Rain Floods Over Spillway

Lake Tawakoni’s elevation was on course to flow two feet over the spillway by press time Tuesday night.

The elevation at 10:45 p.m. was recorded at 439.29, the highest elevation reading in recent years. The full pool elevation of Tawakoni is 437.5.

Heavy rains over the past week fell across the area that was already soaked from earlier rain events.

Events were postponed or canceled including the Lake Tawakoni Regional Chamber of Commerce golf tournament. The 18th Annual Columbus Day Golf Classic had been scheduled for Monday at Tawakoni Golf Club but was postponed, according to Executive Director Cindy Johnson, until Monday, Nov. 2.

The sixth annual Daggerboard Regatta was held Saturday and Sunday and managed to squeeze in all scheduled races in-between rains.

The National Weather Service issued flood watches and warnings throughout the week for the area including the South Fork of the Sabine River southwest of Quinlan. The weather service stated Tuesday morning that one to two inches of rain had fallen and an additional two to three inches was possible before night. That was on top of earlier rains.

Water rescues were reported underway early Tuesday near Terrell. Water filled ditches locally and flowed into roads in some cases.

The elevation Tuesday night of Lake Tawakoni 439.29 contrasts with the all-time high record of 442.50 set on May 1, 1966.

The all-time low elevation was set Dec. 24, 2006, with a reading of 424.96, more than 12 and a half feet below the full pool level.