Neighbors had a hunch that considerably low water levels in White Rock Lake were caused by more than just a lack of rain. On Thursday, that hunch proved to be true.
Dallas Water Utilities discovered that the spillway was missing “at least one” timber beam, or stoplog, used to regulate water levels, assistant director Randy Payton told the Dallas Morning News. The problem caused four to six inches of water to flow over the spillway and into White Rock Creek.
It was not clear how long the beams had been missing. Dallas Water Utilities director Terry Lowery told the Morning News several other stoplogs appear to be “in rough shape” and will be replaced next week.
Maintenance workers replaced three logs Thursday afternoon, according to the District 9 Facebook page. A permanent repair will be administered through planned maintenance work this fall on the spillway and dam, which is seeping in spots along the base.
Several concerned neighbors called Texas Parks and Wildlife and the office of District 9 City Councilwoman Paula Blackmon to report the low water levels in the days leading up to the discovery. Here’s a shoutout to the folks who kept White Rock Lake from drying up like a small puddle in a drought.
