GRDA’s 2021 in Review: Part 2

This week, we continue our brief year-in-review of the Grand River Dam Authority’s 2021 with a closer look at the second quarter of the year. As winter turned to spring, there was much activity around GRDA as it geared up for the busy lake and river season and hosted a special group of visitors for a tour of its facilities. Here is a quick look back at April, May, and June...

Although Rush for Brush workshops were cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic, the program returned to the shores of Grand Lake in April 2021 with a very successful workshop. With the help of 51 volunteers, 600 artificial fish habitats were constructed at the event and later deployed in the lake. With these structures, and others built later in the year, program volunteers had constructed and deployed roughly 17,000 habitats since Rush for Brush first began in 2007.

Later in the month, GRDA opened its doors to members of the United States House of Representatives during a Congressional Western Caucus event. Members of the caucus, as well as the House Energy Action Team (HEAT) participated in a roundtable in Tulsa, to discuss the importance of Oklahoma’s all-of-the-above energy. After that, the group toured both the GRDA Grand River Energy Center (GREC) and Pensacola Dam.

A highlight of May was the completion of the $14 million joint Pensacola Dam roadway project between GRDA and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. Ahead of the Memorial Day weekend holiday, the work was completed on the last portion, across the dam’s east spillways, and traffic was flowing freely again around the south end of Grand Lake.

In June, GRDA provided an update on the ongoing WOKA Whitewater Park project when it hosted a hard hat tour of the construction site for the media, employees, and other guests. The whitewater park, which is anticipated to attract 85,000 visitors annually, is set to open next year.

Next week, the 2021 review continues as we look back at GRDA’s June, July, and August.

GRDA is Oklahoma’s largest public power electric utility; fully funded by revenues from electric and water sales instead of taxes. Each day, GRDA strives to be an “Oklahoma agency of excellence” by focusing on the 5 E’s: electricity, economic development, environmental stewardship, employees, and efficiency.