TULSA, Okla. – When rain stops and the clouds clear, it may seem like everything has returned to normal. For the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa District, Hydrology and Hydraulics Branch, the work is still far from over.
Behind the scenes, engineers, forecasters, hydrologists and many others continue to manage billions of gallons of water moving through the district’s reservoir system.
"People naturally focus on the rainfall while it's happening," said Rachel Felice, chief, Hydrology and Hydraulics Branch, USACE, Tulsa District. "What many people don't realize is managing the water after the storm is often just as critical as preparing for the rainfall."
After a storm ends, water continues flowing into rivers, streams and reservoirs for days or weeks, depending on the amount of rain received. Every release from a Tulsa District dam is carefully evaluated to balance available flood storage with downstream river channel capacity while minimizing impacts to communities, infrastructure and navigation.
Each operational decision is informed by a constant stream of information.
“Each lake in Tulsa District is part of a larger flood risk management system,” said Taft Price, forecaster, Hydrology and Hydraulics Branch, USACE, Tulsa District. “Decisions made at one lake can influence conditions many miles downstream.”
The Tulsa District’s reservoirs are part of a much larger, interconnected water management system stretching from southern Kansas through Oklahoma and northern Texas. Following recent heavy rainfall, reservoirs in southeastern Kansas continue storing large volumes of water until downstream rivers have capacity to safely carry additional flow. Water released from reservoirs in both states eventually reaches the Arkansas River and the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System, making reservoir operations a coordinated effort across the entire watershed.
The MKARNS is a 445-mile inland waterway stretching from Oklahoma to the Mississippi River. Because water moves throughout the system, managing reservoirs requires constant coordination across district boundaries between Tulsa and Little Rock Districts, which jointly manage the navigation system.
Many Tulsa District reservoirs continue storing floodwater long after storms have passed. Rather than releasing water immediately, reservoir operators wait until downstream river channels have the capacity to safely handle additional water, reducing the risk of flooding downstream while balancing flood storage across the district’s reservoirs.
Throughout high-water events and post-storm recovery, the teams monitor rainfall totals, river stages, reservoir elevations, inflows, weather forecasts and downstream channel capacity. Every data point helps paint a more complete picture of current conditions. The Tulsa District team coordinates continuously with the National Weather Service, U.S. Geological Survey, Bureau of Reclamation, the USACE Little Rock District, Southwestern Power Administration, Grand River Dam Authority and many other state and local partners. Whenever possible, water releases are coordinated to maximize hydropower generation while safely moving excess water through the reservoirs.
“It truly is a team effort,” said Felice. “Every decision is based on coordination with our partners to ensure we are operating the system as safely and efficiently as possible.”
Clearer skies may prevail after a rain event, but for the Tulsa District team it is the beginning of another critical phase: carefully managing the water left behind to reduce flood risk and protect local communities. As water continues to move through the reservoir system, Tulsa District personnel remain focused on protecting lives and property through water management and close coordination with partner agencies, ready to provide support to state, local and federal partners whenever needed.