Tulsa District News (From DVIDS)

  1. Forestry judging event is an opportunity for USACE to support future conservationists

    BROKEN BOW, Okla. — Students from across southeastern Oklahoma recently competed in a forestry judging contest where they tested their environmental knowledge and land management skills.
    4/30/2025
  2. Tulsa District USACE partners with Kaw Nation on new Housing Services Center

    Tulsa District participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony for a new Kaw Nation Housing Services Center on April 17, 2025 in Newkirk, Oklahoma
    4/30/2025
  3. Construction to temporarily close Texas Damsite campground and fishing and day use area at Lake Texoma

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers today announced that the Lake Texoma Project Office, the Texas Damsite Campground and the Texas Damsite Fishing and Day Use area at Lake Texoma will be closed to the visiting public from April 30 through May 22, 2025.
    4/24/2025
  4. USACE closes SH-251A Bridge over Fort Gibson

    Tulsa District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers closed the Fort Gibson Dam Spillway Bridge, April 21 in the interest of public safety. Engineers identified critical findings during a recent inspection and recommended the closure. The bridge condition does not pose an immediate dam safety risk, nor does it affect powerhouse operations at Fort Gibson Dam.
    4/22/2025
  5. Tulsa District emergency management team joins partners for Domestic Operations Symposium

    NORMAN, Okla. –Members of the Tulsa District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers emergency management team joined emergency response agencies from across Oklahoma for the Domestic Operations Symposium hosted by the Oklahoma National Guard at the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Norman April 15-16, 2025
    4/16/2025
  6. High water levels mean recreation closures at Pine Creek Lake in Oklahoma

    Elevated water levels caused by recent heavy rainfall prompted the closure of public use areas at Pine Creek Lake, April 7, 2025. The high water is part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ flood risk management efforts. By holding back excess runoff, the lake reduces downstream flood risk and helps protect surrounding communities.
    4/8/2025
  7. Ranger encourages outdoor fun and exploration through Jr. Ranger Challenge at Kaw Lake

    TULSA, Okla. –Tulsa District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Kaw Lake Ranger Hannah Piper is challenging people of all ages to get outside and pay more attention to their environment with a fun, interactive program inspired by her visits to national and state parks.
    4/3/2025
  8. Engineering Excellence: Tulsa District USACE oversees Vance runway project

    TULSA, Okla. – The Tulsa District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is overseeing a large airfield repaving project at Vance Air Force Base in Enid, Oklahoma, where the contractor, WW Clyde, is using an innovative approach to runway paving.
    4/2/2025
  9. Nesting eagles spotted at Kaw Lake

    A pair of eagles is nesting near Kaw Lake Dam for the second year.
    3/26/2025
  10. Data in the wind: Tulsa area winds cause incorrect data, damage at Skiatook Lake

    Recent, heavy winds in Eastern Oklahoma caused some strange inflow data to appear on the Skiatook Lake level page, March19. Despite no rainfall in Skiatook Lake’s watershed, the hourly inflow appeared to fluctuate between about 200 cubic feet per second and over 1,000 cfs, from midnight to 11 a.m. According to Joseph Large, chief of water management, Tulsa District, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, high winds in the area caused the gage at the dam to produce incorrect information.
    3/24/2025
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Unite Private Network LLC, Webbers Falls Lock and Dam Project

Tulsa District, USACE
Published May 13, 2021
Expiration date: 5/28/2021

Unite Private Network LLC, Project

Unite Private Network, LLC (UPN, Requester) in Muskogee County, Oklahoma, is proposing to relocate a segment of its existing fiber optic communication line from to the U.S. Route 62 bridge at the Arkansas River to under the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System (MKARNS) and within US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE-SWT) administered fee lands at the Webbers Falls Lock and Dam Project (Figure 1). The two 2-inch diameter conduits will carry fiber optic communication cables serving Northeastern Oklahoma east of the Arkansas River. The proposed relocation would be installed via horizontal direction drill (HDD). The proposed conduits will be 1,288 feet long with the directional drilling entry point on the westside of the river and an exit point on the east side of the river south of the U.S. Route 62 bridge. The HDD will be at a minimum of 15 feet under the deepest point of the river channel at 460 msl. As such, UPN is requesting 33 U.S.C Section 408 approval from USACE-SWT to occupy and alter a portion of the Webbers Falls Lock and Dam Project to accomplish the proposed project. Proposed alterations and modifications related to the proposed project are the operation and maintenance responsibilities of the non-federal sponsor, UPN, and would be implemented at no cost to the federal government.

Authorized purposes of the Webbers Falls Lock and Dam Project include hydropower and navigation. The Webbers Falls Lock and Dam Project was authorized by McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System in the River and Harbor Act approved July 24, 1946; Project Document HD 758, 79th Congress, 2d Session. Located on the Arkansas River at navigation mile 366.6, about 5 miles northwest of Webbers Falls in Muskogee County, Oklahoma.

This request will be reviewed pursuant to Section 14 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (33 USC 408).  A requestor has the responsibility to acquire other authorizations required by federal, state, and local laws or regulations, including any required permits from the USACE Regulatory Program. An approval under Section 408 does not grant any property rights or exclusive privileges nor does it authorize any injury to the property or rights of others.

 

The decision whether to grant the request for the alteration under Section 408 is based on several factors which are outlined in Engineer Circular 1165-2-220. The benefits which reasonably may be expected to accrue from the proposed alteration must be balanced against its reasonably foreseeable detriments. Review of the proposed alteration will be reviewed by a USACE technical review team considering the following factors:

 

Impacts to the Usefulness of the USACE Project Determination.  The review team will determine if the proposed alteration would limit the ability of the federally authorized project to function as authorized, or would compromise or change any authorized project conditions, purposes, or outputs.

 

Injurious to the Public Interest Determination.  The review team will determine the probable impacts of the proposed alteration, including cumulative impacts, on the public interest.  Factors that may be relevant to the public interest may include, but are not limited to, such things as conservation, economic development, historic properties, cultural resources, environmental impacts, water quality, flood hazards, floodplains, residual risk, induced damages, shoreline erosion or accretion, and recreation.

 

Environmental Compliance.  A decision on a Section 408 request is a federal action subject to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other applicable federal environmental and cultural resources compliance requirements.

 

Technical Analysis.  The Tulsa District will work with the requestor to ensure all required technical plans, maps, drawings, and specifications are provided and complete.  The SWT Dam and Levee Safety Section has reviewed submitted plans and specifications.

 

SOLICITATION OF COMMENTS:  The USACE is soliciting comments from the public; federal, state, and local agencies and officials; Indian Tribes; and other interested parties in order to consider and evaluate the impacts of the proposed alteration. Comments received will be considered by the USACE to determine whether to issue, modify, condition, or deny a permission for this proposed alteration.

Please provide any comments you may have to Mike Abate, Chief, Civil Works Branch, PPMD by email (Mike.R.Abate@usace.army.mil) by May 28th, 2021.  Please direct any questions or requests for additional information to Mr. Abate by email or telephone at 918-669-7527.

Public Notice Document