OKLAHOMA CITY – Three applications to use large volumes of water for agricultural purposes in southwest Oklahoma were approved recently by the Oklahoma Water Resources Board. The panel also approved plans to repair a Stephens County dam.
Carson Vinyard of Altus received approval to divert 205.7 acre-feet of water from Bitter Creek, a tributary of the Salt Fork of the Red River; the 67 million gallons of water per year will be used to irrigate 280 acres of cotton in Jackson County, Vinyard’s application shows. The term of his permit is 40 years.
Donald H. and April A. Bain of Lawton received a permit to pump 51.8 million gallons of groundwater annually from one well in Cotton County. Donald Bain told the Water Board he requested the water for agricultural use on 159 acres of land he owns in Cotton County. However, just in case an opportunity arises, Bain also sought, and received, permission to sell some of that water for oil/ gas production and/or rural water supply.
Brett A. and Whitney J. Bain of Lawton received permission to pump 384 acre-feet of groundwater annually from two wells in Cotton County.
The 125 million gallons of water will be used to irrigate wheat, Sudan grass, cotton, corn, oats and milo on 240 acres of land in Cotton County, Brett Bain, son of Donald Bain, told the Water Board. Some of the water also may be sold for rural water supply and for oil/gas exploration/ production, he said.
The Water Resources Board also approved an application from the City of Duncan to repair the dam at Clear Creek Lake, approximately 13 miles northeast of Duncan and about six miles east of Marlow.
The 45-foot-tall earthen dam was built in 1948, and although its concrete spillway and chute have deteriorated the dam’s hazard potential is rated as low, officials reported.
The primary purpose of the reservoir is recreation. The lake encompasses approximately 720 surface acres. The normal impoundment capacity of the reservoir is 7,710 acre-feet (2.5 billion gallons) and its maximum impoundment capacity is 15,580 acre-feet (5 billion gallons), according to the OWRB.
Bryce Callies, engineering manager with OWRB’s Financial Assistance Division, said bid documents are being finalized in preparation for soliciting competitive bids. Repairs should begin within a few months and the work should be completed within a year if no major delays are encountered, Callies said.