Business Owners By Joe Pool Lake Hope To Avoid Heavy Rains
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GRAND PRAIRIE (CBSDFW.COM) - The looming rain from a developing gulf storm could play a critical role to the parks and businesses around Joe Pool Lake. Lynn Creek Park is covered in water and could take months to dry out. Only a handful of camping spaces are open in Grand Prairie's Joe Pool Lake parks with most amenities closed meaning a loss of hundreds of thousands of tourist visits.
The parks and marina on the lake are dealing with 13-feet of flood water. Unless there is a massive release of water, it would take until September for water levels to drop to normal and for parks to reopen. Now, imagine there is another heavy rain event. It would take even longer to reopen. Already, the parks expect to lose $1 million.
"We are in enterprise fund just like golf courses and places like that," said Lake Parks Supervisor Bob McGlothlin. "We do not receive any tax money whatsoever. We make it all through the gate. So this hurts pretty bad."
Grand Prairie park workers say if they can just dodge rains from the gulf they might be able to minimize their losses.
"We're a year round operation," McGlothlin said. "So, yeah, I might have to write off the whole summer for some of my parks. But, with the rest of the year coming up we would make a little bit of money the rest of the year."
McGlothlin and business owners hope to avoid heavy rains regionally so the Corps of Engineers can gradually open the flood gates and accelerate lowering the lake.
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