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FAQs

Understanding the Water Dashboard

What is the Oklahoma City Reservoir System
The system consists of six reservoirs (Sardis Lake, Lake Overholser, Lake Hefner, Lake Stanley Draper, Atoka Reservoir, and McGee Creek Reservoir) that work together to provide water for the region.
How is the "Combined System Storage" calculated?
The combined storage is the total amount of water held across all six reservoirs, measured in acre-feet, as outlined in the Water Settlement Agreement.
Why is there a "Settlement Alert" on the dashboard?
An alert is triggered when the combined system storage drops below 65% of its total capacity (407.1K acre-feet). This warning indicates that withdrawal restrictions may apply to ensure long-term water conservation.
Why are there restrictions on Sardis Lake even if its level seems stable?
Per the Water Settlement Agreement, Oklahoma City’s withdrawal rights from Sardis Lake depend on the combined storage of all six reservoirs, not just the individual level of Sardis Lake.
What are the different drought restriction levels?

The system monitors conditions at each site and categorizes them to determine required actions:

  • Normal: No current action required
  • Moderate Drought: Restrictions are in effect to manage local supply
  • Advanced Drought: Strict restrictions are in effect due to significantly lower elevations
What does "No releases from City Sardis Lake Storage" mean?
If Sardis Lake’s elevation falls below 599 feet, no water can be released unless the city is in documented drought conditions and is implementing specific water conservation measures per Exhibit 12 of the agreement.
How often is the lake data updated?
The dashboard provides near-real-time conditions for elevation and storage capacity according to the USGS Continuous Values API, which is updated at fixed intervals of 15 minutes.