Welcome to GRDA Eco & Education Center
On the scenic shores of Grand Lake — just an angler’s cast from the historic Pensacola Dam — the Grand River Dam Authority’s Ecosystems and Education Center is the center point for GRDA’s ongoing efforts to be good stewards of the natural resources under its control.
Those resources include nearly 70,000 surface acres of Oklahoma lake waters, including Grand Lake, Lake Hudson and the W.R. Holway Reservoir. And, since 2016, they also include the scenic waters of the Illinois River.
The GRDA Ecosystems and Education Center houses a state-of-the-art water quality laboratory, where Team GRDA members conduct ongoing water quality monitoring on a regular basis. Beyond the lab, there is much more to the facility that is beneficial to lake area residents and visitors. For those preparing to build a dock, anglers hoping to schedule a tournament, or others seeking lake-related permits for Grand or Hudson lakes, the building is a house “one-stop permit shopping” to meet those needs.
As the new next-door neighbor to historic Pensacola Dam, the building is also the starting point for the popular free tours of the dam, offered during the summer months. Each year thousands of visitors get an up-close and personal look at Oklahoma’s first hydroelectric facility and member of the National Register of Historic Places.
Another aspect of the building that cannot be overlooked is the large auditorium/community meeting space. The “Grand Hall” is available for rental and provides a wonderful view of Grand Lake and Pensacola Dam. For much of the year, it also serves as a “classroom” for student groups who come to learn about ecosystems management, hydroelectric power, water and/or electric safety, and the history of the Grand River region.
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