Posted: Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:47 AM - 9,281 Readers
By: Bill Hanna
Docks belonging to lake residents sit high and dry on Lake Weatherford near Whte Settlement Road on the east side of the lake. The water level at Lake Weatherford had dropped dramatically back in March.photo by Paul MoseleyThe heavy rains have done more than turn your yard green.
The Tarrant Regional Water District’s lakes are now 98 percent full, the highest since June 2008.
Full reservoirs mean the district, which provides water to 11 counties, is in good shape to withstand a prolonged drought, said David Marshall, engineering services director.
"It means we have several years of water supply," Marshall said.
Full lakes also save the district about $30,000 a month, the cost of pumping in water from Richland Chambers and Cedar Creek reservoirs.
Last year, the district spent about $18 million to pump water from East Texas. And in the drought year of 2006, it cost the district a record $26 million.
"A month ago we were still filling Benbrook [Lake], Eagle Mountain [Lake] and Lake Arlington," Marshall said. "We always have to pump, but right now we are pumping much shorter distances."
This October is already the seventh-wettest on record, with 7.95 inches, still far short of the wettest October, 14.18 inches in 1981. But a little more rain could surpass 1919’s 9.44 inches, the second-wettest on record.
Since Sept. 1, Dallas/Fort Worth Airport has recorded 14.47 inches of rainfall, 8.42 inches above normal. In the same period last year, D/FW recorded 3.13 inches.
The one reservoir that is not close to full is Lake Bridgeport, which is still 8.77 feet below normal. Historically, it is the most difficult lake to fill, but Marshall expects all the area lakes to fill because of a strong El Niño this winter. El Niño, caused by the warming of sea-surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean off of South America, typically means more rain for Texas.
"The signal with El Niño is wetter in late fall and winter," said National Weather Service meteorologist Jason Dunn. "This October, the pattern has been there."
But full lakes heading into spring could be too much of a good thing, increasing the likelihood of flooding.
"That is the flip side," Marshall said. "We’ve all dusted off the cobwebs and gone through flood control training. Flooding requires more vigilance."
The worst flooding on Eagle Mountain Lake was in 1990, affecting about 200 residences. At the time, some residents blamed the water district, contending that water was not released quickly enough from the spillway. But the district said it couldn’t prevent the heavy rain from flooding houses.
Elsewhere across the state, drought conditions have improved.
But several Central Texas lakes remain low.
Lake Travis, outside of Austin, is at 51 percent of capacity. Lake Buchanan, near Lampasas, is at 47 percent, and Canyon Lake, near New Braunfels, is at 75 percent.
LAKE LEVELSBenbrook Lake: 5.90 feet above full
Lake Arlington: 2.08 feet above full
Richland Chambers Reservoir: 1.46 feet above full
Eagle Mountain Lake: 0.80 feet below full
Lake Bridgeport: 8.77 feet below full
Source: U.S. Geological Service
