WASHINGTON – Congress’ new water resources bill contains several provisions that will benefit Oklahoma, said U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe, senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
“The EPW Committee has passed the fifth consecutive two-year water resources bill, continuing Congress’ regular consideration and prioritization of America’s water infrastructure needs that I started in 2014 and 2016,” Inhofe announced. “This strong bipartisan bill includes a number of important provisions that will benefit Oklahoma and empower economic growth for decades to come.”
Inhofe cited provisions that will secure the future of Bartlesville’s water supply and bring economic development opportunities to the Tulsa Ports and northeastern Oklahoma, among other provisions that will benefit the state.
“Additionally, this bill includes provisions to facilitate and speed up the deepening of the MKARNS to a 12-foot channel, increasing freight capacity by 40 percent,” he said, referring to the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System. “Not only that, the bill prioritizes completing the modernization of the Tulsa and West-Tulsa Levees System — a priority of mine for a long time now — and clarifies the Corps’ commitment to the Arkansas River Corridor Project.”
Here’s a look at some of those provisions:
Copan and Bartlesville water supply contracts
In 2016, Bartlesville learned that purchasing additional water supply from Hulah and Copan lakes could cost over $100 million over 10 years, based on the current pricing structure for purchasing water from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ lakes.
Inhofe secured a provision in the 2018 America’s Water Infrastructure Act that would make it affordable for municipalities, like Bartlesville, to contract with the Corps for water supply, according to the news release. A new provision continues to secure the future of Bartlesville’s water supply to the city’s more than 50,000 people in its tri-county area.
It would release the city of Copan from approximately 4,700 acre-feet of water and allow the city of Bartlesville to purchase this water supply at a reduced price, saving the city nearly $10 million.
Land transfer at Inola for Tulsa Ports
In 2019, Tulsa Ports acquired more than 2,200 acres in Rogers County to develop into one of the nation’s largest industrial parks and inland waterway ports.
Inhofe’s provision would convey waterfront land owned by the Corps to the Tulsa Ports at the Inola site to enhance fleeting and docking opportunities, according to the news release. This would pave the way for major economic development opportunities for Tulsa Ports and the entire northeastern region of Oklahoma.
Prioritizing the Tulsa and West-Tulsa Levees System
This provision prioritizes completing the modernization of the Tulsa and West-Tulsa Levees System. The project was authorized in the 2020 Water Infrastructure Act and was fully funded on Jan. 19. Construction will be completed in 2026.
Prioritizing the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System
Inland Waterways Dredge Pilot Program: This provision would facilitate deepening the MKARNS to a 12-foot channel by establishing a demonstration program to combine construction with operations and maintenance work for dredging projects on the inland waterways, according to the news release. Inhofe recently urged the Corps to prioritize and commit funding for the project.
Inland Waterways Trust Fund Cost Share Change: This provision would speed up construction of the MKARNS project by increasing the federal cost-share for projects on the inland waterways to 75%. Doing so would direct more federal funds to inland waterway navigation projects.
Arkansas River Corridor Project
This provision would clarify the Corps’ cost-share for participating in the Arkansas River Corridor project, which Inhofe authorized in 2007, according to the news release.
This is an ecosystem restoration, recreation and flood damage reduction project which would mitigate extreme flow variability resulting from the operations of Keystone Dam. The project would provide “water in the river” during low flow conditions and between hydropower generation periods when Keystone Dam releases are off.