Stormy week ends, clean up begins

By ADAM CATLIN
NHJ Editor

Newkirk ended the month with just over seven inches of rainfall thanks to recent storms during the past week. Newkirk has received just over 18 inches of rainfall for the year so far.
On June 25, winds gusting over 50 miles per hour caused significant structural damage in Braman. A storm spotter reported two, massive 38-foot grain bins completely blown 150 yards away, with one losing its roof. No injuries were reported.
After a stormy week, communities in Kay County began to deal with the aftermath. Newkirk last week dealt with fall-out from a lightning striking causing damage to the city’s water system. It marked the second time this year that lightning had caused issues for the city’s water system.
City Manager Jane Thomas said Tuesday that the city’s water treatment plant was hit by lightning on June 25, which caused damage to several controls that operate the system.
“These controls are currently being repaired and or replaced,” she said. “This is the reason there was no water for a short time. The water department is working around the clock operating some parts of the water system manually until all repairs are made.”
The good news is that Kay County saw considerable improvement in its drought conditions. The most current report, on June 25, showed improvement from moderate drought to abnormally dry. Much of the far eastern corner of the state had also moved completely out of drought status.
Recurrent storms last week caused flooding and road closures, to the point Kay County Emergency Management warned it was running low on “road closed” signs and encouraged people to turn around and not to drive through flooded waters.
Oklahoma Highway 156 was closed for a time in the southwest part of the county with water over the roadway. This week on Tuesday, the inflow to Kaw Lake from the Arkansas River had finally dropped significantly from recent days to just under 7,600 cubic feet per second.
Last weekend, the inflow was above 68,000 cubic feet per second. The lake was at under 21 feet above normal on Tuesday morning.
Coon Creek, Sarge Creek, Washunga Bay, and McFadden Cove had partial campsite closures, according to the Army Corp of Engineers website.
McFadden Day Use, Sandy Beach, Coon Creek, and Osage boat ramps were closed due ot the high water level.
The Chikaskia River crested at over 31 feet on Saturday in Blackwell. It was the second time in two weeks the river had crested at over 30 feet. The record for the river crest at Blackwell still remains 35.36, set on Sept. 14, 2008.
On Saturday, the caretaker at Drury Dam was taking stock of the changes wrought by the recent flood. Drury Dam is on the Chikaskia River between South Haven and Caldwell.
He said that the river level was lowering at a slow rate and pointed out the large amount of sand and mud left in the park. He also said a massive logjam at the nearby 175th Street Bridge would have to be removed by the county.