Historic flooding along the Arkansas River in late May and early June certainly altered the river itself, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is evaluating those changes.
Scouring, erosion or sediment deposits are all potential impacts of flooding on riverbanks and the river channel.
"Now the Corps needs to go back through and measure the river to find out what the new river level is, what the new levels of the embankments are, what the river looks like when it doesn’t have the water in it," said Tulsa Area Emergency Manager Joe Kralicek.
The study will produce up-to-date information on river levels that local officials can use to prepare for future flood events.
"They’re not only doing that on the Arkansas River, but they’re going to be expanding that and looking at some of the other creeks, tributaries that feed into the Arkansas, as well as the Caney River and the Verdigris," Kralicek said.
The study could also result in changes to Tulsa County floodplain maps. It is entirely funded by the Corps.
