Tulsa, Jenks, Muscogee Nation Sign Agreement For New Arkansas River Dam

The agreement to build a new dam in the Arkansas River south of Jenks was signed Thursday. News On 6's Emory Bryan was live in Jenks with the story.

Thursday, January 12th 2023, 6:23 pm

By: Emory Bryan

JENKS, Okla. -

An agreement to fund and build a new low water dam on the Arkansas River was formalized Thursday, with the Mayors of Tulsa and Jenks, and the Chief the of Muscogee Creek National signing a memorandum of understanding on the project.

The Mayor of Jenks sees it as an economic opportunity far greater than any other development, because it will increase the value of hundreds of acres of raw land alongside the river.

“Can you imagine just looking up and down this four miles of river? There will be a restaurant that doesn't exist, there will be a bar that doesn't exist, and so this will create things that we don't have,” Mayor Cory Box said.

The Muscogee Creeks own substantial property along what will become a lake that extends from just south of the Creek Turnpike to north of the River Spirit Casino.

The Creek owned River Walk Crossing will become lake front property. Chief David Hill said the tribe look at ways to ferry people from one side of the river to the other, and he noted the historic nature of a first-time agreement between Tulsa area governments and the Creeks.

"And this is just the beginning of what we offer as a tribal nation, especially seeing water here, there's opportunities for us,” he said.

The funding now committed includes $64 million from Tulsa, $17 million from Jenks, $16 million from the federal Department of Transportation, and $8 million from the Muscogee Creek Nation.

In 2012, before the passage of the Vision package, City and Tribal leaders said they had a “handshake” deal to pay for two low water dams.

The progress stalled as climbing costs and permitting complications slowed progress on the first dam, which is set to be complete this year.

Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum said while the lake created by the first dam will be impactful, the location and size of the second lake means it will be more transformative for an area where the river is difficult to reach.

"We're going to change the way people use recreation in this whole region, thanks to this lake being created, through collaboration,” he said.

It’s expected it will take several years to plan and get permits for the new dam, with construction expected to take at least a year, even for the most simple designs.