The total project cost is $48 million. The construction of Zink Dam and Zink Lake was approved by Tulsa voters through the Vision Tulsa sales tax package.

The new dam has significant structural changes that include added gates, a stairstep design and work to reduce a dangerous undertow. The pool depth is increased to 10 feet. The project also includes the Tulsa Wave Park, a 1,050-foot-long recreational whitewater flume along the east bank of the river south of the new pedestrian bridge. The Tulsa Wave Park will has seven drops or pools where visitors can access the water. Another important part of this project is stabilization of the east bank of the Arkansas River near Gathering Place. Ultimately, Zink Dam provides the infrastructure for the creation of Zink Lake, which is approximately 2.5 miles long.

Unlike the old Zink Dam which had limited access to the waterfront, the new Zink Dam provides visitors the opportunity to be right next to the water in Zink Lake. There are designed plazas and walkways so people using River Parks trails can easily access those amenities.

The lake’s programming and operations are the responsibility of the River Parks Authority. To see everything you can do at Zink Lake, visit www.tulsazinklake.com. 

New ordinances for Zink Lake and the eventual South Tulsa Lake are now in place. To see the full rules and regulations, which are managed by the River Parks Authority, visit www.tulsazinklake.com. 

• Zink Lake Rules - English | Spanish
• Zink Lake Amenities & Parking | Map

Yes. The City is testing in Zink Lake for:

• pH
• Temperature
• Dissolved oxygen
• Turbidity
• Electrical conductivity
• E. coli
• Dissolved Cadmium
• Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons. 

These tests are updated regularly and are displayed on the water quality dashboard, which can be found on the top of this page.

Outside of the testing in Zink Lake, other water testing already occurs in the Arkansas River as part of the City’s stormwater quality permit through sampling. Sampling takes place at the point the water enters Tulsa near 81st West Avenue in West Tulsa and near Harmony Bridge (Bixby Bridge). Samples are conducted monthly and measure bacteria, as well as other parameters, at a specific point in the river at a specific point in time.

Water sampling results in the Arkansas River have met and exceeded State water quality standards. Bacteria levels seen are consistent with statewide assessments on other water bodies.  

Current water conditions can be found on the water quality dashboard, which can be found at the top of this page. 

In addition to developing a regular testing protocol and reporting methodologies for that testing, Zink's recreational flume has portable aerators available to help circulate water when needed, in addition to potable water systems (three hydrants) used for washing down rocks, etc. when needed. 

• If Zink Lake is at or above a water surface elevation of 615.5 feet, then water can flow through the flume at up to 500 cubic feet per second (cfs). When the flume gates are fully raised (in the closed position), they are designed to still allow approximately 1 to 5 cfs of water flow into the flume to maintain dissolved oxygen levels.
• If Zink Lake is at or below water a surface elevation of 615.5 feet, then the water surface elevation is below the level of the flume and no water can flow from the lake through the flume. In these conditions, portable surface aerators may be installed for each pool within the flume. 
• If there is a power failure or other constraint to aeration-pumping equipment, then hydrants located along the flume can be used to add water into the upper pool, which will cascade down into lower pools. 
• Should water quality testing indicate unsafe conditions, the flume will be closed for recreation.
• In all cases, potable water will require the removal of chloramines in the pools to protect aquatic life.

The new Zink Dam also greatly improves water flow along the Arkansas River when compared to the old dam – another reason for improved water quality. The old dam had only three 50-foot gates, which comprised about 12.5 percent of the width of the river. Because the gates at the deepest points didn’t reach the bottom, stagnant water below those gates oftentimes never was given the ability to be flushed out and aerated, resulting in fish kills and decreased water quality. The new Zink Dam has more than 50 percent of the width of the river covered with gates to allow water flow, with a third of those gates having the ability to lay all the way down.

Another measure to improve water quality is work being done with H.F. Sinclair, an energy company with operations just west of the Arkansas River. H.F. Sinclair worked to satisfy ODEQ requirements ahead of the opening of Zink Lake, spending $10-15 million to comply with those requirements through various measures, one of which includes the installation of a containment cap.

The City of Tulsa remains in regular communications surrounding municipalities and ODEQ on best water quality practices in the Arkansas River.

Some of the best water quality practices that cities use are through maintaining stormwater quality permits. Maintaining these permits helps municipalities improve water quality throughout the city. Though the City of Tulsa already has practices in place to meet its current stormwater quality permit, it is gearing up to receive and comply with a new stormwater quality discharge permit. That new permit will prescribe additional water sampling, not only in Tulsa’s feeder streams, but also in the Arkansas River – an effort that will be used to improve water quality in Zink Lake.

The City of Tulsa also has a Stormwater Education Program that it uses to educate the public and industrial owners and/or operators on their responsibility to reduce the pollution in stormwater runoff. More information on that program and stormwater quality in Tulsa can be found online. 

Surface bodies of water can have multiple variances due to a number of physical, environmental and biological factors. 

Rust-colored water in surface bodies of water is most commonly the product of iron oxidizing bacteria, which can occur naturally and is not an issue for recreators. Iron oxidizing bacteria may produce a film on the water, which easily breaks apart when disturbed (unlike a hydrocarbon sheen, which usually reforms after a disturbance).  

White or brown foam with an earthy or fishy smell is often the result of a natural process that occurs when plants or other natural materials break down (caused by wind, the current, or water cascading over the dam). When this happens, the water becomes enriched with nutrients. This foam may appear white at first but will usually turn a tan-to-brownish color as it travels downstream and accumulates debris.

If you have any questions about the color or smell of water in the Arkansas River, please contact the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (contact information below). 

The City of Tulsa is only required to test water quality in the Arkansas River as it relates to its own stormwater runoff as a means to maintain its MS4 permits. While there is no requirement of the City to conduct any water quality testing in the Arkansas River for the purpose of opening Zink Lake, the City is testing the water quality in the lake to let residents and visitors know about water conditions. It's important to note the City of Tulsa is the first city in the state of Oklahoma to test water quality in the way that it has, displaying the results on the only water quality dashboard of its kind in the state. 

Jan. 31, 2024: Plans Underway for Opening of Zink Lake, Williams Crossing on Labor Day Weekend 2024

March 4, 2024: Tulsans to See Water in Zink Lake for First Time This Week

March 13, 2024: Testing of Whitewater Flume at Zink Lake Underway

July 23, 2024: City Gearing Up For Opening of Zink Lake; Multiple Projects Underway to be Completed for Grand Opening on Labor Day Weekend 2024

• August 30, 2023 - Update to Tulsa City Council - Presentation 
• January 31, 2024 - Update to Tulsa City Council - Presentation
• February 27, 2024 - Public Meeting - Presentation | Watch | Q&A
• August 6, 2024 - Public Meeting _ Q & A

As part of the Zink Lake project, the City Design Studio has spent the summer engaging with thousands of residents about the project and answering questions from Tulsans with the new amenity opening this fall.

This engagement includes:

• Two public meetings, eight stakeholder meetings, with whitewater and flatwater kayakers, The Center for Individuals with Physical Challenges, the Sustainability Alliance, the Sierra Club, the University of Tulsa’s Office of Civic Engagement, the Brookside Business Association, and the Tulsa Youth Council. 
• Five neighborhood association meetings, and additional outreach to nine other neighborhoods 
• Engagement with 18 apartment complexes in the area and tabling and sharing information at seven public events
• Email distribution and partnership sharing with hundreds of Tulsans 

Neighborhood organizations and others interested in learning more about these opportunities can contact the City’s Urban Strategist, Emma Morris, at [email protected]. 

The construction of Zink Lake was made possible by voters and extensive research that led to its construction.

See the Arkansas River background documents online. 

If you have questions about water quality in the Arkansas River, you can make a report to ODEQ online, or to ODEQ's hotline at 1-800-522-0206.

The River Parks Authority is managing all operations at the lake, including the operation of the dam, the Tulsa Wave Park, and entry points into the lake. More information about the River Parks Authority, including contact information, can be found at www.tulsazinklake.com.

If you have questions regarding the City's stormwater systems, you can email [email protected].