MANNFORD, Okla. — The Keystone Dam separates hundreds of thousands of Oklahomans from potential catastrophic flooding.
Since the project's conception in 1950, conditions have changed, and with that in mind, the Army Corps of Engineers is starting the renovation process.
During Green Country's last major flood in 2019, water overtook parts of Acey Hatten's property. He's lived on the lake for more than 40 years. He made the decision to move there, "because it was nice. I traded houses with a person. He was elderly and he wanted to come back to town," Hatten said.
That flood was not the first time he had seen those kind of images. He has yet to move, because the water has not yet made it inside his house.
As for someone considering a move to the lake ...
"I think I’d say hold off. I mean, what’s this gonna do as far as insurance? I mean, are we gonna be able to get insurance? Am I gonna be considered in a flood zone?" Hatten asked.
All worthy questions, because the Army Corps of Engineers thinks that big storm could come. With that in mind, they are looking to make improvements. They will have to deal with a host of factors. The tribes, neighbors, the environment, and the metro area to name a few. With public hearings the last two days, the engineers have wanted to gain insight about all of those stakeholders.
The corps wants to "limit all those impacts to those resources but also ensure what needs to be done for the dam," Brandon Wadlington, one of the engineers said.
Wadlington and the rest of his team are considering everyday issues, such as a long-term road closure. The bridge over the dam is expected to be closed for three years during the construction phase.
"That’s a major commuter fare for a lot of folks. And so we want to make sure that everybody's concerns and questions are answered, and we’re taking that fully into consideration for our proposed project," Wadlington said.
Right now, they are in the primary stages of the process. It will take an act of Congress before workers can start moving dirt. Whatever the plan, Hatten hopes it works.
"If I’m on vacation or something and that lake comes up and gets in my house, there’s nothing I can do about it. I can’t get all my stuff out of the house. I can’t do anything," Hatten said.
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