GRDA: People Below Pensacola, Kerr Dams Should Prepare To Evacuate

The Grand River Dam Authority warned people below the Pensacola Dam and the Robert S. Kerr Dam to prepare to evacuate as it begins releasing high volumes of water.

The GRDA sent out the following warning:

“This is the Grand River Dam Authority.  Due to heavy inflows, it is necessary to begin releasing high volumes of water. This may or will cause flooding in areas below Pensacola and Kerr dams. This condition mandates that you monitor local water levels and prepare to evacuate. This is NOT a test. Please understand that immediate action should be taken. At this time, it is anticipated that the discharge at Pensacola Dam will be 150,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) and at Kerr Dam the release will be 180.000 cfs. Further information can be secured at GRDA’s Emergency Operation Center at (918) 256-0911. Thank you for your cooperation.”

Pensacola Dam is on Grand Lake and Kerr is on Lake Hudson.

At 10:30 a.m. on Monday:

Pensacola Dam: GRDA said it had four main spillway gates open and nine east spillway gates open. Six generators online. Total discharge was 129,043 cubic feet per second.

Kerr Dam: Six floodgates open. Four generators online. Discharge was 159,588 cubic feet per second.