GRDA Urging Water Safety Measures For Labor Day Weekend

The Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA) is reminding everyone to stay safe on the water this Labor Day weekend, following a summer marked by several fatalities on the lake.

Law enforcement and businesses at Grand Lake are preparing for the influx of holiday visitors.

"It's the calm before the storm here in South Grand Lake," said Jerry Cookson of Cedar Port Marina in Disney, who knows how busy the lake can get during holiday weekends.

"Any weekend can be a holiday weekend for us," Cookson said.

Cedar Port Marina stocks up on everything needed for a weekend on the water, including extra inner tubes, surfboards, and, of course, clean boats.

Grand Lake, the third largest lake in Oklahoma, attracts thousands of visitors each summer. Cookson has noticed an increase in new visitors to the lake.

"There's been tons of new people on the lake that we haven't seen before. We're seeing people coming in and realizing the value of Grand Lake and moving in from out of state," he said.

While holidays are good for business, they also mean more people on the water, which can lead to safety concerns.

"It has been a very difficult summer, unfortunately," said Justin Alberty with GRDA. "We've seen an unusually high number of fatalities on our waters this summer, and other lakes in the state have dealt with similar issues."

The GRDA has responded to nine fatalities on its waterways this year alone.

This weekend, officials hope that visitors will take safety seriously, emphasizing the importance of wearing life jackets.

"In several of those instances, a life jacket would have made a difference," Alberty said.

The GRDA says the best way to stay safe on the lake this holiday weekend is to wear your life jacket. In fact, if they catch you wearing one, you could get a reward.

"We’ll pull them over and throw them a T-shirt to reward them for doing the right thing," Alberty said.

The GRDA also encourages boaters to take a boater safety course.

"Know how that vessel operates, watch out for the other guy, give him plenty of room, plenty of time to stop, and plenty of space. Before you start that boat up and you're in a cove, watch out for anybody that may be in the water," Alberty said.

A safe weekend out on the water is a successful holiday weekend for everyone.