Watersheds, Dams & Flood Protection in Oklahoma
Oklahoma has more upstream flood-control dams than almost anywhere in the country, and many are past their design life. The federal rehabilitation program assists eligible local project sponsors, not individual homeowners, which is the single most misunderstood thing about it.
What this program is, and who it is for
The NRCS Watershed Rehabilitation Program helps project sponsors rehabilitate aging dams that are reaching the end of their design life, or that no longer meet federal or state safety criteria or performance standards.
What the programs address:
- Rehabilitating aging watershed dams
- Addressing safety and performance issues
- Flood-risk reduction
- Certain water-supply needs
- Technical and planning assistance
Why Oklahoma has so many of these
Oklahoma has 2,107 upstream flood-control dams, built by local sponsors with USDA assistance, and NRCS Oklahoma material identifies 129 current projects. They were authorised under two federal statutes: the Flood Control Act of 1944 (Public Law 78-534), and the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act of 1954 (Public Law 83-566), which established a permanent nationwide programme for local groups willing to share in the costs of upstream watershed conservation and flood control.
Most were built in the middle of the twentieth century. A structure designed for a fifty-year life and built in 1961 is now well past it, and the land downstream of many of them is no longer empty pasture. That combination, ageing structures plus changed downstream development, is what drives rehabilitation.
Where rehabilitation work is happening
NRCS Oklahoma currently identifies these rehabilitation projects. Follow the site link for the official project resource, where one has been published.
| Site | County | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Little Wewoka Site 12 | Hughes | Rehabilitation plan and environmental document. |
| Scraper Hollow Site 2 | Adair | Rehabilitation plan and environmental document. |
| Rock Creek Site 10 | Murray | Watershed plan and environmental assessment. Dam originally built in 1961. |
| Rock Creek Site 12 | Murray | Watershed plan and environmental assessment. Dam originally built in 1961. |
| Oak Creek Site 5 | Washita | Project information published by NRCS Oklahoma. |
| Uncle John Creek Site 10 | Canadian | Watershed plan and environmental evaluation. |
| Sallisaw Creek Sites 13 and 19 | Adair | Watershed plan and environmental evaluation. Authorized for rehabilitation. |
| Sallisaw Creek Site 36 | Sequoyah | NRCS states the plan will be posted upon authorization. |
Counties marked are those containing the projects in the table above. This is a county-level orientation map. It does not show dam locations, inundation areas, ownership or any boundary, and it must not be used to work out whether a particular property is affected by a particular structure.
Emergency watershed protection
The Emergency Watershed Protection programme is a different thing from rehabilitation. It addresses imminent hazards to life and property following a natural disaster, such as debris removal or streambank stabilisation, and it also runs through eligible sponsors rather than direct to individuals. After a flood, the sponsor route still applies, and time limits generally do too, so early contact with the local district matters.
Oklahoma Homestead Law provides free educational information and links to authoritative government resources. It is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Laws, procedures, eligibility requirements and local practices may change. Verify questions involving a particular property, transaction, dispute or deadline with the appropriate government office or a qualified professional.
Official resources
- NRCS Oklahoma, Watershed Rehabilitation Program The authoritative current project list.
- NRCS Oklahoma water resources and the Watershed Program
- Emergency Watershed Protection Program
- Oklahoma Conservation Commission
- Oklahoma conservation districts Your local sponsor, and the right first call.
- Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB)
Related pages
Sources
- Official agency guidance NRCS, Watershed Rehabilitation Program, Oklahoma Federal agency program guidance
- Official agency guidance NRCS, Oklahoma water resources PL 78-534 (1944); PL 83-566 (1954)
- Official agency guidance Oklahoma Conservation Commission, conservation programs division State agency
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