First Uncontrolled Spill From Lake Lewisville In 8 Years Is Possible

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DENTON COUNTY(CBS11) - For the first time in eight years, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is preparing for an uncontrolled spill from Lake Lewisville into the Trinity River.

Rob Jordan, the Lake Manager of Lake Lewisville and Lake Ray Roberts says it could happen within the week. "In a situation like this, more water is going into the lake than what we can release through our outlets. Therefore, it's having to go across the uncontrolled spillway."

If that happens, it would be only the seventh time since Lewisville Dam was built in the 1950's.
All of the rain has raised the water level at Lake Lewisville and most other lakes across North Texas.

Lake Lewisville is eight feet above conservation pool.

Jordan says, "It is a big deal, the last time we saw water this high in Lewisville Lake was 2007."

As a result, the Corps of Engineers began a large controlled release of water from Lake Lewisville earlier this week.

It's sending 6,400 cubic feet of water per second into the Trinity River, which Jordan says is about the equivalent of two backyard swimming pools every second.

Jordan says, "We don't foresee anyone to be in any immediate danger. We don't expect it to be a major event."

Two golf courses in Carrollton, the Coyote Ridge Golf Club and the Indian Creek Golf Course, which are downstream along the Trinity River, have already had parts shut down.

They're under water after the controlled releases from Lake Lewisville.  More water could be on the way at the golf courses after an uncontrolled spill.

Earlier this week, the Trinity River near downtown Dallas rose to nearly the same level as eight years ago.

If there's an uncontrolled spill from Lake Lewisville, the water level in the Trinity could rise again near downtown. But Jordan says, "It would take quite some time for the flow to cause an impact because when it first starts spilling over, it's going to be a smaller amount of water. The lake would have to come up substantially to become a problem downstream."
The Corps of Engineers says its flood control system is working as designed and that it's monitoring the situation around the clock.

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