Grand River Dam Authority Police Department |
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EMERGENCY 911 GRDA Police 918-256-0911
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Putting the Merry in Christmas
While the COVID pandemic has put a halt on many activities in the region this year, 2020 has certainly proven there is a need for many that was ample justification to continue an important event for the employees of GRDA. With so many events being canceled this year because of the pandemic, there was some uncertainty as to whether we could do the annual Shop with a Cop program, but the employees and police officers of GRDA insisted on going forward with the program to help our neighbors in the area ensure they had a happy holiday season.
Through fund raising efforts by employees of GRDA, including the No Shave November campaign, the GRDA Charitable Campaign Committee was able to raise enough funds to allow officers from GRDA to join our friends from Mayes County DHS to take 11 children and their families on a shopping spree. Officers spent their time with the families in selecting toys and gifts to ensure they would have presents under the tree, all paid for by the fund raising campaign effort.
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Facing the Time to Winterize
As much as we hate to admit it, at some point we are forced to concede that it is time to put the boat in hibernation. After warmer than normal weather in the region, recent winter storms have proven that the cold weather is here to stay. GRDA Police urges the public to properly winterize their vessel as winter weather takes over in Oklahoma.
Winterization is an important step, even if you live in a moderate region like Oklahoma. Proper winterization will ensure your safety, prolong the longevity of your vessel, and help safeguard the maritime community and environment around you.
GRDA officers regularly respond to sunken vessels and oil discharges at docks and marinas due to poor winterization. Below are a few items you need to address, but if you don’t feel comfortable performing these items by yourself, we encourage you to reach out to your boat dealer or local marina for assistance:
- Remove excess gear – Removing gear that has accumulated over the boating season will make room for cleaning and any necessary repairs. This should include an inspection of all safety gear and replacing any expired or defective gear, including life jackets, fire extinguishers, first aid kit, etc.
- Drain the water – Properly dispose of any bilge water and drain any fresh water tanks, fittings and lines. During this time check all boat plugs and seals to ensure they are properly set and ready for winter. This is an important step to prevent water lines and tanks from cracking and preventing internal water damage, including mold.
- Remove waste and materials – Use environmentally friendly chemicals when cleaning your vessel and remember to properly dispose of any chemicals, oils, and batteries. If you are not sure of where to dispose of these items, check with your marina or local authorities.
- Whether you are going to keep your boat in the water for the winter or take it out, we encourage you to disconnect your batteries, shut and lock all doors and windows, and secure all covers.
- Before locking it up for the winter, double check all dock lines, cleats and moorings to ensure they are securely set. If the boat is taken out of the water, shrink wrapping the vessel is also an option. Sealing the vessel is extremely important in preventing capsizing due to heavy rainfall, snow or icing.
As with all maintenance and repairs, consult your owner’s manual for any special recommendations or concerns.
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Alcohol Education Videos Ready for Release
The GRDA partnered with the National Indian Women’s Health Resource Center several months ago to produce a series of video segments to release on social media to address the dangers of alcohol use in water recreation. The goal in the production of the videos is to educate the public about how the use of alcohol and drugs can impact their safety on the Illinois River and what laws are enforced related to the topic.
The short video segments were produced by GRDA Police and Media Departments with the help of the NIWHRC for release on social media platforms for GRDA and the NIWHRC to inform the public about the problems associated with the use of alcohol while floating. The final video of the series was recently completed by the GRDA Media Department and is available for viewing, along with the other videos in the series. All three videos can be viewed at the following links:
Because the question about alcohol use on the Illinois River is frequently asked, our goal is to use these video messages to inform the public about what regulations are enforced by officials, and why they are enforced, before they plan their trip to the river.
We encourage all Illinois River float operators to make these informational videos available to your customers by posting links to the three video messages on your social media platforms and websites to educate the public about the regulations and hazards associated with the use of alcohol while floating on the Illinois River.
We recommend establishing links to the video messages using the following format on your website and social media:
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The Dangers of Alcohol Use While Recreating on the Illinois River
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What Regulations are Enforced for Alcoholic Beverages on the Illinois River?
- Curbing Risky Behavior
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SH-28 Closed at Pensacola Dam
All lanes of east and westbound SH-28 are closed at the Pensacola Dam between Langley and Disney until spring 2021. This is part of a $14 million project to improve three bridges on SH-28 at Grand Lake.
The official highway detour utilizes SH-82 and SH-20. Once work is complete at the SH-28/Pensacola Dam bridge in spring 2021, it will open to traffic and the two SH-28 bridges at the spillways will then close to traffic. The same highway detour will still be in place for this phase of the project.
We anticipate the bridge over the Pensacola Dam to be closed till March 17, 2021. Work will then move to the two spillways that will be closed till Memorial Day of next year. The overall project is expected to complete in summer 2021, weather permitting.
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Swim Beach Installed
at Wolf Creek
The GRDA Shoreline Management Team assisted the City of Grove with the construction of a new swim beach at Wolf Creek Recreational Area, in Grove. All of the materials used in the construction of the buoy line were paid for by the City of Grove, and GRDA supplied manpower and equipment for the installation. GRDA also worked with the City of Grove and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers to obtain the proper permits for the project.
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Operation Vaccine Partners
"Operation Warp Speed" has resulted in the much anticipated vaccines for the COVID-19 pandemic that has had a detrimental impact on the entire country. The vaccines are now being distributed to the states, including Oklahoma, and GRDA Police are taking an integral role in getting the vaccines out to the public through a Push Partner Program with the Oklahoma State Department of Health.
As the vaccines arrive to distribution centers within the state, they will be delivered to immunization sites across the state. Officers with GRDA Police have been tasked with ensuring the vaccines arrive quickly and safely to immunization sites in 8 counties in northeast Oklahoma by providing escorts to the OSDH staff delivering the vaccines to the immunization sites.
The distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines began last week with deliveries to Claremore and Pryor and will continue for weeks to come at additional locations across the state.
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If you are looking for a great holiday gift idea for your Laker, then we have the perfect solution for you.
Go to the GRDA.com website where you can download a high resolution copy of the Grand Lake or Hudson Lake channel maps. Take these files to a local printer and have the maps reproduced on a poster-sized print. Have the print mounted on foam core, put it in a beautiful frame and voila! You have the perfect gift for your Laker to proudly display at home, business or office.
This is not only an attractive rendering of the lakes that we love, but is a practical map of the lake that will garner lots of attention and compliments. Get your free copy of the Grand or Hudson lake maps today from your friends at GRDA!
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GRDA Services
Under the Executive Order of the Governor, we continue working under the Open Up and Recover Safely plan. GRDA maintains necessary services to the public under restrictions of Phase 3 of the plan.
- All GRDA facilities remain closed to the public, including the Eco Center in Langley. Limited staffing operates at our facilities, including Eco, and all public meetings and events remain restricted with strict access control implemented at all GRDA facilities. The Pensacola Dam remains closed for public tours.
- You can continue to do business with GRDA personnel on line and by phone. Many of our administrative personnel continue to be assigned to work at home or off-site and can be contacted by email and phone.
- GRDA Police will allow permitted public events on GRDA lakes and properties. All permitted events must adhere to guidelines published by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce and United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- GRDA Police will continue participation at public information and education events under restrictions.
- The GRDA Police Department will continue to follow procedures established by state and federal authorities to protect you and our personnel by maintaining personal distances. This may require that officers conduct investigations without personal contact, by phone and email. When officers do respond to a call for service, they may ask people to come outside; we will only enter your property if needed.
- Our personnel may be wearing protective gear, such as masks, glasses and gloves. This is done to protect you and the officers from community spread. While community engagement is vital to us, it must take a different form when we are dealing with a contagious virus.
- GRDA officers will be enforcing social distancing requirements. We ask that you adhere to protocols and guidelines published by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce and United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.
- Even though the OURS plan is allowing more public gatherings, this pandemic continues to affect us in this region, so we will limit unnecessary contacts and respond to calls for service by doing more contacts by phone and prioritizing our responses. This may include the reduction of contacts for minor violations.
We will continue to maintain contact with you through electronic communication to keep our social distances appropriate. Please continue to invoke the strategies needed to maintain appropriate distances from other people, practice good hygiene by frequently washing your hands, protect your personnel and the public.
Our goal is to continue to provide the service you expect, but we must protect our personnel so that we can provide the assistance you will need in the future. We will do whatever we can to get through these challenging times.
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Do You Need Current Lake Information? |
Go to the GRDA Storm Ops web page to get current data including lake levels, lake parameters, storage details, flow conditions and much more.
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Did You Know?
Check the weather, including the water temperature. Know the latest marine weather forecast prior to going out, and keep a regular check for changing conditions.
Always dress for the weather, wearing layers if cooler weather, and bring an extra set of clothes in case you get wet.
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"Updates" on the Web
If you didn't receive our latest GRDA Update or you have a friend that wants to see our Updates, go to our website at https://www.grda.com/grda-police/ and click on the GRDA POLICE UPDATE for the latest version of our email release or to Join Our Email List.
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NAV TIME
A Summary of Boating Laws, Navigation Regulations & Tips
That All Boat Operators Should Know
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Noise Abatement
No person shall unlawfully disturb the peace through operation of a vessel or by a person's actions within fifty (50) feet of any public or private dock or at any location between the hours of 9:00 p.m. through 9:00 a.m. C.S.T.
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Boating Tips From
Americas Boating Club
Grand Lake
A great gift for the boater is America's Boating Course offered by America’s Boating Club online to the general boating community. The course includes interactive learning and a comprehensive, full-color, downloadable, 288-page course book in either English or Spanish. This is a wonderful option for people whose schedule and obligations would make it difficult to attend a local classroom course. It also meets the licensure requirements for most states and is NASBLA approved.
Another gift for the first mate or crew is the online course Crew at the Helm. It is an interactive online learning course that covers anchoring, docking, navigation and more. Learn the essential boating skills needed to operate a boat safely and become a confident and valued crew member. This comprehensive seminar can be completed in 2 -4 hours.
To purchase an online course, go to americasboatingclub.org and click on the “Learn” tab. For local Grand Lake information go to usps.org/grandlake, on Facebook: America’s boating club-grand lake.
Are you interested in joining a boating club on Grand Lake to have fun, plus the opportunity to take courses online or in the classroom to improve your boating skills and knowledge? Visit online americasboatingclub.org or usps.org/grandlake, on Facebook: America’s boating club-grand lake for more information.
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2020
Special Events Schedule
December 31: CYC New Years Eve Fireworks, Duck Creek, Grand Lake
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Do you have a Special Event Planned?
PLEASE let us know about your lake or river events so we can provide the resources you may need to make it a positive experience!
If you have a special event you would like for us to help you promote,
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GRDA Police Dispatch 918-256-0911
GRDA Ecosystems and Education Center 918-782-4726
GRDA Lake Permits 918-256-0852
GRDA Pensacola Dam Tours & Facility Information 918-256-0899
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