Oklahoma City plans to draw water from northwest Oklahoma's Canton Lake to help replenish OKC's Lake Hefner amid extreme drought conditions throughout the state.
The OKC Water Utilities Trust is collaborating with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the water release, scheduled for Sept. 17. Officials say more water is needed to increase the levels at Lake Hefner, a primary water source for OKC.
Exceptionally hot temperatures and dry weather conditions this summer have caused a significant drop in water levels at Lake Hefner. Engineers expect the upcoming 16,000-acre-foot release of water to lower Canton Lake by three-and-a-half feet and to raise Lake Hefner's level by just over four feet.
The water is expected to travel down the North Canadian River to Lake Hefner, with the first signs of water likely to arrive between three to five days after engineers start the process, according to a OKC news release. The full water release should take about two weeks to complete.
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"We are grateful for the partnership and expertise that go into planning a release of this kind," said Chris Browning, the OKC Water Utilities Trust general manager, in a statement. "That collaboration helps us make responsible decisions that protect the reliability of Oklahoma City's water supply while remaining mindful of the communities, recreation and natural resources surrounding Canton Lake."
The OKC Water Utilities Trust holds water-storage rights at Canton Lake to store water for future use. The trust plans water releases with the Canton Lake Advisory Committee, which includes the Army Corps of Engineers, the Canton Lake Association, the Oklahoma Water Resources Board and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
The last time the trust requested a water release from Canton Lake was October 2024, when levels at Lake Hefner dropped to about seven feet below normal during an unusually warm and dry autumn for the OKC metro.
Related: Drought leads Oklahoma City to draw water from Canton Lake
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma City to replenish Lake Hefner with water from Canton Lake