Water works at reservoir campsites
Modern bathroom facilities, water hookups, and increased electrical service are improvements near completion at Cottonwood Point campsites at Marion Reservoir.
Park ranger Terry Holt said 75 percent of the project has been completed. The project began May 1 and was funded last fall with federal funds. Estimated costs of the project are $330,000.
The funding was based on need and desire to increase occupancy by enhancing the facility, Holt said.
The sites will have underground electricity with 50 amps of power, replacing the current 30 amps.
Holt said there is a growing demand for more electrical service due to satellite dishes, televisions, computers, and other items that use a larger amount of electricity.
Long range goals are to expand the number of available sites. In comparison, Marion Reservoir has 170 useable campsites, Holt said. El Dorado Lake has 1,100 sites.
"Our goals are to seek further development with additional sites which will bring more people to Marion Reservoir," Holt said.
The current improvements at Cottonwood Point will not increase the amount of occupancy but will make the existing sites more desirable.
"We've found the sites with water hookups and 50-amp electrical service (instead of 30-amp) have full occupancy," Holt said.
The 25 sites currently being upgraded to include water service and increased underground electrical service were less desirable and did not stay occupied.
Three pairs of wooden restroom facilities without running water will be replaced with concrete buildings with water-borne toilets and sinks, Holt reported.
"This will take high usage off shower facilities," Holt said.
With these improvements, the rural water district that serves the area will have reached its limitation of service.
"The water district and corps have been in conversation to include larger service water lines," Holt said.
Holt added water wells are not feasible in that area.
BEN Construction, Inc., of Broken Arrow, Okla., was awarded the general contract of the current project. A sub-contractor for the project is Elcon Services, Inc., of Hillsboro.
Other improvements at the reservoir include shelter roofs for picnic table areas at Cottonwood Point. The wooden roof will be replaced with steel on group shelter house number one.
At Hillsboro Cove, 10 concrete camping pads will be replaced.
"Some of the pads were built even with the ground," Holt said, which does not allow for water run-off.
Funding for these projects will come from the regular maintenance budget, Holt said.
Improvements to the boat ramp at Hillsboro Cove have been discussed, Holt said, as well as an additional boat ramp at Cottonwood Point.
"We need the appropriate elevation and incline," Holt explained. A suitable area is difficult to locate.
"Excavation of an area (for a boat ramp) requires continued excavation due to the area filling in with dirt," Holt said.
Additional funding of $4.5 to $5 million is needed to increase the number of campsites, Holt said, with the possibility of portions being completed as money is obtained.
"We're one of the top parks slated by the corps for improvements," Holt said. Marion Reservoir has a high occupancy rate and is second in the Tulsa district with the most visits per year.
"Oftentimes we turn away people because we're at maximum capacity," Holt said. He sees it as a loss of revenue for the reservoir and for the surrounding communities.
Another improvement would be a main road to the proposed new sites.
