Corps of Engineers Beavers Bend Water Release Statement

I contacted the Corps of Engineers about their generating policies on Mountain Fork River. I wanted to know why they generate on weekends. Generating impacts tourists and float businesses in Beavers Bend. Their timely response is below.

Check the links below before planning a float trip on Mountain Fork River.

mountain fork river

Thank you for reaching out to us.

In most cases, the water manager provides a minimum and maximum release a week in advance, and SWPA plans their releases 2-3 days in advance based on power demands. SWPA may change releases on the day-of, if power demand shifts or if another project needs to be shut down and cannot produce hydropower. Also, we may alter releases day-of if there is downstream flooding.

Typically power demand on weekends is low, which is why there aren’t releases as often during weekends. When releases are done during weekends, particularly on holiday weekends, it is usually because Broken Bow is flooded. This can be checked on our website (http://www.swt-wc.usace.army.mil/lowerred.basinpie.fp.html). If the project is in the flood pool, particularly if it’s over 5% and rain is expected the following week, we have to make releases for public safety.

One thing that confuses people is that we aren’t allowed to make “pre-releases,” meaning I can’t drop Broken Bow ahead of time because there is rain in the forecast. If I were to release ahead of time and then the rain fell slightly downstream I could contribute to flooding there. Another confusing thing is that sometimes we will have releases shut down while it’s raining and the pool is in flood stage. Typically that’s because projects downstream are flooding and we don’t want to contribute to further damage/danger there so we wait to release until downstream is done flooding.

Another reason we might make weekend releases is if there is a Swift Water Rescue Training or other special ops (like last weekend). These aren’t typically done on holiday weekends, but we do work with the firefighters’ schedule. Public safety, including preventing drowning, typically takes priority over canoeing or other recreational activity requiring low flow.

SWPA’s hydro schedule for weekends come out Friday and that they are tentative and subject to change due to power demands or changing flood risk conditions.

We understand that businesses and livelihoods are affected by releases, so please know that SWPA and the water manager do try to plan around busy days, but also keep in mind that Broken Bow was created for 1) flood control, 2) hydropower 3) water supply, as well as recreation and wildlife, so those first 3 purposes must be balanced, and may at any given point take priority.

Please feel free to reach back out to us if you have any further questions.

Stacey Reese
Public Affairs Specialist
Tulsa District

About the Author: Jerry Isbell

Jerry Isbell, a graduate of the University of Oklahoma, has a diverse background in corporate, entrepreneurial and international sales, marketing, philanthropy and media ventures. In 2021, he co-authored the book "Explosion of Prosperity-A History of Broken Bow Lake, Beavers Bend State Park and Hochatown" with Oklahoma Hall of Fame member and famed author/attorney, Bob Burke. Isbell began his career in media and marketing at KGOU Radio, KTVY Television and Remington Park Racetrack in Oklahoma City. Isbell also worked at a network affiliate in Minneapolis, MN. He has consulted internationally on sales, marketing and media projects. Isbell was chosen as Oklahoma’s first field representative for Xerox Corporation's authorized agency program in the early 1990's. He later enjoyed success at Curtis 1000, an international print communications company, and was named “Great Plains Sales Representative of the Year” in 1994 and 1995. In the late 1990's Isbell worked in management at Commercial Financial Services. He led a department of over 50 employees and was responsible for millions of dollars in monthly revenue. Isbell returned to Xerox in 1999 and won numerous Par Club awards while simultaneously completing the Xerox Management Program and earning certifications in Lean Six Sigma. He directed new business development territories that produced multi-million dollar annual sales in public, corporate and graphic arts sectors. He is a consultant for the Xerox Agent organization covering Oklahoma. He has traveled the United States and Europe on projects involving marketing, sales, media, social media, including a project to begin an English speaking television channel in Paris, France. Isbell founded BeaversBendVacations.com, a popular luxury resort in the mountains of southeastern Oklahoma. This creation was featured in the Sooner State’s centennial celebration book, Treasures of Oklahoma. Isbell has been involved in American Kennel Club dog shows with his nationally ranked Brussels Griffon and boxers for many years. He resides in Norman, OK with his wife Sherri, a senior administrator at the University of Oklahoma. Sherri was named the International Publishing and Management Association’s National Contributor of the Year in 2013 and she has served as their President.

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