Flooding Affects Barge Traffic

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Flooding remains an issue in Oklahoma, even after most of the state has experienced mostly dry weather in recent days. Even though Lake Texoma has dipped below a critical level,

Wednesday, July 18th 2007, 6:41 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Flooding remains an issue in Oklahoma, even after most of the state has experienced mostly dry weather in recent days. Even though Lake Texoma has dipped below a critical level, officials say it will take weeks for the southern Oklahoma lake's level to drop significantly.

Lake Texoma's level fell below 640 feet yesterday, meaning water no longer is going over concrete spillway that allows excess water to drain from the lake. At its height, the lake reached eight inches over the spillway.

Meanwhile, flooding along the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigational System in eastern Oklahoma is causing significant disruptions to barge traffic.

The Arkansas River's flow near Muskogee usually averages about 8-thousand cubic feet per second, but the river now is flowing around 180-thousand cubic feet per second.

Muskogee City-County Port Authority Director Scott Robinson says the high and swift-flowing water is keeping companies from moving their barges on the Verdigris and Arkansas rivers.

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7/6/2007 - Port Of Catoosa Feeling Effects Of Flooding