MCLENNAN COUNTY, TX — There's rain headed our way that could cause some trouble for people who plan on visiting the parks around Lake Waco for Mother's Day.
Airport Park reopened on May 1 after being closed for nearly a year due to flood damage.
Kayla Escobar was quick to pack up her camper and spend Cinco De Mayo weekend there with her family.
"We're outdoors people," Escobar said. "My husband loves to fish. I love to be by the water, enjoy listening to it."
Her 3-year-old daughter and two dogs also tagged along for some fun by the water.
"We come here at least twice a month," Escobar said. "We've been doing this for four years."
But the park has changed a bit since July 2018 when it was closed for repairs.
"It does look a little bit different," Escobar said. "I was telling my husband there's a lot of debris. You can see where the water came up on the road last time."
Escobar added that a tree they usually fish under is now submerged in water. The only way to get there is by boat.
Heath McLane is the Lake Waco Manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He said his team has spent several months clearing debris, fixing facilities and laying rip raps around the park to help with erosion.
"Our facilities start to go underwater at about 10 feet high," McLane said. "We're currently sitting at 467.8 which is about five-and-a-half feet high."
McLane said the lake was created for flood control, so it's a constant cycle of flooding and cleaning up on their end.
"We've went through 10 floods now of over 10 feet in the last three years," McLane said. "Unfortunately my staff is getting really good at operating our flood plan."
McLane said a few days of rain can cause problems that take years to fix due to manpower and funding.
There's just seven people on his staff, but dedicated volunteers usually step up to help as well.
"We're going to continue to fix shelters and continue to fix restrooms," McLane said. "We want our visiting public to enjoy the lake and enjoy the parks."
The downside for visitors like Escobar is they have to miss out on the camp grounds while repairs are being made.
She may not be able to come back for a week or even another year, so for now she's enjoying the last day of her vacation.
"Just being out here, it's peaceful," Escobar said.
McLane said Lacy Point and Flat Rock Park are still closed from previous flood damage. The boat ramp at Midway Park is also closed.
He said as long as it doesn't flood again in the next few days, they should reopen in the next couple of weeks.
If you're interesting in volunteering with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, you can call their office at 254-756-5359.
