Tulsa Corps Of Engineers Gets Help In Removing Crane From Kaw Lake

NewsOn6.com

KAW LAKE, Oklahoma -- The Tulsa District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers got some help in removing a crane that had fallen into Kaw Lake in January.

A team of U.S. Navy divers successfully retrieved the crane and other equipment from the Lake.

The crane fell off the dam into the lake back on January 6, 2011.  The crane was lifting a structure called a stop log when the accident happened.  The crane operator was not hurt.

1/6/2011:  Related story:  Crane Working On Kaw Lake Dam Falls Into Lake

After spending some time investigating a possible recovery operation, the Corps told News On 6 it had decided to just leave the crane in the lake.

2/28/2011:  Related story:  Corps Of Engineers Decides To Leave Toppled Crane In Kaw Lake

But then the Corps decided not to risk long-term environmental problems caused by the crane.  It also needed the stop log.

A team of 10 U.S. Navy divers based out of Washington State arrived in Oklahoma Sunday, April 24, according to the Corps.  The team did a reconnaissance dive on Monday, April 25 to determine the location of the sunken equipment.

The Corps says the divers then spent the past two weeks attaching inflatable bags to the crane, stop log, and lifting device.  They used the bags to raise the equipment to the lake's surface where they attached cables and then pulled the crane, stop log and lifting device to shore.

The stop log and lifting device are unique to Kaw and will be placed back into service after a thorough inspection.

According to the Corps, the crane was at gate eight using the lifting device to move the curved stop log to gate seven when it fell over the side and came to rest 60 feet below in the lake, upside down.

The cause of the accident is under investigation.