Dock builders for Grand Lake O' the Cherokees

How it works

1. Call or send a request

   Tell us where on the lake you are and what the project is.

2. We connect you

   We pass it to an independent dock contractor that builds on Grand Lake.

3. They call you back

   They visit your shoreline, help with the GRDA paperwork and quote you directly.

Who uses this service?

Owners of lake homes, cabins and lots on Grand Lake O' the Cherokees in northeast Oklahoma: around Grove on the east side, near Ketchum on the lake's western arms, and at Langley and Disney on either end of Pensacola Dam. If you're putting in your first dock, replacing one that has seen too many summers, adding a lift, moving a dock to a better spot or redoing the walking surface, we connect you with a contractor who already works under the lake's permit rules.

What makes Grand Lake different for dock work?

Grand Lake is not a Corps of Engineers lake. It was formed by Pensacola Dam on the Grand River, completed in 1940, and it is run by the Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA), a state agency created in 1935. GRDA says the lake covers 46,500 surface acres, and its shoreline winds for well over a thousand miles through Delaware, Ottawa, Mayes and Craig counties. GRDA, not a federal office, issues the permit for every private dock, and its rules shape how far a dock can reach, how it floats, how it's anchored and how it's wired. Our Grand Lake dock permit guide walks through those rules with links to GRDA's own forms.

What kinds of dock projects do owners call about?

• New floating docks with one or more slips, a swim or sitting area and a walkway to shore.
• Boat lifts and PWC lifts added to a new or existing dock.
• Dock repair: replacing worn flotation, fixing frames, cables and anchors, and tidying up wiring.
• Dock relocation: moving a dock to deeper water, a new lot, or a better spot on the same lot.
• Decking: tearing off tired boards and putting down new wood, composite or aluminum surfaces.

Do I need a GRDA permit for a dock?

Yes. GRDA's private dock application says a permit is required for each residential dock, and no dock may be installed until the applicant has a GRDA approval letter. The application asks for scaled drawings, the deed showing you own the adjoining land, and a stamped survey by an Oklahoma licensed land surveyor that shows your property line and GRDA's taking line. After the dock goes in, you notify GRDA that installation is complete. A contractor familiar with the lake can usually prepare the drawings and point you to a surveyor, but the application is yours.

How big can a dock be on Grand Lake?

GRDA limits reach rather than setting one maximum size. Its application says no dock may extend more than one third of the way across the cove, measured from the 745-foot Pensacola Datum line, and a dock can't reach farther than needed for adequate water depth. A residential dock may hold ten or fewer watercraft, and the dock edge has to stay at least 5 feet from your property line. Narrow coves and tight lots are where these limits bite, so a builder will often measure before sketching anything.

What does GRDA require for flotation and wiring?

Flotation has to be commercially made for marine use, and new construction may not use bare white foam. Foam must be fully encased, and GRDA lists minimum shell thicknesses for encapsulated floats. Docks need white or amber lights on their outer corners from sunset to sunrise. If the dock is wired, GRDA wants a labeled disconnect above the high water mark, no submersible pumps in the water, and a certificate from an Oklahoma licensed electrical contractor whenever a dock is built, modified, relocated or transferred.

When is a good time to plan dock work?

The permit comes before the build, and the survey, drawings and GRDA review all take time. Owners who want a dock ready for Memorial Day weekend generally start the conversation over the fall and winter. Lake levels on Grand Lake also shift with the seasons and with floodwater releases, so a builder will want to understand how your cove behaves when the water is up and when it's down before settling on a design.

What does a new dock cost?

It depends on the number of slips, the frame and decking materials, the flotation, whether there's a roof, lifts, lighting and power, how deep the water is off your lot and how materials get to the site. The contractor you're connected with looks at all of that and gives you a written quote. We don't set prices.

Are you a dock company?

No. Grand Lake Dock Builders is a referral service. We connect you with an independent dock contractor that serves Grand Lake, and that contractor designs, quotes, builds and stands behind the work. Before you sign anything, read our tips for choosing a dock builder.

Areas we cover

• Grove
• Ketchum
• Langley
• Disney

Planning ahead? Read our Grand Lake dock permit guide.