jpmorgan37
Well-known member
This is Belton Lake where we were Workampers for the last two winters. As of this morning, it was 34.4 feet above normal. Stillhouse Hollow Lake is 41 feet above normal.
Bell county lake parks and boat ramps won’t reopen until fall
Watch Video Updated: Jul 12, 2007 6:51pm
Boat ramps and parks at area Army Corps of Engineer lakes may not open until at least the end of September.
The Corps said assessing the damage from the flooding is whole different issue.
Usually this time of year, lakes would be bustling with people, but flooding closed all the parks, campgrounds and all but one boat ramp at Lake Belton.
Now the Corps of Engineers is watching levels around the clock.
After months of increasing water levels, Stillhouse Hollow Lake is ever so slowly starting to go down, but it's about two feet below capacity level; dangerously close to going over the spillways.
The Army Corps of Engineers is releasing water as fast as it can, but it could be as late as fall before the all extra water is gone.
"And of course we have to assess damage, begin making repairs. I’m afraid recreation season on both lakes going to be shot at this point," Dan Thomasson with Army Corps of Engineers said.
Belton Lake is also about two feet below the spillway, and the Corps believes it will continue to rise during the next three days before it eventually recedes.
"We’re still seeing some inflow on Belton because of rain that happened in Gatesville, Hamilton area. It takes a few days for the water flow through," Thomasson added.
The Corps estimates it will lose between $800,000 to $900,000 in revenue due to closed parks and campgrounds at both Bell County lakes.
Even though facilities are shut down and water is high, residents like Ruth Pflum who have lived near Still House for more than 25 years has seen the levels close to her home before, and knows it will pass.
"I am not worried, because it didn't come in during the 1990s. It went over the spillways," Pflum said.
Belton Lakeview is the only boat ramp at either of the lakes opened right now; it's located on FM 439.
Bell county lake parks and boat ramps won’t reopen until fall
Boat ramps and parks at area Army Corps of Engineer lakes may not open until at least the end of September.
The Corps said assessing the damage from the flooding is whole different issue.
Usually this time of year, lakes would be bustling with people, but flooding closed all the parks, campgrounds and all but one boat ramp at Lake Belton.
Now the Corps of Engineers is watching levels around the clock.
After months of increasing water levels, Stillhouse Hollow Lake is ever so slowly starting to go down, but it's about two feet below capacity level; dangerously close to going over the spillways.
The Army Corps of Engineers is releasing water as fast as it can, but it could be as late as fall before the all extra water is gone.
"And of course we have to assess damage, begin making repairs. I’m afraid recreation season on both lakes going to be shot at this point," Dan Thomasson with Army Corps of Engineers said.
Belton Lake is also about two feet below the spillway, and the Corps believes it will continue to rise during the next three days before it eventually recedes.
"We’re still seeing some inflow on Belton because of rain that happened in Gatesville, Hamilton area. It takes a few days for the water flow through," Thomasson added.
The Corps estimates it will lose between $800,000 to $900,000 in revenue due to closed parks and campgrounds at both Bell County lakes.
Even though facilities are shut down and water is high, residents like Ruth Pflum who have lived near Still House for more than 25 years has seen the levels close to her home before, and knows it will pass.
"I am not worried, because it didn't come in during the 1990s. It went over the spillways," Pflum said.
Belton Lakeview is the only boat ramp at either of the lakes opened right now; it's located on FM 439.