Photo By Stacey Reese | Tulsa District Water Manager Adrian Saenz speaks to stakeholders during a tabletop...... read more read more
ARCADIA, Okla. —The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa District, Emergency Management team held a tabletop exercise near Lake Arcadia in collaboration with local agencies and stakeholders June 25.
The exercise, which simulated real-world conditions, underscored the urgency and importance of bringing everyone together to ensure readiness and response and strengthen coordination and communication in the face of high-water events in the area.
“The Arcadia TTX is a good example of multi-agency communication and coordination that is vitally important to the overall success of Tulsa Districts Flood Risk Management mission,” said Northern Area Office Operations Project Manager Joe Custer.
“These exercises provide an excellent opportunity for numerous agencies to crosswalk ideas and issues and raise awareness of concerns or issues that need to be addressed well in advance of flood operations,” said Custer.
The morning began with presentations from Tulsa District staff and personnel from the National Weather Service, covering the methods, roles, and responsibilities of disseminating flood warning information in the case of a high-water event. They also demonstrated how to access the website of the National Institute of Dams, which enables stakeholders and the public to view simulations of inundations and observe how water affects areas as they rise.
Water Manager Adrian Saenz briefed attendees on decision-making tools and how they use data to make water releases during flooding. Saenz followed a presentation from the National Weather Service and emphasized one significant difference between the two entities.
“The National Weather Service takes into account future rain forecasts,” said Saenz. “USACE uses water on the ground in making release decisions.”
“The sole purpose of the water management team,” said Saenz, “Is to operate projects according to their intended purposes to maximize their benefits, minimize damages, and protect life and safety.”
The Tulsa District’s hydraulics and hydrology team supports water management by maintaining and updating forecasting models to reflect current technologies. These models help water managers, like Saenz, make informed decisions about water releases.
Technical services section personnel also play a key role by ensuring river gauge networks operate correctly. Data from these gauges is critical for accurate forecasting.
Together, these efforts provide stakeholders with reliable information during emergency events, helping them assess potential impacts on their communities.
“These tabletop exercise meetings are beneficial to USACE and the relationship with our stakeholders,” said Arcadia Lake Manager Ashley Ayers. “They allow us the opportunity to openly discuss plans of action for our local communities and neighbors in the case of emergency flood events.”
“Multiple agencies and local emergency management teams and individuals get the opportunity to gain an insight on actions and impacts each agency plays during flood events and what resources are available during these situations,” said Ayers. “By holding these meetings, we gain the benefit of building relationships between our agency and other local agencies, which allows for better communication and transparency when dealing with high-stress situations.”
In addition to personnel from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the National Weather Service, the event included stakeholders from the University of Central Oklahoma, City of Edmond, Edmond 911 and Emergency Management, Arcadia Lake, Luther Fire Rescue and Arcadia Public Works.
“This exercise was a great networking opportunity,” said Arcadia Lake Manager Nicole Offut. “It was also a way to better understand each entity’s role and to ask questions in advance of an actual emergency situation.”
“This exercise gave me a chance to get answers that will better help our staff be prepared to make decisions to protect our customers and our assets,” said Offut.
| Date Taken: | 07.09.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.08.2025 13:12 |
| Story ID: | 542200 |
| Location: | ARCADIA, OKLAHOMA, US |
| Web Views: | 33 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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