SW Oklahoma ARPA Regional Alliance - City of Lawton

PROJECT PURPOSE

Lake Ellsworth is one of two water supply lakes owned by the City of Lawton that make up 80% of our water supply. Lake Ellsworth is located on East Cache Creek, has a surface area of approximately 5,600 acres, and a drainage basin of approximately 251 square miles. Lake Ellsworth is formed by the Lake Ellsworth Dam, which was originally constructed in 1962, and is primarily a rock faced earthen dam with a concrete spillway that includes 15 steel flood control gates. Lawton provides drinking water for 115,000 people in southwest Oklahoma including the Fort Sill Army Post, and Lake Ellsworth is the source for 30% of this water. Time and recent severe weather have caused the spillway to degrade to the point where continued repair is no longer practical and major rehabilitation and replacement project is required. The proposed rehabilitation/replacement project consists of the drilling and installation rock anchors to secure the spill way from uplift, pump grouting of any voids under spillway, installation of a new under drain system, construction of new stilling basin, and a concrete overlay of the 24? concrete spillway. The estimated cost of construction is $21,000,000.

EVIDENCE

An inspection of the spillway by a professional engineer indicated that the recent damage was well beyond a normal repair project. The project is 100% designed and has been permitted by Oklahoma Water Resources Board. A major rehabilitation/replacement project will have a design life greater than 20 years.

POPULATION DESCRIPTION

While Southwest Oklahoma continues to work very hard to improve conditions for our citizens, we continue to struggle with poverty and decline. With 18.5% of our population in poverty and only 45% of our households in owner occupied homes. Our median household income pf just less than $48,000 is more than 10% below the state. Lawton is a very diverse, inclusive and progressive community, but we lack the resources to create the kind of community improvement projects that can move us economically to the next level. Southwestern Oklahoma has felt impact of the pandemic through stagnant municipal revenues and significantly increasing costs due to supply delays and labor shortage. Protecting our water supply is of utmost importance.

PERFORMANCE MEASURING

Performance of the Lake Ellsworth Dam Spillway project can be measured directly with the completion of the project and Dam Inspection Safety Reports completed annually.

ONGOING INVESTMENT AMOUNT

$

ONGOING INVESTMENT DESCRIPTION

None

ONGOING INVESTMENT REQUIRED

Able to continue operation without additional funding from the State of Oklahoma