Water rights become feasible at Copan Lake

April 25, 2019

Changes to Corps pricing structure good news for Bartlesville

Purchasing water from Copan Lake to help ensure meeting the area’s long-term potable water needs into the future became a possibility today thanks to changes to the pricing structure at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lake.

U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, announced today that because of a provision he authored in America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has confirmed Bartlesville will be able to purchase water from Copan Lake at a reasonable cost.

The changes come after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued implementation guidance for America’s Water Infrastructure Act. The guidance states that the district commander should identify the most recent contract entered into by the local government and any new contracts cannot exceed 110 percent of the previous contract. The Tulsa District has determined that the most recent prior contract of the City of Bartlesville in the Verdigris River Basin was entered into in 1982, for water supply storage at Hulah Lake for a price of $67.38 per acre-foot of storage. Applying the “not to exceed 110 percent” factor yields a rate of $74.12 per acre-foot.

“The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently quoted Bartlesville nearly $2,000 per acre-foot for a water storage contract — an unacceptable increase that would make purchasing water financially impossible without burdening ratepayers,” Inhofe said in a press release issued today. “The implementation of my provision in the water infrastructure bill today will guarantee stable water storage prices for the City of Bartlesville at just over $70 per acre-foot, allowing the community to support further growth and economic development.”

Bartlesville City Manager Mike Bailey said many people are to thank for making today’s decision a reality.

“The implementation guidance that was issued by the Assistant Secretary of the Army is a historic event that was made possible by the tireless effort of many people in our community,” Bailey said. “The addition of the water rights on Copan Lake will help to ensure the security of the Bartlesville region’s water supply for the foreseeable future. This event, combined with the City’s planned wastewater reuse project, will provide a drought resilient water supply for our area through at least 2060.

“Sen. Inhofe, Sen. and former Bartlesville Mayor Julie Daniels, Water Utilities Director Terry Lauritsen, retired City Manager Ed Gordon, retired Water Utilities Director Mike Hall and many other people — including all members of the City of Bartlesville Water Resources Committee — have helped to make this a reality. Thanks to their hard work and dedication, this water supply is available to our area at a rate that is both affordable and fair to our customers.

“As soon as a contract is executed with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the City of Bartlesville will have immediate access to this water through our existing infrastructure, and for the first time since we began pursuing this avenue in 2007, we will have another water source to combat a drought emergency.”

The City of Bartlesville Water Resources Committee was formed in 2003 to seek new avenues for water supply sources after severe drought conditions hit the area in 2001-02. In 2006 the City contracted with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to conduct a study to determine the most economical water supply. The Corps completed the report and recommendations in December 2007, and at that time the City began petitioning the Corps of Engineers for a reduction in the cost of water supply at the lake.

“On behalf of the City of Bartlesville and those neighbors we supply with water, I would like to thank Sen. Inhofe for his tremendous work and leadership in ensuring that needed and affordable water supply for Bartlesville and its surrounding communities is now soon to be a reality,” Mayor Dale Copeland said.

“Through his successfully securing the necessary language in the America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 and his work with the leadership of the Army Corps of Engineers to make certain the language was correctly implemented, his outstanding work on this vital issue cannot be overstated. The 50,000 people in the region who depend on access to reliable water storage in order to keep up with regional growth and to foster economic development owe Sen. Inhofe their sincere thanks.”

Oklahoma Sen. Julie Daniels (R-Bartlesville), former Bartlesville mayor and a current member of the City’s Water Resources Committee, said while the challenges the city faced in the aftermath of the drought were significant, the outcome was “worth the work and wait.”

“Ours is indeed a unique community, as we faced a serious challenge together and many brought their expertise and time to the table,” Daniels said. “We didn’t know we were starting on a long — and sometimes frustrating — journey. But the outcome was well worth the work and the wait.

“Good things come to those who wait and work toward the goal. What began as a very scary time during a historic drought in 2001 and 2002 ends today with the announcement that the City of Bartlesville and its regional water customers will have affordable additional water supply thanks to the efforts of many people and led by the commitment of Senator Inhofe to get it done.”

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