OKC Residents Question Whether City Is Prepared For Flooding

The rain we're seeing right now is only adding to what's being called historic flooding in OKC.

OKC City Council members are questioning just how historic recent flooding really is after seeing rising water so often this month.

Volunteers are still clearing flooded homes down to the studs after flooding from the May 6 storms near Lightning Creek. Lightning Creek runs next to Oliver Park off SW 29th and is notorious for flooding.

“If they don't do something about it, everybody on this block is going to lose their homes,” said Ashlee Lane, who lives next to Oliver Park.

Right now, crews are deepening and widening a pond at Oliver Park that would collect storm water. The $1.6-million project won't be done until next spring.

“The storms we saw on May 6 were of historic proportions. They were the 500-year event. In Oklahoma City our drainage projects are designed for the 100-year event,” says Eric Wenger, Director of OKC Public Works.

“I'm worried that these floods have been larger than we planned for,” said OKC City Councilman Pete White.

White wants OKC Public Works to evaluate the cost and effectiveness of city flood prevention projects.

Public Works says it will take into account the May 6 storm as it reviews criteria for future projects.

Wenger says flood projects that can handle a 500-year storm are not cost effective.