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Keystone Dam Safety Modification Project

 FACT SHEET - Keystone Dam Safety Modification Project

 

ABOUT

Keystone Dam is the highest risk dam in the Tulsa District portfolio and is currently classified by USACE as a ‘High Urgency’ or Dam Safety Action Classification 2 rated dam, and considers this level of risk as unacceptable, except in unusual situations. The dam is located 15 miles upstream of a 1 million greater metropolitan population center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. 

Our extensive studies have confirmed several critical failure risks, from the dam being overtopped in a major flood to a catastrophic structural failure of the stilling basin below it. After years of detailed analysis, we have an engineering plan that provides a complete safety overhaul. The project will raise the dam, rebuild the stilling basin, reinforce the valley walls against erosion, and add a significant freeboard safety margin to protect against even the most extreme floods. Potential failure modes include overtopping and structural failure of the stilling basin. It is estimated that failure would carry downstream inundation risks as far as 260 miles along the Arkansas River and tributaries, lead to catastrophic life loss (>1,100 people), and property damage (>$12.6 billion).

This is a critical investment to protect the city of Tulsa, eliminate a nationally significant life-safety risk, and ensure Keystone Dam can continue its vital mission for the nation.

 

IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS

  • A Known Risk Demands Action. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' own risk analysis has classified this dam as "High Urgency." This isn't a new or unknown problem; it is a documented, high-probability, high-consequence risk that requires a definitive solution. We have identified the precise failure modes and have a clear path to fix them. The dam provided approximately $1B in benefits (if the dam had not been there) during the 2019 pool of record.
  •  The Solution is Comprehensive, Not Piecemeal. After multiple, rigorous studies, we have an approved plan that addresses the entire system. It's not just a single repair; it's a holistic upgrade that includes raising the dam, rebuilding the foundation, and reinforcing the abutments, ensuring all critical vulnerabilities are eliminated simultaneously.
  • The Project is at a Critical Juncture. We are in the essential investigation and design phase. Prioritizing this project now is crucial to accelerate the engineering design, get the project back on track, and move forward with mitigating the significant risk to the people living downstream in Tulsa and Sand Springs OK.