Corps of Engineers Keeping an Eye on Lakes, Levees

Officials with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District, are keeping a 24-hour watch on its 25 lakes in Texas. All Corps lakes are operating as designed and all dams are structurally sound. There are some slides on the levees in the Dallas area. These are not considered serious and do not pose an imminent threat. Repairs are currently being made and the entire levee system is being closely monitored.

The lakes on the Trinity continue to rise. The Corps is not making any releases at the present time except for Ray Roberts and Lewisville Lakes, two projects that have risen into the surcharge pool. Releases are being delayed due to high flows on the main stem of the Trinity River. Rains Tuesday afternoon will hold up flows at Dallas somewhat longer. The flow over the spillway at Lewisville will increase as the Elm Fork watershed drains.

In the Brazos watershed, the high flows from Possum Kingdom Lake have caused the level at Whitney Lake to rise to elevation 556 feet. Whitney is expected to rise to elevation 560 feet (27 feet above normal) by the weekend. The high lake level has forced the closing of several bridges at the upper end of the lake. Currently, there is approximately 32,000 cubic feet per second of floodwater flowing in the Brazos River through the city of Waco due to discharges from Whitney, Waco and Aquilla Lakes. One cubic foot of water is equal to 7.48 gallons so this equates to 14 million gallons of water per minute.

This high flow may continue for several weeks in order to lower these lakes.

For current conditions, call the lake office nearest you or visit http://www.swf-wc.usace.army.mil/drought/drought.htm.

Check out the Fort Worth District Web Site at www.swf.usace.army.mil or Reservoir Control’s Web Site at

http://www.swf-wc.usace.army.mil.