An Editorial
A new buzzword has come up this season, "pre-release." We don't know where it started, but probably a better term would be "early release." This refers to the practice of releasing water from Grand Lake via the floodgates when it becomes apparent that enough water is coming downstream into the lake to cause the lake to go into flood stage, above elevation 745.
Some of the critics who are always on the back of GRDA, no matter what the cause, accuse the GRDA of having some "secret" or "covert" agenda regarding this issue.
In our studies of the history of the lake and GRDA, there is no mention of GRDA having control of the flood gates. The Army Corps of Engineers is in charge of this, 100% of the time. They read the dozens of upstream gauges, consider what is happening below Grand Lake, and make judgements as to whether or not to order GRDA to open floodgates...how many, how far open, how many cubic feet per second to release. This is a fact that the gadflies continue to ignore.
It is also our observation that the Corps like to store water, a fact that can be observed in Corps lakes. Flood pools of 40-50 feet are common. After all, they wanted the top of the Pensacola Dam to be at elevation 765 with a 30-foot flood pool when it was built, but W.R. Holway, the chief engineer, talked them out of it. Imagine what that would have done to Grove and Miami.
In ordering releases from Grand Lake, the Corps must consider what the results are downstream. If Fort Gibson lake and the Arkansas River below it are already in flood stage, it might be their decision to hold back water from Grand Lake until downstream levels subside. This has been done many times. On the other hand, in past years the Corps has not ordered releases until after Grand reaches 745, even considering that flood waters are coming down from Kansas.
This year, a change in attitude occurred. We don't know if this came from the new management at GRDA, working in conjunction with the Corps, but we are reasonably sure it did. It makes good common sense that if a flood is coming down the Neosho and Spring Rivers, early release of water from Grand can prevent upstream flooding in Miami. On the other hand, people in Miami, and the critics, need to realize that downstream considerations must also be made, what we call "the big picture."
In 1943 the biggest flood in history occurred on the Grand River, a 300,000 cubic foot per second flood. Every gate was open at Grand; so much water came out that it would not flow downstream fast enough and water backed up seven feet high on the powerhouse. They actually swept water off the roadway, according to one witness. And that was before Lake Hudson was built. This flood was caused by 26 inches of rain over a nine day period in May, at Miami, and 19 inches over the entire watershed. "Early release" would not have worked in this case as there was just too much water, much of it already downstream.
We've also noticed that on the original blueprints of the lake, the elevation above Miami of the Neosho River is at 1100 feet above sea level. If this is true, then it would seem that a nearly 300-foot drop in elevation from just north of Miami, into Miami, would cause too much water to flow too fast.
It is true that GRDA can generate 20% more electricity from 10 feet of additional water in Grand Lake; however the current management at GRDA has shown that is ready and willing to work to control uplake flooding by consultation with the Corps and using early releases when possible. Continued criticism by gadflies serves no purpose.
Some of the critics who are always on the back of GRDA, no matter what the cause, accuse the GRDA of having some "secret" or "covert" agenda regarding this issue.
In our studies of the history of the lake and GRDA, there is no mention of GRDA having control of the flood gates. The Army Corps of Engineers is in charge of this, 100% of the time. They read the dozens of upstream gauges, consider what is happening below Grand Lake, and make judgements as to whether or not to order GRDA to open floodgates...how many, how far open, how many cubic feet per second to release. This is a fact that the gadflies continue to ignore.
It is also our observation that the Corps like to store water, a fact that can be observed in Corps lakes. Flood pools of 40-50 feet are common. After all, they wanted the top of the Pensacola Dam to be at elevation 765 with a 30-foot flood pool when it was built, but W.R. Holway, the chief engineer, talked them out of it. Imagine what that would have done to Grove and Miami.
In ordering releases from Grand Lake, the Corps must consider what the results are downstream. If Fort Gibson lake and the Arkansas River below it are already in flood stage, it might be their decision to hold back water from Grand Lake until downstream levels subside. This has been done many times. On the other hand, in past years the Corps has not ordered releases until after Grand reaches 745, even considering that flood waters are coming down from Kansas.
This year, a change in attitude occurred. We don't know if this came from the new management at GRDA, working in conjunction with the Corps, but we are reasonably sure it did. It makes good common sense that if a flood is coming down the Neosho and Spring Rivers, early release of water from Grand can prevent upstream flooding in Miami. On the other hand, people in Miami, and the critics, need to realize that downstream considerations must also be made, what we call "the big picture."
In 1943 the biggest flood in history occurred on the Grand River, a 300,000 cubic foot per second flood. Every gate was open at Grand; so much water came out that it would not flow downstream fast enough and water backed up seven feet high on the powerhouse. They actually swept water off the roadway, according to one witness. And that was before Lake Hudson was built. This flood was caused by 26 inches of rain over a nine day period in May, at Miami, and 19 inches over the entire watershed. "Early release" would not have worked in this case as there was just too much water, much of it already downstream.
We've also noticed that on the original blueprints of the lake, the elevation above Miami of the Neosho River is at 1100 feet above sea level. If this is true, then it would seem that a nearly 300-foot drop in elevation from just north of Miami, into Miami, would cause too much water to flow too fast.
It is true that GRDA can generate 20% more electricity from 10 feet of additional water in Grand Lake; however the current management at GRDA has shown that is ready and willing to work to control uplake flooding by consultation with the Corps and using early releases when possible. Continued criticism by gadflies serves no purpose.
posted by Editor | 1:56 AM
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