TUWC: Thoughts on the Zink Lake Dam
Usually, the TUWC tries to keep our scope to wilderness-specific issues. But with the Vision 2025 funding tying Turkey Mountain and the Zink Dam together, we need to hold true to our convictions. In March of 2016 we endorsed this bond measure after a great deal of fact-finding. The last thing our organization ever wants to do is gain at the expense of another outdoor space.
As a result, we spoke to an unlikely source: Dave Lindo, a biologist who runs Oklahoma’s first dedicated kayaking stores. Anyone who has been on the water with Dave can tell you that he is a biologist first and a salesman last. One of the things he loves most is helping people connect with nature.
While speaking with Dave, he allayed concerns of how the new dam would impact the unique species that call our prairie river home. He went on to detail how this would actually be an improvement for these wild creatures. We were encouraged by this and chose to endorse the bond measure. To see that the promises in this bond package have not been carried on to implementation is disappointing to say the least.
We are specifically concerned with the Least Terns, at last, having access to a relatively predictable nesting ground in the form of a protected sand bar island. The shovel-nosed sturgeon and paddlefish who need to be able to swim upstream to spawn. With the prior low water dam, these rare species of fish would become trapped in shallow pools. A more regular lowering of the dam would allow for them to complete this spawning cycle which actually might allow the population of these fish species to flourish.
We understand that the River Parks Authority is a dam manager and not the owner, and therefore does not have the authority to enforce these promises. Flow of the dam is dictated by the Corps of Engineers. We sincerely hope that both the city of Tulsa and the Army Corps of Engineers will respect the statements made in 2016 and help the Tulsa stretch of the Arkansas River be a model for other cities on how man and nature can co-exist for the benefit of all.
A quick review of the Vision 2025 package here will direct you to the following link. RiverProjectsTulsa.info The full report is available here.
