Highway 28 Closing Next Tuesday

The Grand River Dam Authority has announced that Highway 28, crossing over the middle spillways of Pensacola Dam (one eighth of a mile east of Disney) will be closed to all traffic from 9 AM to 1 PM on Tuesday, October 23.

GRDA crews will be performing some maintenance work across the spillway and both lanes of traffic will be completely closed during the four hour period. Because the maintenance includes pouring concrete, the work is subject to weather conditions.
An alternate route for westbound traffic during the closure would be to take Highway 28 east to Highway 20, then west to Highway 82, which goes back to Langley. An alternate route for eastbound traffic would be Highway 82 south from Langley to Highway 20, then east to Highway 28.

GRDA Credit Rating Upgraded to "A-"

The Grand River Dam Authority, a wholesale electricity supplier for Northeast Oklahoma Electric Cooperative in the Grand Lake region, is announcing that Standard & Poor’s (S&P) Rating Services has upgraded GRDA’s credit rating. On Monday, S&P announced it was changing GRDA’s credit rating from “BBB+” to “A-”, and improving the outlook from stable to positive. While GRDA has received three rating outlook improvement from rating agencies in recent years, S&P’s announcement is historic, marking the first rating upgrade in GRDA’s history.

“Similar to the three outlook improvements we’ve received since March 2005, this upgrade is proof that the financial community believes GRDA is growing more financially stable,” said GRDA Chief Executive Officer Kevin Easley.

According to an S&P statement, “the willingness of [GRDA] board members … to strengthen the authority’s financial profile” was a chief factor in the upgrade decision. Long-term partnerships with customers was also a strong factor. The partnership between NEOEC and GRDA first began in the 1940s.

According to Easley, recent decisions by GRDA to strengthen its financial position have also helped to strengthen customer partnerships for the coming years. "This news is historic," he said. "Moving the rating from “BBB+” to “A-” adds even more stability to the financial foundation this agency will rest on in the future.”

Of course, the impact this upgrade has on all those Oklahomans will show up in savings, said Easley. “For those who may be asking ‘why does this matter to me?’ GRDA would respond that it believes this upgrade will save our customers millions of dollars in finance and insurance charges as we continue to grow and plan a safe, reliable and affordable electric future.”

According to Easley, the upgrade could not have come at a better time for GRDA, which is entering an extensive growth mode. “GRDA is a progressive agency focused on meeting our customers’ needs while always retaining our reputation as Oklahoma’s low-cost, reliable electric supplier. An excellent workforce, solid customer partnerships and recognition like this from the financial community will help us achieve those goals.”

In March 2005, Fitch Ratings reaffirmed GRDA’s “A-” rating and upgraded its outlook of the utility’s bonds from stable to positive. In March 2006, S&P cited GRDA customers’ acceptance of rate increases and GRDA’s low-cost power supply as factors in its decision to, at the time, affirm the “BBB+” credit rating and improve the outlook from negative to stable. Then, in January 2007, Moody’s Investor Services affirmed an “A2” rating on GRDA’s outstanding electric revenue bonds and announced it would also change GRDA’s rating outlook from negative to stable.

“These improvements by the rating agencies give us confidence that GRDA is on the right track with the financial decisions we’ve made,” said Easley, “and I certainly want to commend the GRDA Board of Directors, for the role it has played in this effort. The rating agencies thought that leadership was noteworthy.”

SMP Debate Could Last Another Three Years

It may be three years before the Grand Lake Shoreline Management Plan issue will be settled, Rusty Fleming, founder of Grand Lakers United Enterprise (G.L.U.E.) told Grove Rotarians this week.

He also predicted Wednesday that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) would not like the revised GRDA plan as it currently exists, and that a round of lawsuits from both sides would eventually ensue.

The GRDA Board of Directors will consider the current plan at its November meeting and then send it to FERC, where a 60-day comment period will exist.

He told Rotarians that GLUE has 220 members, with only three commercial marina owners. "The majority are waterfront and non-waterfront property owners just like you and me."

"I am a pro-GRDA guy and although they are not perfect, they are preferable to overseeing Grand Lake than FERC," he said. The 50-year-old license that GRDA had since 1940 ran out in 1990 and the 1992 re-license brought about changes, one of which is FERC insisting on a shoreline management plan.

FERC recommended the hiring of Kleinschmidt, a Maine consulting firm that also has a number of ex-FERC employees, Fleming said, to do a study begun almost two years ago. When the first draft came out "only two people" favored it, he said. Waterfront use was broken down into 17% for commercial development, 3% for GRDA operations, 52% for limited use, and 28% designated as "sensitive." It was judged far too harsh, especially relating to shoreline tree clearance.

The latest plan, re-written by GRDA with input from GLUE and hundreds of pages of testimony from area hearings, designates 71% of the waterfront as "responsible growth" area for commercial and residential development areas. There is no separate designation for residential use.

Opponents of the latest plan say it is just another invitation for the big commercial marinas to expand, and the new plan says nothing about on-water homes, or dockominiums. They say the GRDA board is loaded with conflicts of interest and has historically favored commercial installations and has been arbitrary and capricious in making dock and retaining wall decisions based on the influence of the applicant. Some predict that FERC may put a residential land use category back in the plan.

GRDA to Hold Final SMP Meetings

The Grand River Dam Authority reminds lake area residents of the upcoming public meetings, related to the final draft of the Grand Lake Shoreline Management Plan (SMP).
These meetings are GRDA’s opportunity to present the final SMP draft plan to the public and will include a question and answer session after the GRDA presentation. The first meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 2, at 6 PM at the Cleora School. Another meeting will be held Thursday, October 4, at 6 PM at the Grove Community Center
The GRDA Board of Directors received the final draft from GRDA staff at its September 12 meeting in Vinita. The 30 day public comment period on the draft began at that time. After the close of that comment period (which runs through October 15) and the two public meetings, the board will vote on the final plan in November.
GRDA has made copies of the final draft available to the public and those interested in seeing the draft can obtain a copy at GRDA’s Vinita headquarters, or it may be viewed online at www.grda.com. Anyone interested in commenting on the final draft can send an email to smp@grda.com or other written comments can be addressed to SMP PO Box 409, Vinita, OK 74301.
GRDA began developing the SMP at the request of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the agency which licenses GRDA to manage the Pensacola Dam and Grand Lake. The plan will determine future development activity to be allowed along Grand Lake’s 1,300 miles of shoreline.

No Millet Seeding this Year, Says GRDA

Because of one of the wettest summers in state history, the annual Grand Lake millet seeding project will not take place next month. In fact, the Grand River Dam Authority has announced that the project, which usually takes place in September when Grand Lake is dropped to an elevation 741 feet to expose mudflat areas for seeding, will not happen this year, because of the lingering effects of June and July rainfalls.
“The combination of heavy, and historic, rainfalls in recent months and the current level of Grand Lake would make it very difficult to have a successful seeding project this year,” said GRDA Chief Executive Officer Kevin Easley. “We’ve informed the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission of this and plan to store millet for use at a later time.”
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is the federal agency with oversight of the nation’s hydroelectric projects. GRDA operates Pensacola Dam and Grand Lake under a 30-year hydropower license issued by FERC in the early 1990s. The annual millet seeding project, which began in 1994, is a requirement of that license.
Operating under FERC’s rule curve for Grand Lake elevations, GRDA typically begins dropping the lake level in early August to reach the 741 foot mark by September 1, to facilitate the seeding project. However, because of the flood events and heavy inflows into the Grand River in June and July, Grand Lake has been under the control of the United States Army Corps of Engineers for much of the summer, and will remain so until the elevation goes below 745 feet. As of press time, Grand was still above 746 feet. With the Army Corps periodically curtailing releases from Pensacola Dam to prevent downstream flooding, Grand Lake’s elevation would still be too high for millet seeding in September.
“GRDA follows FERC’s rule curve for Grand Lake elevations unless it goes above 745 feet, as it is now. After that, the Army Corps directs all release operations,” said Easley, adding that GRDA has been in daily contact with Army Corps during recent flooding events. “Normally, the federal government, through these two agencies, has a lot of influence over the elevation of Grand Lake. Unfortunately this year, Mother Nature had a lot to say about that as well.”
Oklahoma historical weather records prove that point. According to the Oklahoma Climatological Survey, July and August 2007 has been the fifth wettest period for Northeast Oklahoma since 1921. As for June, normal statewide average rainfall is 4.26 inches. In June 2007, that figure jumped to nearly 8.6 inches.
“It’s these forces beyond our control that have put the 2007 seeding project on hold,” said Easley.

GRDA Issues Shoreline Cleanup Statement

Because of the higher elevations of Grand and Hudson lakes, the Grand River Dam Authority Lake Patrol wants to pass along some very important tips for those who are heading to the lakes in the near future:

Be aware of floating debris. Higher lake levels can mean more driftwood and debris floating in the water. Please be on the look out as you are boating.

Stay away from floodgates and spillways. It is possible that floodgates on both Pensacola and Kerr dams will be open during much of the week. Please obey the buoys designating the spillway areas and allow plenty of distance between those locations and your boat.

Do not go into spillway areas below the dams. Please use common sense and stay away from areas below floodgates where water is being released. The swift water can be very dangerous.

Finally, use common sense while boating. The GRDA Lake Patrol reminds you to always play safe on the water, wear your life jacket and follow all boating rules and regulations. For more information, contact the Lake Patrol at (918) 782-9594 or visit the lake patrol link on this website.

Lake shore cleanup:

Reminder: Property owners are welcome to clean up debris (i.e. driftwood, limbs, trash, etc.) littering the shoreline as long as heavy equipment is not used. If the shoreline cleanup will require the use of heavy equipment, the property owner must first contact GRDA Ecosystems Compliance (918 782-3382) prior to initiating any activities.

Editors Note: The statement did not indicate if burning of tree refuse is permitted on the shoreline.

July 4 Lake Rules Revisited

With the July 4th holiday quickly approaching, the Grand River Dam Authority Lake Patrol would like to remind all boaters of that following rules that apply in the Duck Creek arm of Grand Lake:
• Beginning Tuesday, July 3, at sunset, all watercraft in Duck Creek must operate at slow speed, minimum wake, round-the-clock (all day, all night), until sunrise on Thursday, July 5, when the area will return to the normal rules, as follows:
• All watercraft legally trailerable (8.5 feet in width or less) and/or watercraft 30 feet or less in length, shall operate at a planing speed not to exceed 30 MPH. Boats must be up on plane or go slow, producing minimum wake.
• All other watercraft shall operate at slow speed, producing minimum wake.
• All watercraft must stay to the right of the buoys and at least 150 feet away from docks and shore.
• May 1 through October 30, a no-wake zone shall be in effect each night between sunset and sunrise.
The Lake Patrol would also like to remind boaters of the ongoing life jacket awareness campaign. While patrolling Grand and Hudson lakes this summer, patrolmen will be handing out tshirts to boaters who are "caught" wearing their life jackets. The campaign is designed to promote life jacket safety and remind boaters that “there’s no reason not to wear it.”The patrol urges boaters to practice safe and responsible boating, always wear your life jacket, and be alert and aware while on the water. Simple steps like these can save your life as well as the lives of the people boating with you.
For more information on GRDA lake rules, regulations and water safety, visit www.grda.com, or contact the GRDA Lake Patrol at (918) 782-9594.

Grand Lake Shoreline Cleanup is Saturday

Is it possible to make a 1,300 mile stretch of Oklahoma’s most scenic region even more scenic? That is the goal of volunteers who will take part in the third annual Grand Lake Shoreline Cleanup Day scheduled for this Saturday, June 9.

Sponsored by the Grand Lake Sail and Power Squadron, Keep Oklahoma Beautiful and the Grand River Dam Authority, the event helps goal is to not only make Grand Lake’s shoreline even more beautiful but to also make it safer, by removing shoreline trash that can be harmful to people, wildlife and the lake’s ecosystem.

“Anything we can do to help clean up trash will benefit the wildlife habitat and make the lake area look better for all of us,” said GRDA Ecosystems Management Superintendent Dr. Darrell Townsend. “We all want the lake shore to be a safe, clean place.”

To help make the cleanup effort easier, GRDA will provide trash dumpsters, which will be in place at Cedar Oaks Storage Units in Grove (8020 Hwy 59 North); at Baker’s RV Ranch near Ketchum (31625 S 4510 Rd); and at Lakemont Shores Marina (37609 S 540 Rd).

Lake area residents can use these dumpsters, free of charge, to dispose of shoreline trash (please no brush or household trash). The dumpsters will be available from 9 AM to 2 PM on June 9.

One of the main goals of the cleanup effort is to remove old dock foam from the lake, said Townsend. “Old dock foam, which can be found in many locations along the shoreline, definitely needs to be removed,” he said.

Like with other lakeshore trash, wildlife often mistake polystyrene debris for food. Also, because it is not biodegradable it can litter the shore for many years. And, as wave action causes it to break apart, the foam debris can spread across the lake quickly, leaving the water and shoreline littered and unattractive.

“Burning it can also release toxins into the air. Really, the solution is for lake residents to bring these old pieces of dock foam to the dumpster sites so they can be properly disposed of,” said Townsend. “That effort will greatly benefit the shoreline not only for wildlife but for all lake visitors.”

GRDA to Reward Life Jacket Wearers

For years, the Grand River Dam Authority Lake Patrol has made life jacket awareness a top priority. While talking to civic groups and school children, the patrol has reinforced the importance of wearing life jackets and provided education on how to select a proper jacket, how to check for proper size, etc. Now, during the summer of 2007, the patrol also plans to “catch” people who are heeding the warnings by wearing their life jackets

“The slogan has always been ‘it won’t work if you don’t wear it’,” said GRDA Lake Patrol Chief Bruce Smith, “and its true; you can’t underestimate the importance of your life jacket. And we hope this new program will help us deliver that message in a new way.”

The patrol began the program in conjunction with National Safe Boating Week in late May and plans to continue it through the summer months. While on Grand and Hudson lakes, patrolmen will be looking for people wearing their life jackets. Those they “catch” will receive a t-shirt as a reward.

“Those who are wearing their life jackets and making sure their children are wearing their life jackets are really setting an example of safe boating for everyone else on the water,” said Smith. “This t-shirt campaign is a great way to reward them for doing the right thing.”

According to the United States Coast Guard, approximately 700 people drown in recreational boating accidents. However, many of those people could have lived if only they had taken the time to put on their life jacket before heading out onto the water. In 2004, there were 676 recreational boating fatalities nationwide. Unfortunately, 90 percent of those people were not wearing life jackets.

“Boating accidents can happen so fast,” said Smith. “There’s not always time to grab a life jacket and put it on before you go into the water. Wearing the jacket not only allows you to be safe but it also gives you a better chance to help others that may need your assistance.”

While the lake patrolmen will be watching for life jacket use this summer, they also want to remind all boaters of the following important life jacket information:

• Buy your own personal life jacket and use it. One size does not fit all.
• Look at the label. It will provide weight, size and use information.
• Try it on to check the fit. Once the straps and buckles are secured, it should not slip over your head.
• Never use water toys in place of an approved life jacket.
• Check your life jacket yearly for flotation and fit.
• Wear a life jacket to set an example for younger children and to increase your chances of survival in an accident.

Finally, if you are wearing your life jacket on the lake this summer, there’s a good chance you could get “caught” and rewarded with a t-shirt from the GRDA Lake Patrol.

GRDA Lake Patrolman Derrick Bidleman hands out t-shirts to young boaters on Grand Lake who were “caught” wearing their life jackets by the GRDA Lake Patrol during the recent Memorial Day weekend. The t-shirt campaign is designed to promote life jacket safety and remind boaters that “there’s no reason not to wear it.” The patrol kicked off the campaign last week, in conjunction with National Safe Boating Week (May 19-25) and it will continue throughout the summer. The patrol urges boaters to practice safe and responsible boating, always wear your life jacket, and be alert and aware while on the water. Simple steps like these can save your life as well as the lives of the people boating with you.

GRDA Sets "One Third Cove Rule" Meetings

The Grand River Dam Authority is announcing it has scheduled two public meetings to gather input on the current “one-third cove rule” concerning docks on GRDA lakes. The present rule states a dock cannot extend more than one-third of the distance across the cover to the nearest opposite shoreline.
GRDA will seek public comment as it considers whether to adopt a policy which will allow it to grant dock permits in unique situations where, although the dock extends more than one-third of the distance to the nearest opposite shoreline, a dock permit should be granted after taking into consideration public safety, access, topography and navigational concerns. This policy would modify the existing one-third cove rule.
The public meetings are scheduled for the following dates, at the specific times and locations:
Wednesday, May 30, 2007 at 6 PM at the Grove Community Center.
Thursday, May 31, 2007 at 6 PM at Ketchum High school.

GRDA's Rush for Brush Successful

Sam Ziara, a member of the GRDA Ecosystems Management Department (left) and professional bass fisherman Terry Butcher inspect the artificial fish habitats constructed by GRDA and volunteers during the first annual "Rush For Brush" event at Snowdale State Park on May 11. GRDA has also scheduled "Rush For Brush" events for June 1-2 at Basshaven on Lake Hudson and on June 8-9 at the area between the spillways on Grand Lake (east of Disney).

Phase one of the Grand River Dam Authority’s first annual “Rush for Brush” has been successful according to Brent Davis, GRDA’s Fisheries Coordinator.
There were a total of 96 habitats deployed in Lake Hudson and 261 at Grand Lake. GRDA supplied the materials to build the brush habitats. The artificial structures provide ideal cover for smaller fish to grow and enhance the fishery.
“Our plan is to put out a total of 250 for Hudson and 500 for Grand,” said Davis. “We know these habitats are successful because of the results that we have had at W.R. Holway Reservoir. The ones that we put out there are all holding fish and not just one type, but all species use it.”
The second phase includes two more workshops to be held in June. Area anglers are encouraged to attend one of these “Build-a-Brush” Workshops. Team Eco will be at Basshaven on Lake Hudson on June 1-2 and at the area between the spillways on Grand Lake (east of Disney) on June 8-9.
The habitats will be built on Friday between 10 AM - 6 PM and deployed on Saturday, 12 PM - 6 PM.
“The fishermen who help build them can place them in the lake at their favorite fishing spot. That will help them increase their future catches,” said Davis.
The artificial habitats should not have to be replaced according to Davis and the fish will use it year round if it’s put in deep enough water.
“All we need is some fishing enthusiasts to come and lend a hand on this project that can greatly benefit the lakes.”
For more information contact GRDA Office of Ecosystems Management at (918) 256-5545 or email Davis at bdavis@grda.com.