Power for Progress: Dock safety tips

Dock talk
Ready for warmer weather and “dock days” on the shores of Grand or Hudson Lake? If so, the Grand River Dam Authority wants to remind you of some important dock information. Keep this in mind as you prepare for the summer season.

Power for Progress…

A weekly column from the Grand River Dam Authority

Dock talk …

Every year at this time, when the thoughts of many lake enthusiasts turn to warmer days on the water, the Grand River Dam Authority poses the question: What’s up with your dock?

With the busy lake season just around the corner, it’s an important question for dock owners, sellers, and buyers on Grand and Hudson lakes to consider. And while it is a simple question, it is really intended to lead to a few more questions:

1. Is your dock properly permitted?
2. Do you have your dock sticker properly posted on the dock?
3. Have you had it electrically inspected?

These are all important questions, especially for those who may be planning to sell a dock with lake property. That is because you must have a properly permitted dock to help make the property transition process a smooth one, and with thousands of private docks around the lake shores and thousands of property owners, this transition process takes place a lot.

However, whether you plan to buy or sell a dock, GRDA reminds you that a proper electrical inspection is still important. After a long winter of wave and wind action on the dock, it’s a good idea to have a licensed electrician check it out, to make sure that all electrical connections and components are still in place and in good working order. Just as you inspect your boat and get it ready for the boating season, you should do the same thing with your dock’s electric system. Please take that precaution if you plan on spending time on your dock this summer.

And if you have questions about dock permitting you can always contact the GRDA Lake Permitting office at (918) 256 0852 or you can stop by the GRDA Ecosystems and Education Center in Langley.

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.