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CONSIDERATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF BUREAU OF RECLAMATION GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $85,500, APPROVAL OF CONTRACT K-2021-36 FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE LAKE THUNDERBIRD WATERSHED PARTNERSHIP (LTWP) AS A FORMAL WATERSHED GROUP AND BUDGET APPROPRIATION FROM THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUND BALANCE.
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BACKGROUND: Lake Thunderbird was constructed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) in 1965 to impound the upper reaches of Little River and several tributaries east of Norman, Oklahoma north of State Highway 9. The watershed drains 256 square miles in Oklahoma and Cleveland Counties including Norman, Oklahoma City and Moore, as well as small parts of unincorporated Oklahoma and Cleveland Counties. The Lake is operated by the Central Oklahoma Master Conservancy District on behalf of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. In addition, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers manages the flood control elements of Lake Thunderbird. Finally, the Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Recreation manages the parks and recreation services at the Lake.
The Lake provides drinking water for the cities of Norman, Midwest City, and Del City. It also provides a myriad of recreational opportunities for citizens of Norman and of the State of Oklahoma as a warm water aquatic community affording quality fishing for a variety of species and as a primary body contact water body providing recreational boating and water sports activities. In order to continue to provide these recreational opportunities and continue to provide quality drinking water, the Lake must meet certain Water Quality Standards. These Standards are set by the Oklahoma Water Resources Board for the purpose of maintaining the beneficial uses of water bodies in the State including lakes and streams.
Stormwater runoff to Lake Thunderbird has increased in both quantity and velocity as the populations of the nearby cities that deliver the vast majority of the stormwater runoff to the Lake have grown. Unintended consequences of strong ...
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