The Oklahoma City Riverfront Redevelopment Authority heard progress reports July 29 on river infrastructure work, including impoundment of the May Basin, ongoing sediment removal and a forthcoming Army Corps of Engineers inspection report. Jess Shemley, a project manager with Oklahoma City Public Works, told trustees the May Basin is “substantially complete” and that the authority has begun impounding water.
The update matters because impoundment changes ongoing contractor work and starts operational activity on the river that affects navigation, maintenance and planned public amenities. Shemley said the sediment‑removal contractor remains active but that impounding water “will definitely impede its progress.” Shemley also described outstanding punch‑list items at the First American Museum riverboat landing — “minor things, lighting, camera installations, and, last little bit of, sod cleanup” — and said the pedestrian bridge is following a similar timeline and that a ribbon cutting is expected soon.
Authority staff reported one operational metric for May: river crews removed 208 cubic yards of storm‑related debris. Shemley said some hydraulic repairs and concrete painting remain and that the remaining gate adjustments would not affect the last repairs. Melinda McMillan Miller, the city’s parks and recreation director, said Parks has a meeting scheduled with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to clarify what riverfront property improvements are permitted where the Corps has made floodway improvements. “We do have a meeting set up with the corps of engineers for Thursday,” McMillan Miller said; she said Parks expects to return with more specifics for the development committee after that meeting.
Discussion: trustees did not request substantive changes to the project report during the meeting; staff noted that impoundment will limit sediment contractor access and that Corps findings could affect what improvements the city can pursue on riverfront properties. Direction: Parks staff will meet with the Corps and report findings to the development committee at a future meeting. Formal action: trustees voted to accept the project report (vote tally not specified in the record).
The Riverfront Authority said it will share the Corps inspection report and any identified deficiencies when available and will return with more detailed recommendations after the Corps meeting.