Water Quality Division

WQ Priority Watershed Projects

Honey Creek Watershed Implementation Project

The Honey Creek Watershed Implementation Project is a partnership between local landowners, the Delaware County Conservation District, the Oklahoma Conservation Commission (OCC), the NRCS, and the USEPA to address water quality impairments in the project area. Honey Creek is a 79,000 acre subwatershed of Grand Lake,
one of Oklahoma’s premier reservoirs. Best Management Practices (BMPs) are being installed on a voluntary, costshare basis to reduce the amount of bacteria, phosphorus, and sediment entering the streams and lake.

Background

1995: Clean Lakes Study determines that algae blooms
and low dissolved oxygen in Grand Lake are being
caused by excess phosphorus. The likely nonpoint
sources (NPS) are attributed to agricultural practices
and residential development.

2000: USGS study discovers fecal bacteria in both
surface and groundwater in the Honey Creek
watershed. Most bacteria was found to be from horses
and cattle, but human and pet wastes were also sources.

2002: Grand Lake and several streams in the Honey Creek
watershed are placed on the state’s list of impaired
waters due to pathogens, low dissolved oxygen,
sulfate, TDS, chloride, and unknown causes.

2006: OCC begins a demonstration project in the
Honey creek watershed. Project will conclude in
2010.

See the Honey Creek Watershed Project factsheet (pdf) for details