Bond Issues Approved For Arkansas River Improvement

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- A bill authorizing a $25 million bond issue for improvements along the Arkansas River in the Tulsa area is heading to the governor's desk.

The state Senate on Monday approved two bills authorizing two separate $25 million bond issues.

The first would allow for improvements to the Zink Dam and create low-water dams in Sand Springs, Jenks and south Tulsa.

A second bill was passed authorizing $25 million in bonds for high-hazard earthen dams for flood control, mostly in rural parts of the state.

The bills revived a bond issue that was declared unconstitutional by the Oklahoma Supreme Court earlier this year because the legislation violated the one-subject rule of the Oklahoma Constitution.

Sen. Mike Mazzei says the bond issue for the Tulsa area will be matched with $50 million in federal funds for the project.