Weekend rains in the Hulah Lake and Copan Lake watershed areas, located in Southeast Kansas, have filled both lakes — including Copan Lake, which had remained low despite rising levels at Hulah.
Hulah Lake serves as the primary water source for Bartlesville and the surrounding area, and the City has access to small amount of water, about 1 million gallons per day (mgd), from Copan Lake.
“This is very good news for us and for the Town of Copan, which relies on Copan Lake for their water supply,” said Water Utilities Director Terry Lauritsen.
He said the recent filling of Copan Lake is the first time the lake has been full in nearly two years, and that more than nine feet of water has flowed into the flood control portion of Hulah Lake.
“The US Army Corps of Engineers has begun releasing the water from Hulah Lake to free up the flood storage for possible rains forecasted later this week and to bring the lake back down to normal operating levels,” he said.