Vinita — After numerous communications with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in recent days, the Grand River Dam Authority has announced that a proposed drawdown of Grand Lake to refill the W.R. Holway Reservoir, which would have begun in late January, can be postponed until spring rains arrive. GRDA officials said the original drawdown proposal was a result of engineers’ recommendations and was not a FERC mandate as previously believed.

"The drawdown plan we announced early last week was the result of a misunderstanding that we were required to follow the engineer’s recommendations to protect the structural integrity of the reservoir’s earthen dam," said GRDA Chief Executive Officer Kevin Easley, "and GRDA regrets any hardship this might have caused Grand Lake property owners."

However, with the misunderstanding surrounding the refill timetable now clarified, Easley said GRDA has made the decision to submit a refill plan that takes spring rains into consideration.

"FERC informed us an immediate refill of the reservoir is not necessary," said Easley, "and I am relieved to report we can postpone this until lake levels return to normal. Then, when we do begin, it will be based on a joint schedule with FERC."

Over the last two years, Easley said GRDA has made a concentrated effort to improve its working relationship with FERC. After arriving at GRDA in March 2004, he met with FERC officials in Washington, D.C. and was told Grand Lake was one of the worst-managed projects under the Commission’s jurisdiction. GRDA responded by placing a new focus on lake management with the establishment of a GRDA Office of Ecosystems Management and implementation of new lake rules and initiatives. In June 2005, FERC officials came to Oklahoma to review these new efforts and said GRDA had exceeded expectations.

"They told us our efforts are a model for other lake management entities now," said Easley, adding that GRDA’s new lake focus set the tone for a positive relationship with FERC. "The steps we’ve taken over the last two years have helped strengthen our relationship with the Commission," he said, "and we’re very appreciative of the fact the Commission corrected this misunderstanding so quickly."

The proposed drawdown stems from a project at GRDA’s Salina Pumped Storage Project (SPSP), located on the Saline Creek arm of Lake Hudson, southeast of Salina. The only "pumped storage" facility in Oklahoma, the SPSP houses six turbine-generators that also operate as pumps, moving water from Lake Hudson through penstocks to the Holway Reservoir 250 feet above the powerhouse. In October 2005, GRDA drained the reservoir to make repairs and allow FERC to complete an inspection of the structure. The work was completed last month and GRDA planned to refill the reservoir — by drawing water first out of Grand Lake and then Lake Hudson — during February.

Easley added that a recent reorganization of certain responsibilities at GRDA will help prevent similar miscommunications with FERC in the future.