Tour that Lugert Dam August 8 #AltusOK

“The Dam Tour!” Who: Southwest Young Professionals (SYP) – all welcome, ages 21-45, residing in southwest Oklahoma, (civilians and military alike), with an interest to learn and network with like-minded young professionals! What: Lugert-Altus Irrigation District Tour – Enjoy a unique, behind the scenes, all access tour provided by Tom Buchanan, Lugert-Altus Irrigation District General Manager. Where: Meet at 6:00 pm Quartz Mountain Lodge Entrance – turning at the big sign off Hwy 44, and park just across the railroad tracks off the side of the road. Carpooling encouraged from Altus Chamber of Commerce, leaving at 5:30 pm. 7:30 pm – Dinner buffet, $14.95 including non-alcoholic beverage(s), cocktails, and socializing at Quartz Mountain Lodge. When: Tuesday, August 8th  Share This Invitation With  A Young Professional Southwest Young Professionals (SYP) offer networking, professional development, and volunteer opportunities to ambitious young adults from 21-45 years of age.  The group gathers for scheduled events that showcase local businesses and inspires these professionals to share their talents and engage with the community.   Constructed in the early 1940’s, Lugert-Altus Irrigation District irrigates about 46,000 acres in Jackson Co., with a smaller percentage of acres in Greer County. These acres are owned by 330 different land owners and 99% of the water is devoted to cotton, which waters enough plants to produce 160,000-200,000 bales of cotton annually. On average, each acre of irrigated land produces 3-4 bales, and each bale is valued at $375-$400/bale. Additional dividends are gained from seed and ginning, including Cotton Growers Gin – which was the Nov. 15, 2016, SYP tour. Gross value is $450/bale and therefore an approximate $60 million economic impact to southwest OK! Lugert Dam consists of over 30 miles of main canal and 300 miles of smaller ditches. A Bureau of Reclamation project, the Altus Irrigation District is the farthest east in the U.S. with an irrigation component. The Irrigation District has the oldest and largest water right in Oklahoma, with 85,000 acre feet of water being pulled from the dam. Lugert-Altus Irrigation District, the 330 land owners, are responsible for maintenance of canals and dikes, an embankment to prevent flooding. Lugert was constructed for the following purposes, 1) municipal supply for city of Altus, 2) flood control, and 3) irrigation supplies. Therefore, there are no benefits naming wildlife and tourism, which is unique compared to other Oklahoma lakes/dams. Because there is no dedication to this usage, the district doesn’t receive any state or federal money in storage and maintenance, and hence, there aren’t any recreational fees for boaters and/or swimmers. There are a host of ongoing maintenance costs associated with the dam to aid with flooding and further irrigation, to the tune of millions of dollars! Interested to learn more about how this single body of water continues to economically impact southwest Oklahoma in a big way? Yes! Join us for firsthand look that is sure to not disappoint! RSVP/questions to Jennifer Howard at JenLHoward1@gmail.com, or 605-210-0191. Please note dinner and/or tour for an accurate count. Bring a friend, and we hope to see you there!