U.S. Army Corps of Engineers prepares to release water in Lake Waurika

A week of thunderstorms has risen water levels at Lake Waurika by 9.95 feet above normal, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

On Thursday, the City of Waurika posted a map of a voluntary evacuation zone to its Facebook page. It warned businesses and homeowners to take necessary precautions before the release of floodwaters.

Will Waurika flood?

Despite a citywide sandbagging effort, a spokesperson for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Tulsa District, which oversees the Lake Waurika Project Office, told News 9 it is unlikely the town will experience flooding.

Engineers are currently planning to start the release at 7 or 8 a.m. on Saturday morning. At its start, the gates will release roughly 350 cubic feet of water per second.

By Sunday, 2,000 cubic feet of water will be released per second.

However, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said it has patiently waited for downstream channels, such as nearby creeks, to fall down before releasing water. A spokesperson said engineers expect the release will not exceed the capacity of the downstream channels, meaning they are not predicting the town will flood despite preparations for otherwise.

What happens if Waurika floods?

While the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers does not believe the town will be flooded, city officials have designated the Jefferson County Fair Building as a temporary emergency shelter for anyone affected.