Dear Scissortail Park Guests,
During the month of January, we will be working with the City of Oklahoma City to perform maintenance on the pumps for our 3.5-acre lake.
We have intentionally drained the lake to very low levels over the winter to conduct this work. However, we have preserved plenty of water in the lake for our fish population. It’s more than 17’ deep in the middle.
Once the work has been completed, the lake will be returned to its normal levels.
While this work is being conducted, please do not walk on the dirt banks in the lake area or through the wetland weirs. Please stay on the designated sidewalks around the lake.
ABOUT SCISSORTAIL LAKE
Did you know that our lake is the centerpiece of our water reuse strategy at the Park?
Our lake acts as a reservoir to store and clean storm water that is used for the plant irrigation system throughout the Upper Park.
The lake can store up to 5.1 million gallons of water. The volume of water needed for the irrigation demand is derived from two sources: rain water runoff from rainfall that occurs within the Park boundary and collected within the rain gardens as well as a water well that pumps water from a deep aquifer.
Prior to entering the lake, the rain water runoff begins the purification process by flowing across grass and gardens and then through “French” drains and rain gardens. The water that reaches the lake is further purified using a variety of methods.
Aerators on the bottom circulate the water vertically and water jets located near the top circulate the water horizontally.
Water is also drawn from the bottom of the lake and pumped through bio-filters and water at the top of the lake is pumped through the wetland cell system. Wetland planting areas distributed around the lake provide a cleansing function. The water well pump draws from an aquifer 700 feet below ground.
Learn more about water conservation and water reuse projects.
Basics of Water Reuse
Water reuse (also commonly known as water recycling or water reclamation) reclaims water from a variety of sources then treats and reuses it for beneficial purposes such as agriculture and irrigation, potable water supplies, groundwater replenishment, industrial processes, and environmental restoration. Water reuse can provide alternatives to existing water supplies and be used to enhance water security, sustainability, and resilience.
Water Reuse in Agriculture
DID YOU KNOW?
U.S. growers have been irrigating with recycled water for nearly 40 years!
