High water levels causing boat ramp, other closures at North Texas lakes
NORTH TEXAS – Before you head out to the lake this Memorial Day Weekend, be aware your favorite picnic spot or boat ramp could be closed.
High water levels have forced several North Texas cities to temporarily shut down waterfront parks and amenities.
Currently, Grapevine Lake is nearly nine feet above its typical level.
The City of Grapevine has temporarily closed two popular waterfront parks – Meadowmere and Lakeview – and all but two boat ramps.
"I'm absolutely in shock about how high the water is," said Lauren Marciniak, who lives in Grapevine and walks her dog along the lake every week.
At the waterfront spots that are still open, some picnic tables and grills are under water.
"I do think that people, even though the lake levels are really high, will find a way to enjoy it," Marciniak said.
The high water wasn't going to stop Leah Jorgenson from bringing her granddaughters out to the lake Friday.
"We come out here every summer," she said.
Even without a beach to sit on, they'll probably be back again on Memorial Day too.
"Going to be a lot of crowds, and people are going to be surprised at how much water there is," said Jorgenson.
The City of Grapevine expects anywhere from 5,000 to 10,000 people at the lake this Memorial Day weekend.
The biggest worry is safety. High water creates hazardous conditions for both swimmers and boaters since there could be things that aren't normally underwater people could hit.
"We can't stress enough to wear a life jacket, even if you know how to swim," said Mona Quintanilla, with the City of Grapevine.
Limited parking and boat ramp access could create problems as well.
"There will be a lot of people trying to get in and a lot of people jamming up trying to get out," Quintanilla said. "So we want everyone to exercise patience and be kind to one another."
Grapevine Lake isn't the only North Texas lake dealing with the high water level.
Lake Lewisville is more than three feet above normal right now. The swim beach at Lake Park is closed, along with all boat ramps and courtesy docks.
