OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — In January, Oklahoma City officials cited drought conditions when they began diverting millions of gallons of water from Canton Lake in northwestern Oklahoma to Lake Hefner in northwest Oklahoma City to serve central Oklahoma water users.
Five months later, heavy rainfall that accompanied severe storms and tornadoes that pummeled the state in May have filled Lake Hefner to the brim. Meanwhile, Canton Lake remains 13 feet below its normal level, and area residents are concerned it may never recover.
Jeff Converse, president of the Canton Lake Association, says he thinks the lake is dying. Converse says an algae bloom has developed and he saw dead fish in the lake's waters last weekend.
A spokeswoman for the city, Debbie Ragan, says officials did what they thought was best at the time.