GRDA Cops Go Undercover on the River

A dozen GRDA Police officers attended additional training to hone their skills in water rescues last week in Langley at the Pensacola Dam. In an effort to ensure our officers can respond to any life-endangering water event, all full time GRDA Police Officers are trained in Swift Water Rescue. The officers that attended the training last week attended the Swift Water Rescue 2 instruction in an effort to increase their knowledge and skills in these life-saving measures.

This Saturday marks the date for the first annual South Grand Lake Camp Bandage! GRDA is a proud sponsor for this come & go event that will be a terrific venue for all families in the area, as a number of emergency response and public service agencies from the region will be on hand to provide safety information and demonstrations that will be educational and fun for children and adults. There is no charge to attend the event that will be held at the Grand Lake RV Park.  GRDA Police will be there with Patrol & Rescue boats, a helicopter and much more.  Visit campbandage.org for more information. Come see us!

It rests in four states, straddles two Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regions and impacts the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. It is the Grand River Watershed; a collection of rivers, streams, creeks and water runoff that stretches across a roughly 10,300 square-mile area and eventually flows into the Grand River in Oklahoma’s northeast corner.

Most of the watershed lies in the state of Kansas, with the water eventually making its way to Oklahoma by way of the Neosho River. In Missouri, another large portion of the watershed drains into our state, mostly through the Spring River. The confluence of these rivers, just west of Wyandotte, is the beginning of the Grand River. Impounded by three separate dams, this river then gives us Grand, Lake Hudson and Fort Gibson Lake. Together, these lakes serve as a valuable water supply for thousands of Oklahomans, provide the “fuel” for hydroelectric generation and support economic development by boosting multiple industries, including manufacturing, tourism and recreation.

These are key reasons why the Grand River Dam Authority works hard to be a good steward of the watershed and the natural resources under its control. On a daily basis, the GRDA Ecosystems Management Department and Lake Operations Team stay focused on these waters, to protect, preserve and manage them for all users, even those with fins or feathers.

As you head out to the lakes this summer, perhaps you will see our team. They will be patrolling the lakes, taking water samples and providing support for water-related programs like shoreline cleanups or habitat enhancement efforts. All of these efforts, completed at no cost to Oklahoma taxpayers, are helping to keep the Grand River Watershed a grand place to visit.