Okmulgee County Officials Say Flooding Could Stick Around For Days

Okmulgee County residents who weathered this week's storms have a long road ahead of them.

Waist-deep waters washed away roads, poured into people's homes, threatened livestock and interrupted livelihoods.

Residents are still hours removed from when officials said the Deep Fork River crested. The 33-foot cresting meant the river came within inches from its own record. It is also possibly its fourth-highest crest ever. 

What remains is a lot of water that needs to drain before repairs can begin.

Though this bout of severe weather that brought in days of relentless rain is in the rear-view mirror, Okmulgee County Emergency Management director Tim Craighton said the water isn't expected to go below the flood stage until Tuesday.

Beyond that, Craighton said it could take weeks, perhaps months, to repair the acres worth of damage. He told us they've got culverts and bridges that need replaced.

"If there's any flow of water across the roads, you're going to have the finished surface go off them,” Craighton said. “A lot of these roads the blacktop is going to come up.”

As the current calms and water levels recede, crews are scheduled to come out Monday to assess damage and begin opening back up roads.