More than 300 unfunded dams are planned for Oklahoma, but haven’t been built yet.
“We’ve identified areas where dams could be used to prevent damages and save lives,” Oklahoma Conservation Commission representative Robert Hathorne said. “On average, it’s about $2 million a year to maintain the 2107 dams that we have and in exchange we are receiving millions and millions of dollars in damage that’s not occurring.”
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Water Resource Office said had the 331 planned dams been in place, they would have prevented $6.1 million in flood damage over the Memorial Day weekend alone.
Current flood control dams prevented $96.3 million in flood damage to land, homes and businesses over the last couple months.
The USDA estimates an additional $21.4 million could have been saved April 18 through May 25 if the unfunded dams had been built.