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Rains raise lake by 15.6 inches
By Barbara Gartman
Monitor Staff Writer
CEDAR CREEK LAKE–Citizens driving the local roads are treated
to a sight that hasn’t been common for a long time – standing water on
fields, in ditches and brimming stock ponds.
Cedar Creek Lake is up by 15.6 inches, reservoir manager Bucky Butler said.
“We need several more rains like the last one we received to bring the lake
up to the full (322 feet) mark,” Butler said.
The Dec. 29 rain event dumped 2.91 inches of rain at the spillway office, he
said.
“Other areas reported higher levels, from Trinidad to north of Mabank, some
up to four inches,” he said.
Before the storm, the lake level was 314.67 feet. Following the rain, the
lake was up to 315.98 feet, Butler explained.
“We are still receiving some runoff from Kings Creek, Cedar Creek and other
watershed areas,” Butler pointed out.
Although the lake is still six feet low, Butler said it is possible to fill
it full by spring.
“We need several rain events, back to back, like we received,” he said.
“We got enough to saturate the ground and to fill stock tanks. This will
mean good runoff from the next rain event,” he explained.
The widespread rains in North and Central Texas all had an affect on the
lake. For instance, in the Fort Worth area, enough rain fell to help their
lakes, such as Lake Arlington.
“We stopped pumping. We are no longer pumping out of Cedar Creek to the Fort
Worth area,” Butler said.
Before the rain, Cedar Creek was supplying 100 million gallons a day to the
Fort Worth area, he said.
Local water supply companies also are looking for future rainfall.
“We can tell the difference (in the lake level). Every little bit helps. But
we still need the lake to come up by several feet,” Tony Jenkins,
maintenance director for the city of Kemp said.
“We were glad to get what we did, but we need a lot more,” James Stroman,
Kemp city administrator said.
“The rains have made it wet, but not enough,” Bill Goheen, general manager
of East Cedar Creek Fresh Water Supply District agreed.
“But, it has put a little comfort zone into our planning going into
emergency pumping strategies for spring,” Goheen added
Although the previous forecast for a warm, wet winter seems to be slipping
away, the weather statisticians are predicting El Niño (the warm water
currents) can bring more rainfall in the spring, Goheen explained.
“We need more rain, but we are still waiting on a dry weather window to
finish up the 300 feet of eight-inch (sewer) line between Bonita Point and
Tamarack before the lake comes back up,” he said.
While everyone is celebrating the exceptional rainfall, Kaufman County
Extension Agent Ralph Davis says not to celebrate too soon.
“It’s still expected to be a drought year,” Davis reminded everyone.
He said Eric Taylor, with the Texas Forestry Service, say statistics show
the area is in the 11th year of a 25 year drought cycle.
“And, if it quits raining in May, it’s going to get a lot drier,” Davis
warned.
But there is some hope. It’s just too early to know the effects on the
spring grass growing season.
Last year, hay prices shot up as production fell sharply. Some farmers and
ranchers were forced to search far and wide for hay.
“We really don’t know yet (how much help the weather will be). We’re still
six to seven inches behind in rainfall. I do think it will help our winter
pastures, especially with some warm weather (70 degree days),” Davis
explained.
“We did fill our tanks. It should help, but we need a lot more rain,” he
said.
Monitor Photo/Barbara Gartman
Standing water in ditches, stockponds and pastures is a
common sight following recent rains. Pictured is a ditch on Farm-to-Market
2613 through the Styx area.
Monitor Photo/Barbara Gartman
Recent rains have filled area stockponds, a welcome sight for those who have
animals to care for. This pond is located on Farm-to-Market 2613.
Furniture store prepares for
move
By Mary Landrie Monitor Correspondant
GUN BARREL CITY–Cedar Creek Lake area residents
will soon have 22,000 more square feet of showroom space to shop for new
furniture.
Terry’s Furniture is preparing to open its new building in Gun Barrel City,
which will replace the existing store located in downtown Mabank.
Terry’s began its inventory reduction sale this weekend, which will continue
through January, to prepare for the move and make way for new merchandise.
“We’re going to probably have the widest variety here on the lake, as far as
different styles, including contemporary, western and formal,” manager
Darrell McSwain said.
With the expansion comes an open floor plan design, furniture styles
featured in the Tyler and Longview locations, as well as a variety that
consumers would usually find in the Dallas area, but with lower prices,
according to McSwain.
Along with the new location, 408 West Main St. in Gun Barrel City, comes new
hours.
The new store will be open seven days a week, with Monday through Saturday
hours being 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.
The re-opening of Terry’s Furniture in its brand-new location is expected
the last week of January or the first part of February.
“I think every one will be surprised how much difference there will be,”
McSwain said. “It’s going to be a really nice store.”
Monitor Photo/Pearl Cantrell
Store Manager Darrell McSwain is eager to open Terry’s new
22,000-square-foot store in Gun Barrel City.
Lakeshore Utility to raise
water and sewer rates Feb. 1
By Mary Landrie
Monitor Correspondent
ATHENS–Rates are rising, effective Thursday, Feb.
1, for residents of the Cedar Creek Lake area that use Lakeshore Utility
Company for water and sewer services.
This is only the second rate increase since 1987, the most recent being in
May, 2000, Lakeshore Utility Company (LUC) pointed out in a Dec. 1 notice.
LUC is attributing the rate change to increases in operating costs and
required additional investment of LUC systems.
The company claims overhead costs, such as electricity and phone service,
and the cost of base materials, such as steel, copper and fuel, have more
than doubled since the last rate increase.
The price of water is expected to increase more than $19 for every 10,000
gallons of water used, and about $30 for every 30,000 gallons used. Sewer
prices also will increase almost $19 on a 10,000-gallon flat rate.
A billing comparison offered in the LUC notice showed an existing $52.33
bill for 10,000 gallons of water would increase to $71.65, while an existing
$132.33 charge for 30,000 gallons of water would increase to $160.65.
Sewer fees would increase from a flat rate of $26.33 per month to a proposed
rate of $45.40.
Miscellaneous fees such as reconnects, transfers, late charges, returned
checks and master test fees will remain the same for water service, but
sewer clients can expect to see a transfer fee of $45 and a returned check
fee of $25, while all other fees remain the same.
Communities that can expect to see an increase for water include:
• In Point La Vista: Point La Vista Court, Clearwater Bay, Pearl Harbor
Estates and Dorchester
• Cedarview Estates Subdivision
• In Esquire Estates II: Esquire Estates II and Rock-N-Roll subdivisions
• In Clear Creek Resort: Clear Creek Resort, Park Harbor, Lake Oaks and
Shadow Ridge
• Lake Vista Village Subdivision
• In Dixie Isle/Oak Hill Park: Dixie Isle, Oak Hill Park, Magnolia Estates,
Christopher’s Ridge, The Fourth Estates, Kings Point, Pete’s Paradise,
Adrian Acres, Moonlight Bay, Idlewood Bay and Windy Acres
• In East Lake Woods: East Lake Woods I, II, III and IV
• The Reserve Subdivision.
Communities that will see an increase for sewer include:
• In Point La Vista: Clearwater Bay, Pearl Harbor Estates, Dorchester, Point
La Vista Court and Clear Point Estates
• In Esquire Estates II: Rock-N-Roll subdivision
Clients are given 91 days after the proposed effective date of Feb. 1, or
Wednesday, May 2, to protest the rate hike to the Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality.
If the commission receives protests to the proposed increases from 10
percent of the ratepayers, or from any affected municipality, before May 2,
a public hearing will be scheduled to determine if the proposed rates are
reasonable. Otherwise, the increase will remain effective.
Protests can be mailed to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality,
Water Supply Division, Utilities and Districts Section MC 153, P.O. Box
13087, Austin, TX 78711.
Copies of the rate change application can be inspected at customers’ local
utility office. |