Record Rainfall Causes Road Closures, Prompts Warnings To Boaters

Flooding is causing issues in many parts of Oklahoma. Muskogee County Commissioner Ken Oak says the road across the Fort Gibson dam has been closed as well as roads accessing the road. That's 251A from the west and Highway 80 to the east of the dam.

The Grand River Bridge has also been shut down due to high water.

The Army Corps of Engineers has increased the outflow from Fort Gibson Lake. This is likely to increase the flooding threat to Webbers Falls, but authorities say it can't be put off any longer.

The Grand River Dam Authority Police Department is reminding boaters and others to be very careful on the water due to elevated lake levels. 

5/30/2015 Related Story: Flood Releases From Fort Gibson Dam Puts Webbers Falls On Alert

Edwards said boaters need to be mindful that structures normally above the shoreline may be damaged by boat wakes as well as other wave action.

He said boaters should stay clear of marked buoy areas in front of spillways at Pensacola and Robert S. Kerr Dams.

Edwards also reminded the public that it is illegal to enter floodwater discharge in a spillway area below the dams.

"The rushing waters can be very dangerous and visitors to areas below the spillways need to pay attention to the signage marking 'no trespassing' and restricted areas," he said in a news release.

The GRDA released the following stats early Sunday morning:

• Grand Lake elevation was 754.67 feet. Daily target elevation for May 31 is 744 feet. 
• At the direction of the United States Army Corps of Engineers, nine (9) floodgates (8 east spillway, 1 main gate) were open at Pensacola Dam, discharging 76,336 cubic feet per second (CFS) of water.
• Six units were online at the Pensacola Dam powerhouse, releasing 13,570 CFS of water through generation. 
• Releases through floodgates and generation totaled 89,906 CFS. 
• Inflows into Grand Lake totaled 75,567 CFS. 
• Lake Hudson elevation was 635.09 feet. The normal elevation is 619 feet.
• At the direction of the United States Army Corps of Engineers, five (5) floodgates were open at Robert S. Kerr Dam, discharging 102,458 CFS of water.
• Three units were online at the Robert S. Kerr Dam powerhouse, releasing 22,680 CFS of water through generation.
• Releases through floodgates and generation totaled 125,138 CFS.
• Inflows into Lake Hudson totaled 96,949 CFS.