Keystone Dam increases release of water to 254,943 CFS

TULSA — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Tulsa is increasing the amount of water being released from a dam as flooding continues along the Arkansas River in Oklahoma and moves into western Arkansas.

Following an aerial tour of the region Friday morning, Sen. James Lankford said the release from Keystone Dam is being increased from 215,000 cubic feet per second to 254,943 cfs to control the flooding that has followed days of violent storms and heavy rains blamed for at least seven deaths in Oklahoma, Missouri and Iowa.

Lankford said the dam is doing what it should in keeping the flooding “at a manageable level.”

As the water flows downstream, record flooding is predicted in western Arkansas where the river is expected to reach 41 feet by Sunday. That’s nearly 20 feet  above flood stage and 3 feet above the previous record.

In Tulsa, the river was just above 22 feet  Friday morning, four feet  above flood stage.