Lake Hefner, a key drinking water source for Oklahoma City, has dropped five feet below full due to drought, evaporation, and water demand. The receding water has revealed more shoreline and left boats bobbing in shallower areas.
Concerns Among Residents
Residents like Mike Prentice, who lives near the lake, are concerned about the dropping water levels. “You come out here one day, and the water is going back and back,” Prentice said. The U.S. Geological Survey reported that Lake Hefner has fallen roughly three feet in the past month.
City utilities stated they are monitoring both Lake Hefner and Canton Lake as drought conditions persist. The city attributed the drop to a combination of drought, evaporation, and water demand. However, for others like Prentice, who rides his bike around the lake daily, the dropping levels are concerning. “Very, very shocking,” he said.
On the other hand, the exposed shoreline has been beneficial for birders like Steve Mets from Tulsa. “We’re actually here on Lake Hefner just to look at birds because the water is so far down,” Mets said. “It helps because all the birds like the mud flats. There’s nowhere for them to sit when the water levels are too high.”
Original reporting: Oklahoma City News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
