After weeks of flooding-related closures, Lake Monroe is beginning to reopen popular visitor areas as water levels recede. As of Aug. 7, the lake stands at 546 feet — around eight feet above its normal pool level — with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers releasing 2,000 cubic feet of water per second every day.
Activity center reopens Friday
The Paynetown Activity Center will welcome guests for the first time this year starting Friday, Aug. 8, with hours from 1 to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
Marina, some docks now accessible
At Paynetown Marina, the parking lot is open, the shuttle boat for buoys is back in its normal location, and two of the three docks are now accessible. The third dock should be above water and dry by Saturday, Aug. 9, however, no gas is available.
Shelters are open in Fairfax, Paynetown areas
Nearby, the Lakeview, Twin Oaks and Paynetown shelters are available on a first-come, first-served basis, although visitors should expect residual mud both inside and around them.
Cutright main boat ramp remains closed
Some areas remain closed or partially blocked until further notice. The main ramp at Cutright State Recreation Area (SRA) is still underwater but may be usable by Sunday, Aug. 10; until then the high water ramp will remain open. Several trails, fishing piers and campsites are still impacted by flooding while beaches at both Paynetown and Fairfax SRAs closed until at least Aug. 18. Portions of McGowan and Friendship roads near the lake remain closed.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had originally predicted that Lake Monroe’s water levels could return to the normal summer pool level of 538 feet by Aug. 21, provided that weather conditions remain stable and there are no additional disruptions.
Where to find the latest water levels
Visitors can find data for the current water levels on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) website, water.noaa.gov/gauges/moni3, and are encouraged to check for the latest updates through either the DNR website, https://tinyurl.com/5n8v7zk4, or the Lake Monroe Facebook page before making any plans.
Contact Ayzah Khan at AKhan@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Activity center, some marinas, docks reopen at Lake Monroe after flooding
Reporting by Ayzah Khan, The Herald-Times / The Herald-Times
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
