River expected to crest today at Index Bridge
Officials suspect faulty gauge to blame for erratic readings; forecast looking dryer
A faulty gauge could be to blame for fluctuating water level readings on the Red River at Index Bridge, forecasters suspect.
The river jumped a foot to reach 30.8 feet Sunday at Index and then jumped another foot to reach 31.5 feet before falling back to 30.5 on Monday.
Officials believe the extreme change may be inaccurate because of a problem with the gauge, said James Paul, hydrologist with the National Weather Service Arkansas Red Basin River Forecast Center.
“We either had a artificial high or an artificial low. We are investigating that now,” Paul said Monday afternoon.
Forecasters predicted the crest at Index to be Monday but are now expecting it to be today between 31 and 31.5 feet.
“The big thing at Pecan Point is the corps of engineers were able to cut back releases from Hugo Lake and that will help the river go down gradually.
—James Paul, NWS hydrologist
The river at Pecan Point near DeKalb, Texas, increased only slightly Monday. The river climbed three inches Sunday into Monday to reach 34.9 inches—two inches higher than its 1990 crest at 34.4 feet and more than 10 feet above its 24-foot flood stage.
“The big thing at Pecan Point is the corp of engineers were able to cut back releases from Hugo Lake and that will help the river go down gradually. They have been releasing 45,000 cfs (cubic feet per second) and that goes down to 15,000 cfs,” Paul said.
As for Fulton, Ark., the river reached 29.5 feet, more than two feet above its 27-foot flood stage according to NWS.
Fulton is not expected to crest for several days.
Elevation of Lake Texoma remained at 645.6 feet Monday, an inch more than Saturday’s level and the same level as Sunday.
“It’s looking good. It may have made a crest and can then be slowly on its way down,” said Brande Serner, with the U.S. Army Corp of Engineer’s Tulsa Distict.
Releases through both hydropower generators are being made at full capacity (9,000 cfs) according to a report from the U.S. Army Corp of Engineer’s Tulsa District.
A release through three flood conduits is being made at 47,000 cfs total. A release over the spillway is occurring and estimated to be about 86,000 cfs. This release changes with pool elevation.
The release from Lake Texoma, including the generators, flood conduits, and spillway, is about 143,000 cfs. The schedule of releases through hydropower generators and the flood conduits is subject to conditions at Lake Texoma, downstream river stage conditions, and the condition of other reservoirs in the lower Red River basin.
Though flood waters are still an issue, the forecast is looking better and dryer. There is no rain in this week’s forecast according to the National Weather Service in Shreveport.
Today will be partly cloudy with a high temperature of 84 degrees and a low of 65.
Wedensday should be sunny with a high of 86 and a low of 65. Thursday through Saturday should be mostly sunny with highs close to 90 and lows near 70.