Crowder Lake University Park
News and Events:
Rehabilitation of Crowder Lake Dam
Watershed Project Sponsors Deer Creek Conservation District and Southwestern Oklahoma State University are informing you the rehabilitation of Crowder Lake, which is a flood control dam called Cobb Creek Watershed Site 1, will soon be underway. A pre-bid meeting is set for 10 a.m. on October 18 in the SWOSU classroom at Crowder Lake.
Site 1 Cobb Creek was built in 1959 for the purpose of providing flood protection. It has met its planned service life of 50 years and the hazard classification has changed from low hazard class (a) to high hazard class (c). The dam does not meet the performance and safety standards for a high hazard class (c) structure.
The principal spillway conduit through the dam is deteriorating, which increases the risk of failure. A dam failure would result in significant property damage, potential loss of life, loss of flood protection and loss of water-based recreation.
Construction will begin after bid selection takes place, which will most likely be mid-November. Construction time is shown as 394 days. Please understand this timeframe is based on optimum conditions with no delays due to weather or equipment. The construction area will be marked and restricted to authorized personnel only.
Crowder Lake will be lowered during the repair time, but some water will remain in the lake and fishing will be allowed. The lake will be drained approximately 11.6 feet. A cofferdam will be constructed during rehabilitation to help sustain aquatic life. Anglers can continue fishing under regular state harvest limits, but bass must be released during the drawdown. Biologists with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife hope to preserve enough adult bass to ensure they will spawn when the lake refills.
Anglers will not be able to launch boats, but may fish from the bank during the drawdown. Fishing areas will be marked to keep visitors safely away from the construction zone. The short term inconvenience should be offset in the long run. Improvements are planned for the boat ramp, as well as the addition of another dock.
Biologists also expect fishing to improve significantly when the lake refills due to what is called the “new lake effect.” Newly-impounded water stimulates fish to spawn prolifically and grow quickly in the new environment. Plants will grow in the lake bottom and then be flooded when the lake refills, and that creates perfect spawning and feeding habitat for bass and crappie. Nutrients trapped in the mud will be released and act like fertilizer when the lake bottom floods again. The ODWC will also restock channel catfish after the dam repairs are complete. Bass, crappie and sunfish will spawn on their own and replenish the lake. Officials expect fishing should be better than normal as those fish mature in three to five years.
SWOSU wants to assure visitors the camping area and ropes courses will be open during rehabilitation of the dam.
Lowering of the water at Crowder Lake has begun. Please stay away from the draw down during this time. Black bass are catch and release only, all other species are under state regulations
For more information and updates, visit www.swosu.edu or www.deercreekconservation.com
