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Norman Project
State: Oklahoma
Region: Great Plains
Related Documents
Norman Project History (45KB)
Related Facilities
Related Links
Norman Dam
Lake Thunderbird
Lake Thunderbird
Norman, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Little River below Lake Thunderbird near Norman, Oklahoma (USGS)
Palmer Drought Index Map
Explanation of Palmer Drought Severity Index (Text)
Little
Oklahoma-Texas Area Office
Norman Dam
General
The Norman Project provides a supplemental municipal water supply for the cities of Norman, Del City, and Midwest City, Oklahoma, flood protection to lands south and east of the project area, and significant recreation benefits. Principal features are Norman Dam on Little River about 13 miles east of Norman, two pumping plants, and pressure pipelines to serve the three cities. No irrigation features or power development are included in the project.
History
Settlement of the public lands in the former Indian Territory progressed rapidly once they were opened to entry. The cattle ranches of the early days soon converted to a crop-based economy. The relatively high rainfall-33 to 35 inches in the project area inhibited demand for irrigation water supplies, and the abundance of ground water available in aquifers beneath the land in the vicinity of Oklahoma City slowed development of surface water resources. However, discovery of oil and natural gas led to a rapidly expanding population, with consequently heavier demands on the underground water supply. A progressive lowering of the water table and deterioration in the quality of water withdrawn from wells encouraged the local communities to seek supplemental water resources.
Construction
Construction began on Norman Dam in 1962 and was completed in 1965. Construction began on the pipelines and pumping facilities in 1963 and was completed in 1965. No irrigation development is contemplated as part of the project. About 750 acres of land in areas previously subject to flooding can be irrigated since the dam has been constructed, but the tracts are discontinuous and can best be served by individual or small group developments. As the primary purpose of the project, municipal water is furnished to the communities of Norman, Midwest City, and Del City by pumping from Lake Thunderbird. Norman Dam regulates runoff on Little River which, when integrated with existing ground-water sources, satisfies the municipal water needs of the three communities. A major secondary benefit of the project is recreation. Lake Thunderbird, situated in central Oklahoma near Oklahoma City, Norman, and several other cities, hosts over a million visitors each year. The State of Oklahoma has established Lake Thunderbird State Park on the shores of the 6,070-acre lake, which is framed by rolling, oak-covered hills and sandy shores with some 86 miles of shoreline at top of active conservation capacity elevation 1039.0. Fishing is excellent with largemouth bass, catfish, and walleye being the sought after species. A large public hunting area offers such game as ducks, geese, rabbit, deer, squirrel, and quail in season. The recreation areas of Lake Thunderbird are administered by the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department. For specific information about Lake Thunderbird click on the name below: http://www.recreation.gov/detail.cfm?ID=1133 The Little River Basin is long and narrow, with streamflow generally in a southeast direction. Runoff from the upper portions of the basin is rapid during storm periods and the duration of flooding varies from a few hours to several days. Releases from the flood-control pool are made in accordance with regulations prepared by the Corps of Engineers, dated January 1965, in concurrence with the Bureau of Reclamation, and in close cooperation with the Central Oklahoma Master Conservancy District, the entity which has assumed operation and maintenance responsibility for the project facilities. Construction of Norman Dam (http://www.usbr.gov/dataweb/dams/ok30018.htm) has reduced the flood hazards on Little River to its confluence with the Canadian River, and flood control operation will continue to provide benefits to the downstream areas. Lake Thunderbird has 76,648 acre feet of capacity assigned to flood control and surcharge capacity of 171,300 acre-feet. The Norman Project has provided an accumulated $34,344,000 in flood control benefits from 1950 to 1999. The United States Reclamation Service was formed in 1902, with it`s primary mission the `reclamation` of arid western lands through construction of water storage and irrigation facilities to provide stable, reliable sources of water for agricultural uses. As the face of the west changed, so did Reclamation`s focus. An increase in population combined with the reduction of agricultural activities caused Reclamation to expand its focus to include development of non-agricultural benefits such as hydropower and water for municipal and industrial uses. The Norman Project is one example of a reclamation project constructed for non-agricultural purposes. The Norman Project is located in the central Oklahoma counties of Cleveland and Oklahoma. Major cities in the project area include Oklahoma City, Norman, Midwest City, and Del City, as well as Tinker Air Force Base. Project facilities consist of Norman Dam and Lake Thunderbird located on Little River east of Norman, the Norman Pipeline, Midwest City Pipeline/Del City Pipeline system, and two pumping plants. Water stored in Lake Thunderbird is lifted by pump into the Norman Pipeline and the Midwest City/Del City Pipeline system. The Norman Pipeline conveys water east to the City of Norman. The Midwest City/Del City Pipeline system conveys water north to a second pumping plant were a portion of the water is lifted to the Del City Pipeline and carried east to Del City. The Midwest City Pipeline continues northward to Midwest City.(1) The earliest evidence of human activity in Oklahoma dates back 11,000 years. A mammoth kill site located near Anadarko in central Oklahoma contained stone spear points identified as belonging to the Clovis culture. From about 500 to 1,300 AD, the Spiro Mound Builders inhabited eastern Oklahoma leaving behind numerous burial mounds. The first written descriptions of the region come from the 1540s when Spanish explorer Coronado traveled through the area. At that time, the region was inhabited by a variety of Plains Indian groups such as the Osage, Kiowa, Apache, and Comanche. Oklahoma was sold to the United States in 1803 as part of the Louisiana Purchase. In the 1830s, President Andrew Jackson ordered the relocation of the Five Civilized Tribes, the Cherokee, Creek, Chickasaw, Choctaws, and Seminoles, to Oklahoma. For the Cherokee people, the forced exodus was particularly hard, with over 4,000 Cherokee dying on the march, which became known as the Trail of Tears. The last of the five tribes, the Seminole, reached the Oklahoma Indian Territory in 1842. During the Civil War, many of the Indians in Oklahoma sided with the Confederacy. As punishment, the U. S. Government forced the Indian nations to sign several treaties giving up portions of their territory for the relocation of other tribes. Following the war, the cattle industry began to flourish in Texas, and several major cattle trails cut through Oklahoma and the way to railheads in Kansas. During cattle drives many ranchers began to notice that Oklahoma was a prime location for raising cattle, and by the early 1870s, many Anglos began demanding lands in Oklahoma for their own settlement. In 1879 and 1880, President Rutherford B. Hayes prohibited Anglo settlement in the Oklahoma Indian Territory, but the pressure to open the region to white settlement continued, and in 1885, the United States began negotiating with the Creek and Seminole tribe to open vacant lands to white settlement. The first land run in Oklahoma took place in April 1889. In one day, more than 10,000 settlers staked claim to lands in the newly opened region. This was followed by four other land runs. The largest, the Cherokee Outlet Run, took place in April 1892. The last Oklahoma land run took place in May 1895.(2) Following the opening of the Oklahoma Indian Territory to settlement, the population of the region grew rapidly. Early settlers established cattle ranches which were eventually replaced by farming operations. The relatively high rainfall, about 30 to 35 inches per year, reduced the need for irrigation development, and the abundance of ground water slowed development of surface water resources. The discovery of natural gas and oil created another population boom, straining ground water supplies. Continuous lowering of the water table and an increasing deterioration in ground water quality drove cities and towns to step up development of surface water resources.(3) The first comprehensive investigation of water resource development possibilities on the Little River was contained in the Army Corps of Engineers` 308 Report which was submitted to Congress in 1936. This report was followed by a second Corps report in 1947. Both reports concluded that development on the Little River for flood control and other associated benefits were not economically justified. The Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors upheld that conclusion in 1948. Local interests, primarily from the City of Norman which was beginning to develop water supply problems, began to enlist support for development of surface water resources, asking the Bureau of Reclamation to include the Little River Basin in studies of the Arkansas, White, and Red River Basins which began in 1946. As a result of this request, Reclamation conducted studies of reservoir sites on the Little River beginning in 1949. The following year, the 1950 Flood Control Act authorized a comprehensive, inter-agency investigation of the long-term development of land, water , and other resources in the Arkansas-White-Red River Basins. In 1952, a tentative plan for the Little River Basin was issued which described construction of several reservoirs in the basin, along with flood channel improvements and drainage improvements in the basin flood plain. Economic studies of the plan showed that the plan was not economically justified. Continued investigations resulted in a revised plan which was introduced in 1954. The revised plan called for the construction of one large reservoir on the Little River, the Norman Reservoir, along with flood channel and drainage improvements. This plan proved to be economically feasible and Norman Reservoir was determined to be the key feature in the overall plan for flood control in the Little River Basin. During the investigations it became clear that Norman was not the only municipality in the area to be have water supply problems. Midwest City, Del City, Moore, and Tinker Air Force Base, which all received their water from the same general source as Norman, were beginning to experience similar water supply problems. In 1953, it was determined that any plans for water development in the region should take into full account the needs of those cities as well as Norman. Investigations revealed that the Norman Reservoir would yield sufficient water to meet the needs of all affected municipalities. In June 1953, Oklahoma City approached the Bureau of Reclamation seeking to be included in studies for Norman Reservoir. Investigations revealed that the flow of the Little River was sufficient to meet only a fraction of Oklahoma City`s needs, and that the long-term yield of Norman Reservoir would be needed to meet the future demands of Norman, Midwest City, Del City, and Tinker Airforce Base, leaving no water available for Oklahoma City. But the studies also showed that the needs of the water users wold be substantially less than the project capacity for 10 to 20 years following completion of the reservoir, and that the portion of the reservoir capacity reserved for sediment accumulation would be available as active storage for several years. Project studies indicated that about 15 million gallons a day would be available beginning in 1960, and would diminish over time as the needs of the water users increased. It was agreed that the Central Oklahoma Water Users Association, sponsors of the Norman Project, would allow Oklahoma City or other water users to use any surplus water so long as a surplus was available.(4) The Norman Project was authorized under Public Law 86-529, 86th Congress, 2nd Session, which was signed into law by President Eisenhower on June 27, 1960. Funds for advanced planning were authorized in the 1961 Public Works Appropriation Bill, and construction funds were authorized in the 1962 Public Works Appropriation Bill which was signed by President Kennedy on September 30, 1961.(5) Specifications for construction of Norman Dam were issued in May 1962. The bids were opened on June 21, 1962, and the low bid of $3,692,177 was submitted by Comso Construction Company of Oklahoma City. The contract for construction of the dam was awarded to Comso Construction on June 28, 1962. Notice to proceed was issued on July 23, 1962, and acknowledged on July 25. The contractor began moving equipment onto the site on July 31. The first work undertaken consisted of clearing a road to the site and clearing a work area. This work began on August 1 and was followed by clearing of the spillway and outlet works area on August 3. Included in the contract for construction of Norman Dam was relocation of State Highway No. 9. Work on that portion of the contract began on August 3 and was carried out by a sub-contractor. Excavations for the spillway and outlet works channels began in late August. Material excavated from the channels were stockpiled for use if the dam embankment. Embankment placing operations began in mid-September 1962 with placement of zone 3 material. Norman Dam is a zoned, earthfill structure with three separate zones of material. Zones 1 and 2 make up the central portions of the dam embankment while zone 3 material is confined to the extreme upstream portion of the embankment and the downstream face of the dam. Placement of zone 2 material began in early December 1962, with placement of zone 1 material, the central core of the dam, beginning February 3, 1963.(6) The L&A Construction Company, sub-contractor for spillway and outlet works construction, began concrete placements on February 13, 1963. In mid-April, six Native American graves were uncovered during excavations for the dam. Ten days later, two other graves were discovered in borrow area A. Due to the sensitive nature of the discoveries, Reclamation officials sought an appropriate solution. On April 17, 1963, following the first discoveries, the US Government (for the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation) and the Absentee-Shawnee Indian Tribe of Oklahoma, entered into an agreement whereby the government would excavate any Native American remains and relocate those remains in the tribal cemetery.(7) The contract for construction of the Norman, Midwest City, and Del City Pipelines was awarded to the International Pipe and Ceramics Corporation on May 17, 1963. The winning bid was $2,759,547. Construction activities under the contract began on September 16 with clearing of the Norman Pipeline right-of-way. Pipe laying operations began on October 29. The contract for construction of the reservoir and relift pumping plants was awarded on August 9, 1963. The winning contractor was the Lee-Emmert Corporation, which bid $1,219,523. Work under the pumping plant contract began September 23 with clearing of access roads to the construction sites. Excavation for the reservoir pumping plant began on October 1, 1963.(8) Progress on all aspects of construction moved forward at a steady pace through 1963. Concrete placement in the spillway conduit began April 30, with placements in the outlet works intake structure beginning May 8. Backfilling of the cut-off trench commenced June 13, and the Little River was diverted into the diversion channel on July 10. Excavations for the reservoir pumping plant were completed on November 7, and clearing of the reservoir site began on November 13. Reservoir clearing operations were carried out under contract by the Schutt Construction Company, which had bid $96,000 for the contract.(9) Construction activities continued through 1964. The contract for construction of recreation facilities at the reservoir was awarded to the Pool Construction Company on March 13. Concrete placement in the spillway was competed in April, and Schutt Construction Company completed work under the reservoir clearing contract on May 25. International Pipe & Ceramic began installation of the Del City Pipeline on July 16. In September, work on the recreational facilities was completed, and the contract for construction of the dam tenders house, warehouse and maintenance shop was awarded to Stoldt Builders, Incorporated. The diversion channel was closed on September 8, allowing water to back-up behind the dam. Water flowed through the outlet works for the first time on November 17.(10) Norman Dam was topped out in late February 1965, and construction was essentially complete by the end of March. The outlet gates were closed on March 1, allowing storage of water to begin. The contract for construction of the dam was accepted as complete on April 30. The contract for construction of the pipelines was accepted as complete July 13, and the contract for construction of the pumping plants was accepted on July 23. Testing of the pumping plants and pipelines was conducted in November 1965, and deliveries of water began in February 1966.(11) Norman Dam is a zoned earthfill structure 7,260 feet long and 144 feet high. The embankment contains just over 3,111,000 cubic feet of material. The spillway is an uncontrolled, morning-glory inlet type with a capacity of 2,840 cubic feet per second (cfs). The spillway has never been operated. The outlet works consists of an approach channel, trashrack structure, 13-foot diameter concrete conduit, a gate chamber, and a 17-foot diameter, flat-bottomed conduit which discharges into a concrete stilling basin and outlet channel. Flow through the outlet works is controlled by two, 6?- by 10- foot high pressure gates, and two 6?- by 10- foot emergency gates. Maximum flow through the outlet works in 6,950 cfs. Lake Thunderbird had a maximum capacity of 196,200 acre-feet (af) and a surface area of 8,788 acres when at capacity.(12) The Reservoir Pumping Plant is located on the north shore of Lake Thunderbird. It houses eight, vertical turbine pumping units. Four of the units are each driven by 200 horsepower (hp) motors and supply water to the Norman Pipeline. The total capacity of the four units is just over 22 cfs. The other four units are each driven 350 hp motors and supply water to the Midwest City/Del City Pipeline system. The total capacity of the Midwest City/Del City pumps is just over 29 cfs. Water pumped into the Midwest City/Del City system travels about 12? miles to the Relift Pumping Plant. The Relift Pumping Plant houses eight horizontal centrifugal units. Four of the Units are powered by 100 hp motors and supply a total of just over 21 cfs to the Midwest City Pipeline. Of the other four units, two are powered by 40 hp motors and two by 30 hp motors. The four units supply just under 8? cfs to the Del City Pipeline.(13) The Norman Pipeline, which begins at the Reservoir Pumping Plant, is a reinforced concrete pressure pipe just under 8? miles long with a capacity of just under 22 cfs. The Midwest City Pipeline begins at the Reservoir Pumping Plant and runs just over 12 miles to the Relift Pumping Plant. From the Reservoir Pumping Plant to the Relift Pumping Plant, the pipeline is a precast concrete pressure pipe with a capacity of 28 cfs. From the Relift Pumping Plant to its terminal, the pipeline is a precast concrete pressure pipe with a capacity of just over 21 cfs. The Del City Pipeline begins at the Relift Pumping Plant and runs almost 6? miles to Del City. It is a precast concrete pressure pipe with a capacity just under 8 cfs.(14)
Plan
Water stored in Lake Thunderbird, the reservoir produced by the construction of Norman Dam, is pumped into two pipelines, one serving the city of Norman directly and the other leading to the relift pumping plant where separate pipelines serve the communities of Del City and Midwest City, both suburbs of Oklahoma City. The reservoir adds greatly to recreation facilities in the vicinity. Norman Dam is located at the confluence of Hog Creek and Little River about 13 miles east of Norman, and about 30 miles southeast of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The dam is a zoned earthfill embankment with a volume of about 3 million cubic yards. The crest of the dam is 30 feet wide, 7,263 feet long, and about 144 feet high. The spillway is located in the left abutment and has a morning-glory inlet with an ungated crest of 22-feet 4-inch diameter. From the reservoir pumping plant on the north shore of Lake Thunderbird, two pipelines serve the communities in the project. One of the lines extends westward 8.4 miles to the city of Norman; the other northwest 12.5 miles to a relift pumping plant within the city limits of Oklahoma City. The reservoir pumping plant has eight vertical shaft, turbine-type pumps. Four pumps, driven by four 200- horsepower motors, each have a capacity of 5.72 cubic feet per second at 228 feet of total head. These pumps provide 22.9 cubic feet per second capacity in the Norman pipeline. The other four pumps, driven by 350-horsepower motors, each have a capacity of 7.35 cubic feet per second at 320 feet of total head. These pumps provide the capacity through the Midwest City-Del City line to the relift pumping plant. The Midwest City-Del City pipeline has a design capacity of 28 cubic feet per second to the relift pumping plant, at which point the capacity is divided into 20.1 cubic feet per second to Midwest City and 7.9 cubic feet per second to Del City. The relift pumping plant has eight horizontal centrifugal pumps. Four of these units, driven by 100- horsepower motors, provide water to Midwest City. Each has a capacity of 5.27 cubic feet per second at a total head of 138 feet. The four remaining pumps provide water to Del City. Two pumping units, driven by 40-horsepower motors, have a capacity of 2.49 cubic feet per second each, and two units, driven by 25-horsepower motors, have a capacity of 1.66 cubic feet per second each. Total head is 104 feet.
Contact
Contact
Title: Area Office ManagerOrganization: Oklahoma-Texas Area Office
Address: 5316 HWY 290 W, Suite 110
City: Austin, TX 78735-8931
Phone: 512-899-4150
Contact
Title: Public Affairs OfficerOrganization: Great Plains Region
Address: 2021 4th Avenue North
City: Billings, MT 59101
Fax: 406-247-7604
Phone: 406-247-7610
Contact
Organization: Central Oklahoma Master Conservancy DistrictAddress: Route 4, Box 275
City: Norman, OK 73071
Phone: 405-329-5228