Lake Waxhoma dam concerns ease in Osage County; permanent fix could cost $7 million

The Lake Waxhoma dam is being patched again on Thursday after the temporary patch there broke during Wednesday's heavy rain and flooding.

Another temporary fix

Crews have been loading rocks all day Thursday and building another dam after the patch broke Wednesday.

This current fix is another temporary one, but it looks like the permanent project might finally get started soon.

Funding needed 

Osage Sky News 6 was over the breach as water gushed over the Lake Waxhoma dam and spillway.

“We’ve been awarded grants but haven’t received anything. You have to meet their requirements and build to their specifications before they release any money," said Mayor Johnny Kelley.

Barnsdall Mayo Johnny Kelley said this breach will hopefully speed up the project because it’s overdue, and a dam failure would be catastrophic.

It's about $7 million and he believes the Army Corps of Engineers has a good plan and will hopefully start the 30-day bidding process next week.

"This is our drinking water as well as several rural people, it’s a big part of flood control as well," he said.

Downstream concerns

Many towns along Bird Creek were nervous about the Lake Waxhoma dam breaking, too. 

Towns like Avant were ready to evacuate residents. 

“They showed a picture on Channel 6 of a large hole in our dam that wasn’t there before," said Mayor Shearl Brinson. "That got us all concerned.”

He said that since Bird Creek runs through his town, the dam breaking would put it underwater.

He’s grateful to hear that a solution is coming.

Next steps

Once the project is approved, hopefully by the summer, the permanent dam fix could happen in six to nine months. 

Even with more rain expected, the Mayor says nobody is in imminent danger and crews hope to be done with this temporary fix by Friday.