Zink Dam

Completed August 2023

aerial view of Zink Dam area construction

For many years, enjoying the eastern bank of the Arkansas River in Tulsa had been impossible due to safety and flooding concerns. After extraordinary success with the adjacent award-winning Gathering Place riverfront park, its chief architect, Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, was brought in to design a new rapids pool along the bank for white-water activities.

Under the leadership of Crossland Construction as general contractor, and with collaboration with The City of Tulsa and the architects, JONESPLAN concentrated its efforts on enhancing the hillside with a special mix of soils, hundreds of trees, massive limestone boulders and plantings along the walking path that borders the new rapids pool.

Zink Dam’s improvements bring new life to the area, further expanding one of Tulsa’s most loved green spaces and providing a new place for people to experience the best aspects of nature and design.

Lead Design: Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates

Local Architect: LandPlan Consultants

Project Type: Community Spaces, Civil & Environmental  

Size: 

  • 188 trees

  • 520 ground-level plants

  • 447 shrubs

  • 15,000 plugs

Self-Performance: Jonesplan completed 100% of its scope

heavy equipment moving massive boulders
aerial view of Zink Dam area construction
construction worker in safety gear raking around trees
two construction workers in safety gear planting a tree
distant view of Zink Dam construction project along Arkansas River
aerial panoramic view of Zink Dam construction project along Arkansas River
construction crew with shovels working on Zink Dam