Grand River Dam Authority Police Department |
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EMERGENCY 911 GRDA Police 918-256-0911
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Tons of Trash
Removed from Grand
The GRDA Shoreline Management Division coordinated another Adopt-the-Shoreline cleanup event on Grand Lake on September 9. We had a total of 24 people that gave their time and sweat to the continued effort in keeping our shorelines in pristine condition. The weather was perfect and our friends at Hi Lift Marina in Drowning Creek served as our hosts for the dumpster location where the volunteers departed from in the morning.
Participants quickly filled their boats and barges with a variety of trash that was found on our shores and in the water to include foam, tires, boat lifts, buoys and even auto parts in the areas of Zone 2 and 4 that are on the southeast side of Grand Lake from the Pensacola Dam to Woodard Hollow. The group gathered at Hi Lift Marina for fellowship and a hot lunch before continuing the afternoon search for debris and trash. The ATS program resulted in over three tons of trash and debris being removed from the lake. Three large dumpsters, trash bags, equipment, personnel and lunch were provided by the GRDA Shoreline Management Division.
The shoreline cleanup programs could not have been completed without the efforts of Zone 4 Coordinator Rob Rider and Zone 2 Coordinator Edie Wiley. The businesses participating in this event included Hi Lift Marina, Clear Water Bay Marina, Grand Lake Towing - Tow Boat US, Morrison Dock Service, Jesse Vaughn Dock Service, Have Boat Will Travel Guide Service, Lakemont Shores Fire Department, Tri-Hydro Corp and Advanced Ecology. We are extremely grateful to the people involved in the program as well as the local businesses that dedicated their time, personnel and equipment to the successful event that will help in Keepin' It Grand!.
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Holiday Numbers
In addition to providing air support for our police department during busy holiday weekends, GRDA uses our helicopter to count the number of vessels that we observe on our lakes and the Illinois River during holiday weekends.
The following are the number of vessels observed on Saturday over the Labor Day Weekend:
Grand Lake: 1,504
Hudson Lake: 86
Illinois River: 1,116
These numbers do not reflect the number of vessels on our waters over the holiday weekend, but only those observed during one flight.
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No Offseason For Water Safety
Although Labor Day 2021 is now in the rear-view mirror and the busiest part of the lake and river season is winding down, the Grand River Dam Authority Police Department never stops sharing the water safety message.
In fact, our officers share this important message every season: boat (and float) safe, smart, and sober. Promoting life jacket safety, offering courses in boater safety education (free of charge), and maintaining a presence on the waters to help ensure safe outings are some of the key ways this message is shared. All of these are critical parts of a greater GRDA effort to manage 70,000 surface acres of lake waters and miles of scenic riverways.
However, safe boating only happens when visitors take the safety message to heart and GRDA is grateful for those who wear their life jackets, obey the boating rules and regulations, boat sober and use common sense on the water. While our officers will always be there to lend a helping hand and promote safety, every boater and floater can be a good example for others. In fact, something as simple as always wearing your life jacket on the water can be a great way to set an example for the younger generation. It is never too early to learn water safety and never too late to embrace year-round safety habits. So, if you are like many water enthusiasts that tend to think that autumn is a spectacular time to be on the lake or the river, please make sure you continue to always boat and float smart, safe and sober.
Your friends at GRDA want you to stay safe on the water, no matter when you visit.
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GRDA Returns
From LA
GRDA Police officers assigned to the rescue and swift-water teams returned home two weeks after Hurricane Ida hit, but many of our personnel remained in the area to help with recovery efforts to the electrical infrastructure system. Because of the massive devastation resulting from the hurricane weeks ago, GRDA has had over 20 police and line personnel working in Houma, Louisiana working to restore power to the area.
A second crew traveled to the Gulf Coast to continue the task of restoring power to the area working through the high winds and heavy rains from Hurricane Nicholas. The remaining GRDA officers and power line workers were recently released from their duties and returned home this past Saturday. We are very thankful for the safe return of all of our personnel that stepped up to help our neighbors to the south.
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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?
Swimming aids such as water wings or noodles are fun toys for kids, but they should never be used in place of a U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device (PFD).
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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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Don’t Overload the Boat
with People or Equipment
Always follow your boat’s capacity restriction. Overloading your boat with passengers or equipment can unbalance your craft.
On boats less than 20 feet in length with no capacity plate, use the following rule of thumb to calculate the number of persons (weighing 150 pounds each, on average) the boat can carry safely in good weather conditions.
Number of people = (boat length (ft.) × boat width (ft.) ÷ 15
For example, for a boat 18 feet long by 6 feet wide, the number of persons is 18 times 6 (or 108) divided by 15, which equals seven 150-pound persons (or a total person weight of 7 × 150, or 1050 pounds).
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Boating Tips From
Americas Boating Club
Grand Lake
Next to capsizing, falling overboard is the second leading cause of fatal boating accidents. It is also one of the most preventable. Many overboard accidents occur before the boat even leaves the dock. Frequently it happens when passengers attempt to step onboard while carrying items and slip, or they step on the edge of the boat and lose their balance when the boat tips or moves.
Other overboard incidents occur when people stand up as the boat is underway, ride on the boat’s gunwales (outer edge) or sit on the seatbacks. These positions can send a person overboard should the boat hit an unexpected wave or the driver fails to warn passengers of a sudden change in speed or direction.
To help prevent falling overboard, use footwear with good traction and follow the maxim, “One hand for the boat and one hand for yourself.”
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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Bring the kids to enjoy a free fishing experience with GRDA and Broken Arrow Police Officers! |
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2021
Special Events Schedule
October 2: Cops & Bobbers, Broken Arrow, Bass Pro Shops
October 7-10: Pelican Festival, Wolf Creek Park, Grove
October 9: Chouteau Days Festival, Salina
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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 918-981-8470
GRDA Lake Permits 918-256-0852
GRDA Pensacola Dam Tours & Facility Information 918-981-8470
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