City of Okla Cotv 1943 Heyburn l oke Polecot Creek WS. FC. conservation 48,400 2.000 1,900 COE Sep t 1950 Hudson loke Butler Creek FC, P 244,200 0 0 GRDA - 1964 Huao l ake Kiamich1 R1v~ WS, FC, WQ, R, fW 809,100 121,500 165,800 COE Jan 19 74 Huloh l olte Caney Rtver WS. FC, 257.900 27,000 19.000 COE Sep t 19 51 low fJO¥r regul1t1on kaw lake ArJc.ansu Ri... ~r WS. FC. WQ, R, JW 861>,000 20),000 230,700 COl M•y 1976 Keyst<>M Lake Afkinus R i ~r WS, FC, P, FW 1.218,500 20,000 22,-400 COE Sepl 196-4 L•ke l owtonko Cache Creek WS. R 0 64,000 8,500 Chy of liwton 1905 M cAle-ster l akeJ Coal Creek WS, FC, R 25,000 24,300 10,500 Coty of McAie S IUifOTAl 13,801.090 3,771.290 1 , 89~• .280 AUTHORIZED COHJU YATtoH JtOI.A~ 8oswell l1ke Bo u y Creek WS, FC, R, fW 1,096.000 1,243,800 621,-400 Cot luk lato L1 ke Glover Creek WS, FC, R, FW 208.600 37.500 59.-400 COE Sand Lake Sond Creek WS, FC, WQ, R. FW 51,700 35,000 13,450 COE Shidler Loke Salt Creek WS, FC, R, FW 49,050 54,900 16,800 COE Tuskahoma l akt kiamichi Rtvt r WS. FC, R, FW 1)8,600 231,000 223,900 COE JUifOTAl 1,543,950 1.602,200 934,950 TOTAl 15,345,040 2,829,230 WS·Municipal Water Supply, FC·F iood Control, WQ·Water Quality, P·Power, R·Recreotion, FW·fish ond Wlldlll ~. H rriaotion, N·Naviaation + Under Construction 0 BR·Bureou of Rt clamatlon, COE·Corps o f Engineers, GRDA.Crand River Dam Authority Lake Stanley Droper Is • term in• I storaae ~servo i o lor the exist ina pipeline from Atoka Loke and McGee Creek Loke (u nder consttu C1ion) The 86,000 ac..-leet per ytor yield shown " the capacity of the Atoka Prpeline (90 mad) minus evaporation losses from Draper Loke The 86,000 ' acre-feet per year vleld •s not included in the toul I Combined yield o f both lokes + Includes •maatton stof• lt 60 103• ...... ,.~ 0 R AD 0 101• ooo· ... ~ ~·· I I I K I' i ® I ; CIMARRON I I T 'X AS B E A V E R I HARP I 1 I I I .. I -· I T X I 102· E A s 101" Coal Arta ~41r.Wn by bitumltwm~~ Afph..lt dopo~~il E~LIS D coalorh(ntU! Btntonh•~' A i\bne (~ach •ymbol rep.r«MII~ I or more minel.: lOtal of 56 mtnoe) • 13riclt,c~.orpolU:rypiAnlCI9) ~ ... (~, • Ce!Mnt pint<-') Glaa1 San.d D Principai«MJtcroparN ,' I Chat. di•tribuLM>n a.rea (6 tom~ni.et) • Q.. ny(4) • Ctll!mlc:al plant(ll) 1 R 0 G E R Granite and • • • Copperdopollit Related Rocks fl'nn(:lplll outc:rop aru MILLS Dtmetll!lion.. "tone quarry (8) A Quany(IO) ® Helium. plant (l) @ lodinl'well.. .odpltnt(l) Gyptum D PrindJ)IlloutO'opa:ren lron and/or titanium dt'J)Ofil A Qua.n)'(?) Maru:an$ depotdl ,. Lead and Z.ine • Af"N.Ofmany abandon.d mine~ Sand and ~W:l ph (more than 80) (!) 'T'npoli min. (2} ,.. Un.tUum depoeit Lime-stone and r=9 Principal oulA:rop aru Dolomite L-.1 Volunic-uh deposit /l Quany($4) 0 Umeplant(l} (!) Volcl.nie·uh pit UJ (!) Zinumeher (I) Salt D A,_underl:a.inbynlt A Plant (2) o S.lt plAin • Onlycurnnlqoctit~ minel. quarriu, Ol'ldpits are 8/wwn; num~rof • operation• for ear:h commodity ;ndir:aled inpo~nlhtMI ... Oklaboma'&mint.ral weallb is tremendous and petroleum mineral resources represent o vast ro ilevt.nly distributed throughout the StaUl. Num~r eerve of future wealt.h.. Among t.h" leading nonpe ous and varied mineral industries are active in each troleum I'\!SOUI'CeS being produced are cement, coal, of the ?7 countl~ and oil and pa have been pro· gra.nlte, gypsum, helium, iodine, sand and grave.!, dueed in 73 countlet. The annual mineTsJ produc· and stone (limestone. dolomite, &ftndetone, and tion o£ Okl&hotna~ in l978 it valued at aboul $3.5 chat). Of tomcwhat lesser current value is produc .... 1 11,0(10,000 biiJion, nearly 5 ~nt Lbat f)r the entire United tion of clays, gl8.88 J:i_nd, lead, lime, salt, siJveT, tripoli, volcanic Mh,. and t.ine. Untapped rtsOwees . "' Stat(:$, and the State is the fourth leading mineral 0 10 JO • ., lOA*_._ productt in t.be nation. Total production since ine.lude iron, r.nllnganese, titanium, a.nd urAnium. statehood (1907) is va.lued in exCOII& of $47 biUio·n. Oklahoma rank$ finn amons the states in produc· Oklahoma is well known u an oil state. 8Jld petro· lion of iodine, .second in helium and tripoli. third in leum (including crude oU, natural gas. And natu· Uque-fitd petroleum gas and natural gas. and fifth FIGURE 19 MINERAL RESOURCES ral·gas liquids) nccount.a for abouL 9-4 percent. of in crude oil -.nd gypsum. Lhe State's yearly mineral outpuL Howt'lv~r, non· Sk 3: IJJ VI 0 c :» Aru of aD and tor ru produet.lo11.. e GN·pr~ln• planL T.u, &Ate\ N plant~~ produC't I 8 billion J&lloo• of D n.atural-r;u liquidl tach year v.JUfd at $90 million. Tht. k 1 p.rcenL o.r the tOYI United St.el• output, and Oklahoma OlutoO deJd (ultlMaleM:O'eryofmore ,.,.b lhltd amonc thf tt.etealn procl\lc:· than 100 million NmiJi). Oldaboma'• tian oC naturat·cu Uquid&. Princlp,el y.. r1y prod~o~ct.lon of about 160 mlllion prodlk'tl a:. g;uolil'le, prope.ne, butane, [D] ba.rrell of erudAt on. val1.1ed at ll $billion, and combined liquefied petroleum prod~ IURIANK Ia 5 percent of Lbt tOUI.I United Statf!'S an. nUll output and rsnU Oklahoma in firth ucu. Helium. amountina lo G.5 ptn:mt of' the toUll Un:it.d Statft Clulput.. ll pro lUte. pro.. pl-ee as an oil·produtint Oil t. dUC'ltd at th. U.S. Suttau of Mia. plant dueed from approsim.auly 71,000 we.JW In GIJeoontW.. ln Cimarron Counli)'. on ~fin.u;y. Tht 14 rtllrwn.. oPMtti.nc lrt Oklahoma bavt a total daOy c:.AJ)adt.Y" of l&:pptol'trMt.l)' oi.M.OO(I bamt. Of C:Ndt oll Gla.ot 1•• Oeld (ulllmat(l reeovf!ry of more t.ban 1 trillion cubW: (HtJ, Ann\lal Pell'ot.bemleal plant. Ten planwln the O~homa pa production ill U triiUon cu~ Sw.te pr« 546 ..,... "' ~ ~ Ill "' z ::; Q ~~ .... <;~ ox" ~ > ~ u :§~ "-0 .... Ill ;~ ~E will a::< E~ :;)...I ~5 (,J- :;; I _o o~ ..... Ill I 5 ~R bl lf i. 't i] h t• 't i !1 f, . l ! uj l i j J 11 JI - 1. J t Jlluf ~~ l ·ti J lh Jj!s • . ~t! l .q j1j • J - 1i j 1!1 I l! J Hij' I l I ' 1 • i ~ 3.! ~J! . i :t l ~ li ltl ~ [!] •1 !J G !d !1 dry summer months, irrigation water adversely affect recreational oppor grains. Total tonnage has increased supply is not required on as constant tunities. However, since there is no each year, achieving a record of ap a basis as municipal and industrial contract to maintain levels for recrea proximately 10.2 million tons in 1978. waters. Fifteen percent of the state's tional purposes, no guarantee of Only one reservoir in Oklahoma, total water supply storage in recreational privileges can be provid Oologah Lake on the Verdigris River, developed reservoirs is allocated for ed. If it were determined worthwhile contains navigation storage for irrigation purposes, and is contracted to maintain lake levels for these pur release when necessary to maintain for in the same manner as municipal poses, the beneficiaries would have channel flows. However, hydroelec and industrial storage. Traditionally, to pay for that storage allocation. tric power storage in several other only the Bureau of Reclamation and reservoirs on the Arkansas River the Soil Conservation Service have Fish and Wildlife serves the additional purpose of pro const ructed reservoirs providing ir Fish and wildlife are dependent viding navigation flow requirements. rigation storage, however Canton and on the quality of the environment, Waurika Lakes, constructed by the and many species are sensitive to the Hydroelectric Power Corps of Engineers, contain some ir changes caused by development of There are 11 ex isting hydroelec rigation storage. water and related land resources. tric projects in Oklahoma with a total Although water is essential to the sur power storage of 5,103,600 ac re-feet Water Quality Control vival of fish and wildlife, the quantity of water. Operation of a reservoir's Water quality has become a and quality required by different power pool causes dramatic fluctua concern of increasing importance to species vary enormously. Reservoirs tions in lake levels because of the state and federal water authorities. In are authorized for fish and wildlife great quantities of water that must past years, Congress has recognized purposes in order to preserve and pass through the generating turbines benefits derived from controlling enhance an area's environmental at one time. The power produced is water quality problems. As a result, if resources, and are usually achieved marketed by the Grand River Dam it is determined that downstream through periodic releases to maintain Authority and/or the Southwest water quality would benefit from minimum downstream flows . Power Administration. Figure 27 pro periodic reservoir releases, a reservoir However, in some streams, particular vides significant information on the may include water quality as an ly those of western Oklahoma, base existing hydroelectric projects in authorized purpose. Eight major flows are frequently zero, making Oklahoma. Oklahoma reservoirs built or under minimum flows an unattainable goal. construction are authorized for water In any case, consideration of fish and Soil Conservation Service quality purposes. Because pollutants wildlife resources is appropriate in have been reduced significantly by the operation of all reservoirs. Upstream Watershed Program more stringent pollution control laws, As part of its upstream watersh not all the present water quality con Navigation ed program, the Soil Conservation trol storage is needed or uti I ized. The Completion of the McClellan Service has constructed thousands of Oklahoma Water Resources Board Kerr Arkansas River Navigation flood control structures throughout has issued water rights for municipal System by the Corps of Engineers in the state, funded under four different and industrial use on a portion of the 1970 brought vigorous industrial Congressional authorizations. water quality control storage in these growth along the channel, spurring The first watershed program was lakes, contingent upon Congress economic activity in surrounding authorized in 1944 for the protection authorizing the conversion of the areas and increasing the commerce of 11 watersheds in the United States, water quality control storage to water opportunities for all of Oklahoma. including the Washita River in supply storage. Numerous realloca The 448-mile navigation channel Oklahoma and Texas. A similar pro tion studies by the Corps of Engineers extends f rom near the mouth of the gram initiated in 1953 provided for are presently underway to determine Arkansas River to the Port of Catoosa the installation of works on 60 pilot if such reallocation is justified. northeast of Tulsa. The system is watersheds, among them Double composed of a series of 17 locks and Creek in Oklahoma. The Watershed Recreation dams, including five in Oklahoma. Protection and Flood Control Act of Recreation as an authorized pro See Figure 25 . The channel's 9-foot 1954, along with its amendments, pro ject purpose attracts visitors for depth is maintained by periodic vides federal assistance in the in boating, skiing and fishing. Since dredging. Major commodities stallation of works of improvement recreation is considered incidental to transported on the system include on watersheds no larger than 250,000 water supply, storage for recreational bauxite, iron and steel, chemicals and acres, a maximum of 12,500 a·cre-feet water is normally not contracted for. chemical fertilizers, petroleum pro of flood storage, and a total capacity Fluctuations in lake levels resulting ducts, coal, sand and gravel, crushed for all purposes not to exceed 25,000 from regular reservoir operations can stone, soybeans, wheat and other acre-feet in any one structure. 61 presently being utilized by cities and FIGURE 27 EXISTING HYDROELECTRIC PROJECTS towns in Oklahoma. Structures with a water supply storage capacity of AVERAGE POWER INSTALUD ANNUAL WATER 50,000 acre-feet remain in planning STORAGE CAPACITY GENERATION USE stages. Multipurpose sites which have PROJECT STREAM Af in Okl~. in Okl~ . (Af/VIt) been identified for potential use as Pensacola municipal water supply sources are (Grand Lake) Crand (Neosho) 544,200 86.4 311 ,000 3,507,000 shown in Figure 26 . Markham Ferry Grand (Neosho) 200,300 108.0 190,000 4,544,000 Ground Water Salina ' Chimney Rock 11 ,700 260.0 540,000 N/A Ground water, one of Hollow Oklahoma's most valuable resources, Keystone Arkansas 310,500 70.0 228,000 3,1 34.000 is available in almost every part of Ft. Gibson Grand (Neosho) 53.700 45.0 190,500 3,738,000 the state. Ground water is water that has percolated downward from the Webbers Fa lls Arkansas 30,000 60.0 213,300 1,332,000 su rface, fill ing voids or open spaces Robert S. Kerr Arkansas 79,500 110.0 459,000 13,009.000 in rocks. Below a certain level, the Tenkiller Ferry Illinois 345,600 34.0 95,100 880,000 voids are completely saturated w ith water. This is called the zone of Eufaula Canadian 1.481,000 90.0 260,300 3,735,000 saturation. Broken Bow Mountain Fork 317,100 100.0 44,500 841 ,000 A rock formation or group of Denison Red 1.730,000 70.0' 244,000 2,953.000 formations that contains sufficient saturated permeable material to TOTAL 5,103,600 1,033.4 2,775.700 37,67 3,000 yield significant quantities of 'Pump-back project designed to receive water during off-peak period then generate water to wells and springs is term during peak periods. ed a ground water basin. The 135,000 KW used in Oklahoma- 35,000 KW used in Texas. amount of water available to wells N/A - Not available depends on the saturated thickness, areal extent and The fourth watershed progam, tion Service has received applications specific yield. The amount of water authorized by the Food and for additional watersheds bringing that can be pumped perennially Agriculture Act of 1962, empowers the total to approximately 17 million without depletion of the ground the Secretary of Agriculture to pro acres. water in storage depends on the vide technical assistance to sponsors In recent years increased em amount of recharge from precipita of Resource Conservation and phasis has been placed on the tion. Development Projects. Financial development of multipurpose lakes Ground water in Oklahoma is assistance is provided under the Soil constructed for floodwater detention. found in a variety of rock forma Conservation Act. Recent legislation In addition to widespread recrea tions. Sand, gravel, I im eston e, has awarded the Secretary authority tional use of sediment pools of water dolomite, sandstone and gypsum to include recreation and wildlife im shed structures, many local sponsors are the major water-bearing forma provements in Resource Conservation have added storage for municipal, ir tions. These range in age from and Development Projects providing rigation, recreation and fish and Cambr i a n and Ordovician, for the conservation, development wildlife purposes. represented by the Arbuckle and use of water and related land Multipurpose lakes foster Group, to Quaternary stream-laid resources through a small watershed economic growth in cities, towns and deposits. approach. rural areas by providing dependable Twelve major ground water As shown in Figure 26 , 125 water supplies and recreational areas basins occur in Oklahoma with an watersheds covering 11,556,300 acres attractive to tourists and residents. estimated 320 million acre-feet of are presently under development in Landowners in the watersheds, now fresh water in storage, half of the state, with 55 percent of this area secure against flood threats, have which is estimated to be protected by existing structures. Of developed and intensified their farm recoverable. Less significant the 2,558 structures planned, 1,908 ing and ranching operations, and also amounts are available in at least are complete or under construction. are utilizing these sites as sources of 150 minor basins. See Figure 28 . Combined storage capacity in lakes irrigation water. Ground water supplies 61 percent existing or planned is approximately Multipurpose l akes with of the total water reported used in three million acre-feet. As of municipal water supply storage Oklahoma. providing for over 80 November 1979, the Soil Conserva- capacities of 160,000 acre-feet are percent of the state's irrigation and 62 meeting the municipal needs of ap proximately 300 towns and cities. FIGURE 29 TOTAL GROUND WATER ESTIMATED Due to the lack of available RECOVERABLE FROM STORAGE stream water, ground water development is greatest in the WATER IN ESTIMATED ' ESTIMATED' TOTAL STORACE RECOVERABLE AVAILABLE WATER western part of the state, where it CROUND WATER BASIN (1000 AF) (PERCENT) (1000 A F) is extensively used for irrigation, 11 ,000 municipal and industrial purposes. Alluvium and 18,400 60 terrace deposits Development is not as widespread in central and eastern Oklahoma, Ogallala Formation 76,000 60 46,000 although great potential exists for Antlers Sand 70.000 40 28.000 further use if supplies remain un Elk City Sandstone 1,400 40 1.000 polluted. Rush Springs 31,200 50 16.000 Sandstone MA JOR GROUND WATER BAS INS Dog Creek Shale 600 so 300 Alluvium and terrace deposits and Blaine Gypsum (Quaternary) consist of uncon solidated clay, silt, sand and gravel Garber-Wellington 52,000 50 26,000 Formation which interfinger and were deposited by streams in an ir Oscar Formation 8,900 40 4,000 regular pattern. The alluvium Vamoosa Formation 36,000 40 14.000 under! ies the bottom lands along Simpson Group 3,300 40 1.000 the stream, while the terrace deposits a r e topographica lly Arbuckle Croup 15,000 so 8,000 higher and usually adjacent to the Roubidoux 7,200 40 3,000 alluvium. Thickness of the deposits STATEWIDE TOTAL 320,000 159.000 ranges from 40 feet in southwestern Oklahoma to a max 'Based on quality, economic, legal and technological constraints. imum of 170 feet along the Cimar 'Will not equate because of rounding off. ron River. In some deposits, the maximum saturated thickness is ties. Total thickness ranges f rom water basin, they are usually about greater than 100 feet, but the zero to more than 700 feet, due to 200 gallons per minute. Water average is 25 to 30 feet. Well yields the irregular surface on which the quality is good with low dissolved commonly average 100 to 300 Ogallala was deposited. Average solids content and, except for gallons per minute (gpm), but can thickness in t he Panhandle is 300 hardness, the water is su itable for be as high as 1,000 gallons per feet. most uses. minute. Water quality is generally The Ogallala is the major Ground water in the Ogallala affected by nearby streams flowing source of water in the Oklahoma is being used at a rate greatly ex along the deposits. Some quality Panhandle with over 2,000 irriga ceeding that of recharge. As the problems are hardness and high tion wells drilled in the area. Most water table is lowered by pumping su lfate and chloride concentra of the wells yield from 500 to 1,000 and the saturated thickness is tions. Where water quality is good, gallons per minute, averaging ap reduced, the yields of the wells the water is used for domestic, ir proximately 700 gallons per decline. Depletion of the aquifer is rigation, industrial and municipal minute. The water is generally of a expected to exert serious supplies. calcium magnesium bicarbonate economic pressures on the area in Ogallala Formation (Tertiary) type, containing between 200 and the future. consists of interbedded sand, 500 mg/L of dissolved sol ids and, Antlers Sand (Cretaceous) is siltstone, clay, lenses of gravel, although hard, if is suitable for part of the larger coastal plain thin limestone and caliche. The most uses . deposits that crop out in a 10-mile Ogallala covers an area of about In t he southwest, the Ogallala wide belt in parts of Atoka, Bryan, 10,000 square miles, including all is partly eroded and it also thins Choctaw, Johnston, McCurtain of Beaver, Texas and Cimarron toward the east. In these areas and Pushmataha Counties. The Counties and parts of Harper, yields can be as high as 800 unit is a fine-grained sand in Woods, Ellis, Woodward, Roger gallons per minute, but due to thin terbedded with clay, uncon Mills, Beckham and Dewey Coun- ning and erosion of the ground solidated and friable. 63 The Antlers Sand ranges in being a fine-grained sandstone with Guthrie. Natural recharge to the basin thickness from 180 feet in the west little or no shale; however, it is of over the entire outcrop area is to more than 880 feet in the smaller areal extent and considerably estimated at 130,000 acre-feet an southeast. Water occurs under thinner. Well yields range from 60 to nually. Presently, the rate of natural water table conditions, with well 200 ga llons per minute with water recharge exceeds total discharge yields ranging f rom five to SO suitable in quality for most purposes. from the basin, as evidenced by static gallons per minute for water table Dog Creek Shale and Blaine Gyp annual water levels. Pumpage cannot wells to SO to 6SO gallons per sum (Permian) occur in Harmon and be estimated at this time, due to in minu t e for artesian wells. An parts of Jackson, Greer and Beckham sufficient data, but will be determin average yield for wells completed Counties. The ground water basin ed following prior rights hearings. in the ground water basin is 100 to consists of interbedded shale, gyp The Garber-Wellington yields 1SO gallons per minute. sum, anhydrite, dolomite and large amounts of good quality water The quality of the water is limestone, which are characterized in for municipal, irrigation and in good in the outcrop areas, suitable places by solution channels and dustrial uses and exhibits potential for industrial, municipal and irriga zones of secondary porosity. The for additional development to help tion use. Downdip from the out yields from wells tapping the Dog meet central Oklahoma's future crop the quality of the water Creek Sha le and Blaine Gypsum water needs. deteriorates. Dissolved solids range from less than 10 to as much as Oscar Formation (Pennsylva range f rom 130 to 1,240 mg/L, hard 2,000 gallons per minute. For a well lo nian) consists of interbedded shale, ness from 8 to 8SO mg/L, sodium yield enough water for irrigation, it sandstone and I imestone con f rom 1 to 350 mg/L and bicarbonate must tap a water-filled solution cavi glomerate with lithology varying from from 10 to S80 mg/L. ty. place to place. The formation is 300 Due to the availability of sur Water levels in the ground water to 400 feet thick and occurs in face water in the area, water from basin respond rapidly to infiltration western Stephens, southwestern Gar the Antlers Sand is not being utiliz of precipitation and also to the ef vin, southwestern Carter and eastern ed extensively at the present time. fects of pumping. Due to the erratic Jefferson Counties. Depth to water is Rush Springs Sandstone (Per nature of so lution channels and generally 100 feet below the surface, mian) is an extensive ground water cavities, it is difficult to predict yields and well yields range from 60 ga llons basin outcropping over approximate or estimate amounts in storage. per minute to as much as 400 gallons ly 1,900 square miles in Caddo, Water quality is poor because of per minute, with 1SO to 180 gallons Custer, Washita and small parts of hardess and very high calcium per minute the common reported Comanche, Dewey and Grady Coun sulfatecon centra tions.Locally, in yield. Water quality is considered ties. It is a fine-grained, cross bedded southeastern and northwestern Har suitable for most purposes. The sandstone, containing irregular silty mon County, the water has a high ground water basin is of major impor lenses. Thickness ranges from less sodium chloride content. The water, tance locally, but its potential over a than 200 feet in the south to about although suitable for irrigation, is not broad area is unknown, due to lack of 330 feet in the northern part of the drinkable. information and sparse well develop region. Depth below land su rface to Garber-Wellington Formation ment. water ranges from zero to 1 SO feet. (Permian) consists of two formations: Vamoosa Formation (Upper Pen Wells yield as much as 1,000 gallons the Garber Sandstone and the Well nsylvanian) is composed of 125 to per minute and average about 400 ington Formation. The two units were 1,000 feet of interbedded sandstone, gallons per minute. Most of the water deposited under similar conditions, shale and conglomerate with propor is suitable for domestic, municipal, ir both containing lenticular beds of tions of shale increasing northward. rigation and industrial use. sandstone alternating with shale, and The Vamoosa outcrops in Seminole, Dis solved sol ids concentration are considered a single water-bearing Okfuskee, Pottawatomie, Osage, in 39 samples ranged from 179 to unit. Creek, Pawnee, Payne and Lincoln 2270 mg/L, with the median concen The total thickness of the com Counties and supplies water for tration at 296 mg/L. Seventy-five per bined formations is 800 to 1,000 feet. municipal uses and secondary oil cent of the wells sampled showed less Depth to water varies from 100 feet recovery operations. The most pro than 450 mg/L dissolved solids, which or less in areas of outcrop to 350 feet ductive wells are in the Seminole is within the recommended (500 mg/L) in structural depressions such as that area, where wells produce up to 500 level for drinking water. Median hard at Midwest City. Well yields range gallons per minute. Yields decline ness is 179 mg/L. from 1 SO to 4SO gallons per minute northward, decreasing from 250 Elk City Sandstone (Permian) oc and average 250 gallons per minute. gallons per minute to 10 to 20 gallons curs in western Washita and eastern In Logan County, the formation is sha per minute. Although water quality is Beckham Counties. It is similar to the ly with wells exhibiting yields of 10 generally good, brine infiltration and Rush Springs ground water basin in gallons per minute or less near hardness present problems. Studies 64 FIGURE 30 GROUND WATER BASIN STUDIES 1rro A N '\ A S ~--l-.,r;,r.•..------...... '!iil'l~--...,..~·P~O~ ~a \GitiiMil )--. : I '-"'.,....:::,-....,:.1 \ r.w.[i' , f X A :> D Ogallala Formation c:J Rush Springs Sandstone D Garber Sandstone and Wellington Formation D Roubidoux Formation D Elk City Sandstone D Iso lated Terrace Deposits D Arbuckle Group, Southwest D Arbuckle Group, South Central hSJ Vamoosa Formation D Antlers Sandstone D North Canadian River Alluvium and Terrace Deposi ts D Washita River Alluvium and Terrace Deposits North Fork of the Red River Alluvium and Terrace Deposits bJ Data - Oklahoma Water Resources Board D Tillman County Alluvium and Terrace Deposits of the North Fork of the Red River Mapping-Oklahoma Water Resources Board show the Vamoosa exhibits the poten Comanche County, where high farther west. and thus becomes tial for supplying la rge quantities of f luoride levels have been recorded. unusable. water to help meet the area' s future Well development in this aquifer is water requirements if properly sparse at the present time. GROUND WATER BASIN STUDIES developed dnd managed. Roubidoux (Upper Cambrian In order to fulfill the re Simpson Croup (Ordovician) Lower Ordovic ian) consists mainly of quirements of the Oklahoma Ground consists of fine-grained, loosely sandy and cherty dolomite. The Water Law (1972), the Board must cemented and friable sandstones. The Roubidoux basin in this discussion in determine the maximum annual yield ground water basin crops out in an cludes the Roubidoux, Gasconade of ground water in each ground water area of about 40 square miles in and Eminence-Potosi Formations, of basin or subbasin through the southwestern Murray and north which the Roubidoux Formation is the establishment of prior rights and com eastern Carter Counties wit h wells principal water-bearing unit. The pletion of hydrologic surveys of the commonly yielding 100 to 200 gallons Roubidoux does not outcrop on the major bas ins and subbasins. (See per minute. Water from the sand surface, but is deeply buried beneath Chapter II, " Oklahoma Water Law stones is of poor quality at Sulphur, Ottawa and Delaware Counties and and its Adminstration.") but elsewhere in the region, it is small parts of Craig and Adair Coun The determination of maximum usually drinkable. ties at depths of 450 to 1,700 feet. The annual yield is based on the total land Arbuckle Croup (Cambri an artesian or confined water is under overlymg the basin or subbasin, Ordovician), underlying parts of Mur sufficient pressu re to cause it to rise amount of fresh ground water ray, Pontotoc, Johnston and Coman above the surface. With pumpage available for use. rates of recharge che Counties, is limestone and over a long period, the artesian head and discharge, and the possibility of dolomite, 5,000 to 6,000 feet thick. has declined, and presently the water natural pollution. The maximum an Relatively high permeability results is some wells is being lifted more than nual yield is based upon a minimum from fractures, joints and solution 500 feet to the surface. Yields are as basin life of 20 years from july 1, channels in th~ limestone. This much as 1,000 ga llons per minute, but 1973, the effective date of the ground water basin produces large average 200 gallons per minute. Ground Water Act. quantities of water, with wells in the Although the water is hard, it has a Equal proportionate shares are area cpmmonly yielding 200 to 500 low total mineral content. In Ottawa allotted to overlying land owners ac gallons per minute. Although the County the water quality is suitable cording to the amount of ground water may be hard, total dissolved for most purposes and is characteriz water determined available by solids are generally low and the qual i ed as a calcium bicarbonate type, but estimate of the maximum annual ty is good, except for some areas in it changes to a sodium chloride type y ield, assuming a basin life of 20 65 years. Any individual permitted to use share in these areas is planned for Resources Board and Oklahoma State ground water prior to july 1, 1973 is 1980. University and scheduled for comple given the opportunity to establish a Rush Springs Sandstone, a pro tion in 1980, will determine maximum prior right. ject of the Oklahoma Water annual yield and equal proportionate The Oklahoma Water Resources Resources Board, produced a share. Prior rights determinations are Board, in cooperation with the U.S. hydrologic atlas. Determinations of planned for 1980. and approval of Geological Survey, Oklahoma prior rights, maximum annual yield maximum annual yield and equal pro Geological Survey, Oklahoma State and equal proportionate share are portionate share is expected in 1981 . University and the U.S. Department scheduled for 1980. Isolated terrace deposits (Gar of Agriculture (Agricultural Research Garber Sandstone and Well field County). A computer model Service). has completed or is current ington Formation. The Oklahoma study begun in 1979 by the Oklahoma ly participating in studies of the Water Resources Board completed a Water Resources Board and ground water basins shown in hydrologic atlas on the southern half Oklahoma State University to deter Figure 30 in 1979 to complement studies on the mine maximum annual yield and Ogallala Formation. a northern portion of the aquifer com equal proportionate share is schedul cooperative study by the Oklahoma pleted by the U.S. Geological Survey ed for completion in 1980, along with Water Resources Board and U.S. and the Bureau of Reclamation in determination of prior rights. Ap Geological Survey, produced a 1977. Prior rights determinations are proval of maximum annual yield and hydrologic atlas and data on planned for 1980. equal proportionate share is planned geohyd rology and subsurface Washita River alluvium and ter for 1981 . geology, as well as determination of race deposits (from the Texas I ine in Arbuckle Group (southwest) was maximum annual yield. equal propor Roger Mills County to Alex, the subject of a joint study by U.S. tionate share and prior rights for the Oklahoma in Grady County). A com Geological Survey and Oklahoma Panhandle counties underlain by the puter model study by Oklahoma Geological Survey, who completed aquifer. Board approval of maximum State University in cooperation with geologic, ground water availability annual yield and equal proportionate the Oklahoma Water Resources and water quality data for the shares in this area is scheduled for Board begun in 1979, with an ex Wichita Mountain region in 1980. pected completion date in 1981, will southwestern Oklahoma in 1978. The Board also cooperates with determine maximum annual yield and Arbuckle Group (south central). the U.S. Geological Survey in the equal proportionate share. Deter An inventory of wells and springs in Regional Aquifer Study Analysis mination of prior rights is planned f~>r this aquifer was completed by the (RASA) to gather data for a 5-year 1980, with approval of maximum an U .S. Geological Survey and computer model study on the entire nual yield and equal proportionate Oklahoma Geological Survey, with Ogallala area in northwestern share scheduled for 1981 . water quality samp l es and Oklahoma which has an expected North Canadian River alluvium geophysical logs collected on completion date in 1984. and terrace deposits (Harper-Beaver selected wells. Data collection, utiliz North Fork of the Red River County line to Canton Dam). Studies ing a network of observation wells. alluvium and terrace deposits, a joint by the U.S. Geological Survey in rain gauges and stream gaging sta project of the Oklahoma Water cooperation with the Oklahoma tions. is schedu led for completion in Resources Board, Oklahoma State Water Resources Board determined 1980. University and the Agricultural maximum annual yield, equal propor Vamoosa Formation is under Research Service, accompl ished tionate share and prior rights. Ap study by the U.S. Geological Survey hydrologic and computer model proval of maximum annual yield and and Oklahoma Geological Survey, studies and determinations of max eq ual proportionate share is planned who have produced geologic and imum annual yield, equal propor for 1980. hydrologic data analyses and publish tionate share and prior rights for that (Canton Dam to Oklahoma City ed hydrologic data in 1977. The final portion of the aquifer in Tillman Area). Studies by the U.S. Geological report on the aquifer prepared by County which were approved by the Survey and Oklahoma Water study participants is scheduled for Board in 1978. A computer model Resources Board begun in january review and publication in 1980. study to determine maximum annual 1980, will determine maximum an Antlers Sandstone. A yield and equal proportionate share nual yield, equal proportionate share cooperative study by the U.S. has been completed and prior rights and prior rights. Studies of this seg Geological Survey and Oklahoma determined for alluvium and terrace ment are scheduled for completion in Geological Survey has produced data deposits in the remaining area in 1982. on geology, water quality, well loca Kiowa, jackson, Greer and Beckham Elk City Sandstone. A computer tions and water table levels which Counties. Approval of maximum an model study begun in 1979 under the have been plotted on maps. nual yield and equal proportionate auspices of Oklahoma Water Hydrologic data was published in 66 1978, and the report is to be com- pleted in 1980. Roubidoux Formation is current- FIGURE 31 ly under study by the U.S. Geological STATEWIDE PRESENT AND PROJECTED Survey and Oklahoma Geological WATER REQUIREMENTS Su rvey. This investigation, scheduled (In 1,000 Af/Yr) for completion in late 1982, will p ro- duce data on water quality, thickness ,I.AKfllfliiG. UG.IQirf ,... SOVTH£ A.S1 and distribution of water zones and MunldpaJ 165 210 24. -4 2'),1 )2} J7A 561 lnduttrlal 11) 1137 11).),6 119.1 U7 _. "'' 9 ln.l ..... 10.7 16.2 216 171 :126 1110 hydraulic characteristics. . 1)9 469 11132 182...4 lrrli.&l lon 94.3 ,.. , ' m> )116 .....,..., ,.~, ---;ou ~ ll&.S "3is.O --..o:< PRESENT WATER USE AND Cti"'TRAL FUTURE REQUIREMENTS Muntclp.tl 11).7 1612 22&.0 2641 )l4ji .lS16 lnduwi.al 556 1133 119.2"'I H 9..S 17'9.9 >16,) 172:.6 111-5 195 596 19.6 99.1 110 1 120. .. Sharp escalations in population, lrria...-. tiOI'I 393 0) 496 56.0 6:!.4 637 751 - ----mi ---nii 4>02 .S1J..1 6061 72U ----m7 industrial development, and irrigated agriculture, along with increased af- SOUTH CENTRA l. f luency and higher standards of living MUI'IIC:Ij»l 20.< 27.3 JO.a JO )6.0 )1.0 lnduttri•l l 67 FIGURE 32 LA NDS SUITABLE FOR PROJECT-TYPE IRRIGATIO N ·'~I Data- Bureau of Reclamation Mapping- Oklahoma Water Resources Board million acre-feet of water per year be types and takes into account slope, ban Study currently underway by the ing used for irrigation. Western present land use and other physical Corps of Engineers. These projections Oklahoma accounts for over 80 per and economic factors. Although were developed from data provided cent of this total, primarily utilizing other areas present potential, those in by I NCOG and the Corps, reflecting a ground water pumped from the Figure 32 seem most likely to offer detailed analysis of the water situa Ogallala Formation and alluvium and sufficient repayment capacities to tion in the Tulsa are a. T h e terrace deposits. An exception is the justify irrigation costs. methodology used to derive the pro Altus-Lugert Irrigation District in The recent and rapid growth of jections is slightly modified from that jackson County which utilizes su r irrigated agriculture has placed a used in the Oklahoma Comprehen face water from Altus Reservoir, a severe strain on ground water sup sive Water Plan, but it was believed Bu reau of Reclamation project, for pi ies, especially those of the Ogallala these projections indicated t he most the irrigation of appoximately 47,000 aquifer. Oklahoma's economy will accurate future water demands for acres. The potential for increased ir face severe economic consequences that area. These projections should rigation development is excellent in if additional water supplies are not not be interpreted as quotas or goals, western Oklahoma, primarily due to made available to assure continued but simply as forecasts based on the soil suitability. agricultural stability. best information presently available. Figure 32 indicates the general As variations from t hese assumptions extent of lands in the state suitable become evident, such changes will for potential long-term, project-type Methodology become part of future planning ef irrigation development. Approximate The methodology used in forts and su bsequent revisions of t his ly 4.7 mill ion acres have been given estimating Oklahoma' s future water Plan. this classification, based on land requirements was developed by the classification studies conducted by Oklahoma Comprehensive Water POPULATION PROJECTIONS the Bureau of Reclamation. Irrigation Planning Committee composed of Population projections utilized suitability land classifications are representatives of the Oklahoma in the development of the Plan were conducted for the prupose of Water Resou rces Board, Bureau o f p rovided by the Oklahoma Employ establishing the extent and degree of Reclamation, Corps of Engineers, Soil ment Security Commission (OESC). By suitability of lands for sustained ir Conservation Service, the U.S. combining projected births, survival rigation farming, and serve as a basis Geological Survey and other agen of the base year population and for selecting lands to be included in cies. Water requirement projections migration of the population, the pro federal irrigation projects. This for the counties of Creek, Osage and jections were derived to t he year designation assumes all suitable soil Tulsa were derived f rom the Tulsa Ur- 2040. 68 MUNICIPAL AND DOMESTIC USE Region and Tulsa County in the of the irrigation water requirements is Increasing per capita use rates Northeast Planning Region. proposed to be met by this source. (gallons per person per day) were ap plied to the population forecasts to IRRIGATION REQUIREMENTS POWER determine the total municipal, Projections of soils suitable for Consumptive water use by domestic and rural water use projec irrigation were developed through the utilities for power generation was tions. Historical trends were used to joint effort of the Bureau of Reclama computed at a rate of 2.5 acre-feet of project increases in per capita use tion and Soil Conservation Service. water per million kilowatt hours rates. Although methods of the Bureau of (MKWH) of energy generated. Energy Reclamation and the Soil Conserva requirement estimates through the INDUSTRI AL REQUIREMENTS tion Service differ slightly, both con year 2040 were supplied by The economic data which pro sider soil types, slopes and methods " Oklahoma's Energy Needs for the vided a basis for the industrial water of irrigation (present and future) Future, An Interim Report." ' As sug requirement projections are disag among other factors. gested in " 1970 National Power gregates of the United States Water Survey," ' the 2040 energy estimate Resources Council's regiona l In areas where sufficient water is available, projections were on a was obtained by linear projection of forecasts . Employment rates strai1ght-line basis. In areas requiring 1985 and 1990 energy estim ates as presented in these forecasts were specified in " Oklahoma's Energy multiplied by appropriate population import water, it was assumed that such water would be available Needs for the Future." The consump projections to arrive at Oklahoma's tive use rate of 2.5 acre-feet of water portion of future employment by in sometime between 2000 and 2040, and expected increases in irrigation per MKWH was applied to the pro dustrial activity according to Stan jected energy requirement to deter dard Industrial Classifications. Ap were made for that period. In areas of concentrated ground water develop mine total utility water requirements. propriate industrial water use coeffi Future power generation facilities cients for the Standard Industrial ment. it was assumed that irrigation would continue to increase and that were assumed to be developed in Classifications were applied to the areas where existing facilities are employment projections to arrive at a the ground water would continue to be mined. It was also assumed that presently located. Thus, utility water total industrial water requirement. requirements are shown on a regional The industrial water requirement import water would come into use before the ground water was depleted . basis, rather than by individual coun forecast was then disaggregated to ty. arrive at individual county projec and thereafter the amount of ground water used for irrigation would not tions by applying the ratios of pro OTHER USES jected county population to the total exceed the annual recharge. Land In addition to the requirements state population forecasts. Since the projected for irrigation from SCS previously mentioned, other water paper and pulp industry is relatively detention structures and farm ponds uses such as recreation, fish and was also included in these projec new in the region, little data ex isted wild life enhancement, low flow on which to base projected water use, tions. augmentation, navigation and water so industrial requirements for the Irrigation water requirements quality control are recognized. Water Southeast Planning Region were in were determined by subtracting the for these purposes is not a consump creased further to allow for future consumptive water use for a general tive use, so it is therefore reusable. growth in this water-intensive in cropping pattern in each region from Thus, it was assumed that these dustry. the effective precipitation, as well as future requirements can be fulfilled To account for future water con allowing for losses occurring between by potential reservoir development servation measures in Oklahoma's ur sources of supply and the farm. It was planned to meet the consumptive ban areas, it was anticipated that 15 determined that two acre-feet of needs previously discussed. percent of the year 2040's return water per land acre in the Northwest flows could be recovered, but lack of and Southwest Planning Regions, 1.5 PROJECTED WATER public acceptance almost precludes acre-feet per acre in the North Cen REQUIREMENTS large-scale reuse for municipal pur tral, Central and South Central Plan Present water use and estimated poses. However, considering the high ning Regions, and 1.0 acre-feet per water use projections to the year 2040 costs of waste treatment, it is an acre in the Northeast, East Central are summarized by planning region in ticipated that by the year 2040, reuse and Southeast Planning Regions Figure 31 . The Oklahoma Comprehen could provide about seven percent of would be required at supply sources sive Water Plan has been developed the projected industrial, cooling in each region. to meet projected needs from 1990 to water and irrigation requirements of The potential for reuse of 2040, a 50-year planing period. Such a Oklahoma's urban centers. Therefore, wastewater for irrigation was assum long period subjects forecasts to wastewater reuse is shown as a source ed to be feasible in the central many uncertainties. However, when of supply in the Central Planning Oklahoma area. Therefore, a portion planning for water needs, it is 69 necessary to assess demands as far in natural channels and drainage struc sible for many flooding problems. As to the future as feasible in order to tures can carry. Others are a result of land has become more scarce and ex maximize the return on the tremen sudden, heavy rains occurring in a pensive, cities and towns have dous investment required for water short t ime, with Oklahoma experienc gradually encroached on flood-prone development projects. ing more flooding of the latter type. areas. Each year damages from floods A recent study by the Bureau of In either case, floods are considered a cause severe economic conse Water and Environmental Resources problem only when they resu lt in quences, particularly for those in Research (BWERR) at the University widespread damage to agriculture dividual property owners, businesses of Oklahoma developed four com and structures. or when the normal and local governments which are not puter models capable of forecasting activities of man are seriously inter adequately insured. future water requirements for rupted. Recognizing these dangers, the Oklahoma. These models - one each Flood damages generally are Federal Government, through the for municipal and domestic usage, in assessed within the categories of Federal Emegency Management dustrial, irrigation and total water agriculture, rural, urban and transpor Agency (FEMA), offers a subsidized demands - are stepwise multiple tation. Agricultural damages result in insurance program which requires regression models which utilize loss of crops and livestock; rural any participating local, county or population. gross state product, damages in erosion and destruction state government to adopt FEMA's precipitation, nonagricultural of fences and buildings; urban floodplain management criteria employment, total employment, damages in loss of houses and com which limits additional development bituminous coal and lignite produc mercial properties; transportation in designated floodplain areas. tion, per capita income, acres ir losses in damaged highways and Of the 466 Oklahoma com rigated and land on farms as indepen bridges; and rescue and clean-up munities identified as containing dent variables. costs. f lood-prone areas as of December 31, Projections available from these Recognizing the adverse conse 1978, 275 were participating in the models for the years 1990 to 2040 cor quences of flooding, the Soil Conser federal flood insurance program. Six respond closely w ith projections by vation Service and the Corps of teen counties in Oklahoma have been the Planning Committee during the in Engineers have sought and received mapped and identified as containing itial forecasting periods. However, in federal statutory authority to con flood-prone areas. However, 15 of the the latter forecasts. the BWERR pro stru ct flood control and prevention 16 lack the proper authority to par jections are substantially less than structures in areas where flooding ticipate in the flood insurance pro those used as a basis for the presents a threat. Under Public Law gram. In case of a damaging flood. Oklahoma Comprehensive Water 566. the Watershed Protection and cities or counties cannot qualify for Pl an. indicating that BWERR projec Flood Prevention Act, the Soil Conser federal disaster assistance unless they tions do not anticipate a growth rate vation Service has constructed hun are participants in the National Flood as high as that assumed by the Plann dreds of small impoundment struc Insurance Program. Many Oklahoma ing Committee. If BWE RR projections tures on streams throughout the state, communities are ineligible for the prove to be more accurate, t he Plan which also serve a secondary purpose subsidized insurance program due to simply would achieve the additional of providing a water supply source for the absence of state f loodplain benefit of providing guidance in many Oklahoma communities. legislation, and therefore remain water planning beyond the year 2040. The Corps of Engineers, under vulnerable to the heavy financial the provisions of various flood con losses associated with floods. WATER-RELATED PROBLEMS trol acts passed by Congress, has Drought Flooding decreased the incidence of damaging Like other southern Great Plains The Arkansas River Basin and floods through construction of exten states, Oklahoma has scorched under the Red River Basin inflicted an sive reservoir storage, primarily in extended droughts on an approx estimated $167 million in flood eastern Oklahoma. The Corps is also imately 20-year cycle. Notable among damages on t he state between 1955 responsible for regulating the flood them were the dry years t hat occur and 1975, with the majority of that at control portion of reservoir projects red at the end of the century, again in tibutable to the Arkansas. Immense constructed by t he Bureau of 1910 and 1919, the dust bowl years of property losses occurrd in the severe Reclamation and the Grand River the 1930's, and more recently the pro floods recorded in April through June Dam Authority. The combined pro longed drought of the 1950' s and of 1957, and in June of 1965. grams of the Soil Conservation Ser 1960' s. AI though the drought of the Some f loods occur gradually, as vice and the Corps produce an 1930' s was the longest in Oklahoma's when prolonged steady rainfall estimated annual benefit of $180 history, that of the 1950's was more saturates a river or stream basin until million to the state. widespread and ranked among the almost all of it runs off. creating a Man' s encroachment on a most destructive of the past 400 greater volume of water than the stream's natural f loodplain is respon- years. 70 An analysis of drought condi quality of lakes and streams. cause ed pipelines, power lines, roads, tions in Oklahoma from 1931 to 1971 the depletion of productive soils, and bridges and buildings and adversely indicates that drought occurred the deterioration of waters through affected urban and industrial growth. somewhere in the state 51 percent of the buildup of silt. When eroding soil The Corps of Engineers has the time; more frequently in the contains residues from fertilizers or studied a number of methods to Panhandle, and less frequently in nor human and animal wastes, the reduce bank caving, including low theast and south central areas. streams and lakes become nutrient water dams to retard downstream Eastern Oklahoma experienced short enriched, thus enhancing eutrophica sediment movement, dredging chan· periods of drought. while the Panhan tion. High nutrient levels, especially nels to prevent normal flows from dle averaged longer dry periods; nitrogen and phosphorus, result in ac meandering, using stell-jetty lines and again emphasizing the variability of celerated growth of algae and other dikes, and installing stone-fill dikes weather in eastern Oklahoma and the microscopic plant life. choking lakes and revetments. normal shortage of rainfall in the and streams and decreasing their While many of these methods west. capacity to hold water. are effective in control I ing erosion, Drought inflicts extensive Since sedimentation affects the they are often so costly when com damage to agriculture, as crops burn yield of a reservoir by encroaching on pared to the benefits that they are not up and livestock die from thirst. conservation storage, buildup must economically justified under federal Municipalities also are adversely af be considered in the design of the criteria. Thus local interests or the fected, often forced to resort to ra reservoir and sediment storage pro state are required to provide their tioning programs as water supplies vided. Periodic sediment surveys are own means of reducing erosion. dwindle. Water-intensive industries necessary to determine the rate of ac often experience reduced production cumulation, and if it exceeds design Drainage during water shortages, and limits. might be accommodated by Problems associated with the hydroelectric power generation can reallocating the remaining storage. drainage of excess water exist on ap be substantially cut back resulting in Sediment movement can be proximately 5.2 million acres in Okla power shortages. Decreases in naviga controlled through agronomic and homa. Drainage is the removal of ex tion storage accompanying prolong mechanical practices which can cess water from the plant root zone ed periods of drought would typically reduce the amount of sedi or frofTI surface areas where normal necessarily have an impact on naviga ment reaching the reservoirs between precipitation, seepage or excess ir tion on the McClellan-Kerr naviagtion 28 and 73 percent. Sediment yield can rigation water keeps the soil too wet system. be reduced up to 90 percent by con for economical agricultural produc Although prevention of verting poorly suited cropland to con tion. The slope of the land, droughts is impossible, measures tinuous vegetation. In addition, flood permeability of the soil, depth to the such as weather modification can retarding structures have decreased water table and amount of soil aera somewhat mitigate its effect. sediment yields as much as 48 to 61 tion are the primary factors affecting Weather modification has evolved in· percent. drainage. The purpose of drainage is to a viable water resource augmenta Acute erosion problems have fourfold: to provide increased crop tion technique. However, due to the developed downstream from reser yields, to improve machinery efficien unresolved legal and political ques voirs generating hydroelectric power. cy, to achieve higher crop quality and tions surrounding weather modifica such as those areas below Keystone to provide better machinery adap tion, as well as its limited applicabli Dam on the Arkansas River and tability. Drainage measures include ty, in this Plan it is considered as only Denison Dam on the Red River. These land forming to eliminate pockets, a supplemental water source. wide riverbeds consist of sand depressions and intervals; and subsur Upstream flood control projects deposits and other soils which are face tile drains to carry excess water such as those constructed throughout highly susceptible to erosion. Natural to deeper channels of water courses, Oklahoma by the Soil Conservation stream-flows undercut the riverbanks among others. Service allow the storage of water causing caving of the banks and loss during high flows for use during dry of valuable bottomland, with high Water Quality Degradation periods. In addition to providing streamflows resulting from flooding The quality of Oklahoma's many communities with their sole or generated hydropower releases stream and ground water resources dependable source of water. these greatly accelerating this process and has emerged in recent years as a con structures al so provide water for carrying large quantities of soil, sand sideration of equal importance to other drought caused needs. and silt downstream as suspended that of quantity. Water quality is in sediment. fluenced by geology, climate, rural Erosion and Sedimentation Bank caving and erosion have and urban development, wastewater Natural erosion and sedimenta· caused the loss of valuable treatment and disposal practices, tion adversely affect the quantity and agricultural lands and crops, damag- storage in and diversions from lakes, 71 and other practices applied to the p loration activities throughout the t hem in northwestern Oklahoma in operation of reservoirs. With increas state have adversely affected ground the Arkansas River Basin, and one in ed discharges of wastes by water supplies. while nitrate and the Red River Bas i n in the municipalities , industries, and flouride contamination threatens southwestern corner of the state. (See agriculture, further degradation of western Oklahoma's ground water Figure 25 for source locations in the waters can be expected unless basins. Pollution of ground water Oklahoma.) The four sources in the adequate quality management sources is particularly critical in those Arkansas River Basin emit an policies are adopted. western areas where no alternative estimated 7,600 tons of c hlorides per surface water sources are available. day into local streams, often raising M AN-MADE POLLUTION Despite major strides in the salt concentrations higher than Industrial development and strengthen i ng and enforcing that of sea water. The single population growth are pril)1arily Oklahoma's Water Quality Standards southwestern source emits approx responsible for the dramatic in which determine municipal and in imately 840 tons per day into the Red creases in man-made pollution in re dustrial discharge limits, efforts to River Basin. cent years. Industrial discharges in ex reduce man-made pollution of the Extensive studies of the salinity cess of permit allowances burden sur state's stream and ground water problem by the U.S. Army Corps of face waters with more than their resources must continue if the state' s Engineers have shown that the assimilative capacities, and brine future water needs are to be met. natural c hloride pollution could be releases from oil and gas production substantially reduced by implemen contribute to the pollution of both NATURAL POLLUTI ON ting control measures at principal stream and ground waters. New oil Natural mineral pollution in brine emission areas in Oklahoma fields or wells may produce little or areas of western Oklahoma severely and out of state. no brine, but fields nearing depletion degrade the quality of water in the may yield up to 100 barrels of salt Arkansas and Red River Basins. These Ground Water Depletion water per barrel of oil. minerals, primarily chlorides and Water-intensive coal mmmg Natural recharge to t he underly su lfates, often render the water of the operations in eastern Oklahoma pro ing rock formations from precipita rivers unusable for municipal, in duce great quantities of polluted tion and/or seepage along stream dustrial, or irrigation purposes. water as a by-product. Improper beds is very low in western Streams severely degraded by disposal of this water presents serious Oklahoma, where ground water chlorides include the Cimarron, Sa lt pollution potential to the area's serves as the chief water supply Fork of the Arkansas and the Arkan streams and lakes. source. To economically develop the Municipalities often contribute sas River in northwestern Oklahoma; agricultural resources of western damaging effluents through inade and the North Fork, Sa lt Fork, Elm areas, more water must be pumped quate sewage treatment procedures. Fork, and Prairie Dog Town Fork of out of the ground than is naturally Some financially strapped smaller the Red and the Red River in flowing back into underground southwestern Oklahoma. The Cana cities which cannot afford adequate storage. Such mining or overdrafting dian and Washita Rivers in west cen treatment of their effluents frequent of the ground water supplies tral Oklahoma are also polluted by ly discharge excessive amounts of threatens to deplete these vital sulfates, sodium and other harmful sulfates originating from gypsum out resources within the forseeable elements into the state's waters. Addi crops in their drainage areas. future. Oklahoma's natural pollution tional treatment, primarily of a ter During the 1930's, few irrigation problem is attributed to chlorides tiary nature, will reduce such pollu wells existed in western Oklahoma, tion but the reuse of effluent as a emitted from springs and salt flats. but in the 1950's, the introduction of downstream water supply will remain Fifteen such natural chloride emis center pivot irrigation equipment a socially questionable practice. sion areas have been identified in brought extensive ground water Nonpoint sources of pollution Texas, Kansas and Oklahoma; 10 of development. The surge in irrigated these in the Red River Basin, and five agriculture resu lted in declines in t he from agricultural and urban runoff water table of five to 10 feet per year. are increasing rapidly and remain dif in the Arkansas River Basin. The ex tent and magnitude of the pollution As the water table declined, the ficult to identify and control. The amount of saturated water-bearing ongoing 208 Waste Treatment problem is illustrated by the 11 ,900 tons of salt per day which enter rock also declined, and well yields Management Program will continue dropped. In the Panhandle, wells that Keystone Lake via the Arkansas and to investigate means of reducing or had yielded as much a 1,000 gallons eliminating nonpoint source pollu Cimarron Rivers and the estimated per m inute now produce only 500 to tion. 5,400 tons per day which enter Lake 800 gallons per minute. The decrease Equally as endangered as sur- Texoma on Red River. in well capactiy was accompanied by face waters are the state's fresh Five of the emission zones have greater depth to water. Water en ground water aquifers. Oil and gas ex- been identified in Oklahoma; four of countered at 250 feet below the sur- 72 face 20 years ago now requires drill alternative water sources will even such review could free some water ing to a depth of 350 feet or more. tually be needed to supplement for appropriation in areas that were To pump water from greater western Okl ahoma' s declining previously fully appropriated. depths requires more fuel, and as reserves. Restrictions are applicable to energy costs soar, many farmers and allocations of stream water in an ad cattlemen are unable to afford irriga Stream Water ditional three million acres of the tion' s rising costs. Although water Availability state including areas on three of the may be available at greater depths, Due to the limitations on stream state's designated scenic rivers. Big technological and economic water availability imposed by lack of and Little Lee Creeks and the upper restraints may prevent its use, and the precipitation and runoff as well as reaches of the Ill inois River including aquifer can be considered effectively those presented by poor water quali Flint Creek. These limits are based on depleted. ty, there are many areas where the de minimum flow criteria, and were Short-term alternatives to deple mand for water has reached or sur adopted in response to increased tion include additional conservation passed a stream system's capacity for water demands in northeastern practices and management of ground supplying it. Oklahoma to protect the rivers' water suppl ies . Wells sma ller in The Oklahoma Water Resou rces scenic nature. diameter and spaced at proper inter Board has determined that all the Reservoirs are considered fully vals can slow water level declines. stream water in an 8.5 mill ion acre appropriated when the Oklahoma More efficient use of water through area ill ustrated in Figure 3 has been Water Resources Board has issued drip irrigation, limits on annual water fully appropriated. Because addi water right permits equal to the yield use by wel l owners and the coord ina tional development could unduly in of the reservoir. In order to protect tion of water application with rainfall terfere with existing allocations, only the yield of the reservoir. applications can also prolong the life of an minimal development of additional for water rights in the drainage area aquifer. stream water in this area is presently above the lake can be denied or Although these measures may possible. However. the Board con restricted. Water rights above the provide a temporary solution to the tinually reviews stream water permits reservoir are issued only when it is problem of ground water depletion, for compliance with state law. and determined that water is available in YEAR ~ 170 180 .. 1~0 - - ~- ... 200 - -. - -~- 210 -.. ~ 220 I'-. 230 " 240 ~ ~ . ~ r-..... :: " [".. 270 I .... a: 280 w """' i ~ e- "' l* I ~ 310 0 ~ 320 - I 330 ! I I 340 - I 350 FIGURE 33 WATER LEVEL HYDROGRAPH Well in NW 114 NW 14 Sec 9-T2N-R1 SE, Texas Co. 73 excess of the quantity necessary to technical skills to perform the ventory which is expected to locate maintain the reservoir yield. necessary planning and to secure an estimated 4,000 dams in the state f inancial and legal guidance. by completion of the program in Inadequate Municipal and Rural A lthough there are several 1980. Most dams in Oklahoma are Water Systems federal assitance programs available, earth-fill dams designed by a state-of Approximately 200 communities low funding levels have limited par the-art method at the time of con across the state- mostly small towns ticipation. State assistance has struction, with a potential for seepage and rural water districts - face serious recently been made available and failure under abnormal condi water supply problems fostered by in through the passage of Title 82, O.S. tions. Reductions in dam failure and adequate suppl ies and/or poor water 1979, Section 1085.31 et seq. (Senate mitigation of the consequences, as quality. Lack of adequate supplies, Bill 215 of the First Session of the 37th measured in l ife and property, are the mineralized water, inadequate treat Legislature), which authorized the major objectives of the Oklahoma ment and storage facilities and aged Oklahoma Water Resources Board to Water Resources Board's dam safety and deteriorating distribution systems provide financial aid to qualified program. make it impossible for these com cities, towns and rural water districts. Once a dam is determined to munities to maintain, much less im Chapter VIII describes in detail the have a high hazard potential, an in prove, their economic viability. funding program available through spection is required. Each inspection A July 1977 survey indicated the Oklahoma Water Resources report contains recommendations for that some form of mandatory or Board. redesign or rebu ilding, maintenance voluntary water rationing was and operation, and the dam owner is necessary in 37 communities serving Dam Safety required to comply with all major 196,000 Oklahomans. Storage, treat The federal legislation authoriz recommendations. To date, inven· ment plants and col lection systems ing dam safety inspections was pass tories have been performed on 1,819 could not keep pace with user ed in response to the Buffalo Creek structures, 112 of which were found demands, thus necessitating water ra (West Virginia) dam failure in to require corrective measures to in tioning. Problems were so critical in February 1972 which re leased f lood su re the safety of those I iving some communities that sufficient f ire waters that killed 125 people. downstream. protection was not available to the Although the National Dam Safety Although Oklahoma has not ex residents. Act was signed into law in August perienced a serious dam failure, the Sixty public water sys tems 1972, federal funds for its implemen state is subject to torrential rains that presently utilize water with chemical tation were not approved until 1977, can cause f looding and stress on its constituents exceeding the maximum when the collapse of Teton Dam in dams. A recent study by the National allowable level prescribed by Idaho and Toccoa Dam in Georgia Weather Service showed that the Oklahoma's Primary Drinking Water again focused the attention of Con 12-hour maximum precipitation for 10 Standards. Concentrations of nitrate, gress and the public on dam safety. square miles varies from 30 to 36 in flouride and selenium present in a Funds were made available to ches in the state. The most recent majority of the systems cannot be the states to inventory and determine such rain occurred at Enid in 1973, removed by conventional treatment, hazard categories for all nonfederal when the National Weather Service but rather, require expensive treat dams and to conduct safety inspec measured 15.68 inches of rain in 13 ment facilities beyond the means of tions of all high-hazard dams. The hours. small or intermediate-size cities. legislation mandated the inspection An inventory of dams is never Many of these systems have been of every dam 25 feet or more in complete; new dams are built and old placed on compliance schedules to height, or with a capacity to impound ones demolished. Nor is an inspection correct the violations, and will be 50 acre-feet or more of water. program of high-hazard dams ever forced to obtain new sources of supp The classification of dams by finished; low-hazard dams become ly. (See Appendix A for analyses of hazard potential has nothing to do high-hazard and vice versa. Since pre water supplies of rural water districts with the dam's structural integrity, sent federal funding for the inventory and municipalities listed by planning but with the degree of development is schedu led to end in 1980, and in region.) downstream that could be adversely 1981 for the inspection program, the Current municipal indebtedness, affected if the dam broke. It also question of continued f unding for .the low per capita incomes and inade serves to determine the priority for in state's dam safety program is crucial. quate population bases make it im spections; those appearing to possess If Congress fails to renew the pro possible for some communities to greater hazard potential being in grams through additional appropria finance the improvements and expan spected first. tions, the state w ill be requ ired to sions to their water supply systems re As the state agency responsible underwrite the programs in order to quired by federal and state legisla for dam safety, the Oklahoma Water insure the safety of thousands of tion. Many lack the administrative or Resources Board is conducting an in- nonfederal dams in Oklahoma. 74