In this third installment regarding the new Economic Impact Study of the Grand River Dam Authority, commissioned by GRDA and prepared by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, the focus is on population.
When construction began on Pensacola Dam in 1938, thousands of people flocked to the region, looking for work. Over the next two years, those people helped to build one of the state’s grandest structures, which also served to create the 46,500 surface acres of lake waters that comprise Grand Lake. By the fall of 1940, the lake was mostly full and suddenly, a region that had been rugged and rural, was now home to what would become the state’s premier water recreation destination. And close by, the dam was creating abundant electricity to help fuel growth in the area and draw even more people to live, work and play in the lakes region.
Home sweet home … Residents were still flocking to the area around the Pensacola Dam construction site in August 1938 when this crew as photographed building a new sectional home. Ever since the dam’s construction and, later, Grand Lake’s creation, people have been moving into the GRDA lakes region.
According to the study, “in the 10 years after the Pensacola Dam was finished in 1940, the region’s population grew 8.2% compared to the 5.0% decline experienced by Oklahoma’s non-metro counties over the same period. Over a longer period of time (1940 – 2010), the region around Grand Lake and Lake Hudson posted a 33% population growth rate. Comparatively, Oklahoma’s non-metro counties experienced virtually no population growth.”
Of course, population growth translates into economic development and a broad tax base that supports the services and infrastructure that allows those residents to live, work and play near the waters of GRDA lakes. Not only were the waters of the Grand River harnessed to make electricity in 1940, but they were also harnessed to help transform a large region of Oklahoma, while also providing benefits statewide.
To view the full Economic Impact Study of the Grand River Dam Authority, visit GRDA online at grda.com.
Headquartered in Vinita, GRDA is Oklahoma’s state-owned electric utility; fully funded by revenues from electric and water sales instead of taxes. GRDA’s low-cost, reliable power touches 75 of 77 counties in the state and serves as an important economic development engine for Oklahoma. At no cost to Oklahoma taxpayers, GRDA also manages 70,000 surface acres of lakes in the state, including Grand Lake, Lake Hudson and the W.R. Holway Reservoir. Today, GRDA’s 500 employees continue to produce the same “power for progress” that has benefited the state for 75 years. The efforts of Team GRDA facilitate over $450 million in economic activity in Oklahoma annually.
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