By Larry Briscoe
Correspondent
Lake Tawakoni received a much-needed boost Thursday from heavy rains. The downfall also caused flooding of homes and contributed to at least one accident.
Rainfall measurements varied by location but apparently were heaviest in Quinlan. The official reading at Majors Field between Quinlan and Greenville was 5.54 inches. That amount fell from 9:15 a.m. Thursday to 7:55 p.m. The heaviest rain was during two-and-a-half-hour period from 11:35 a.m. to 1:55 p.m. when 3.6 inches was recorded.
Joyce and Bill Forbis had a 4.64-inch reading at their gauge in West Tawakoni. Others reported six-inch amounts.
The lake reached a low level of 427.25 at 10:15 a.m. Thursday before rising to a high of 429.35 at 9:30 a.m. on Monday.
The 427.25 reading was 10.25 feet below Tawakoni’s full-pool elevation of 437.5 when water begins to fall across the spillway and 2.29 feet above the all-time low.
The Quinlan-Tawakoni area was under a flood watch Tuesday afternoon and night, but the expected storm dissipated before it reached the area. Additional rain did fall and measured 2.08 inches from 4:55 to 11:55 p.m., but the lake elevation remained at 429.47 at press time Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. However, the weather forecast called for 80 percent chance of rain for Tuesday night.
The extended drought of 2006 took Lake Tawakoni down even more. The all-time low reading of 424.96 was reached on Dec. 24, 2006 — 12.54 feet below full pool.
During that drought, water did not fall over the spillway from March 9, 2005, until June 28, 2007. A new low reading was recorded with each successive reading after Aug. 2006 when the previous low was matched of 428.58. That record low was first set Oct. 20, 1996. The all-time high elevation recording was taken May 1, 1966, at 442.50.
In addition to road closings, water flooded homes in Quinlan and Tawakoni areas. Leaves and brush debris blocked drainage ditches and clogged sewer drains.
Quinlan Independent School District Police Department reported on its website, “Today (Thursday) during ‘B’ lunch, the roof in the FHS cafeteria suffered a rupture and water from the storm began rushing in uncontrollably. The force of the water was so severe that pieces of the ceiling tiles began falling. In the best interests of student safety, the students were immediately evacuated from the cafeteria and returned to their classrooms. At this time, the cafeteria is still unusable, but FHS staff is serving students lunches inside their classrooms. We apologize for the inconvenience and the delay, but we will ensure that all students are afforded an opportunity to eat lunch and will not be allowed to return to common areas until it is safe to do so.”
A woman and her young son apparently escaped serious injury Thursday evening when the car she was driving hit high water on State Highway 276 in West Tawakoni near Penny Mart, according to West Tawakoni Officer Jordan Ottwell.
Kelley Phennel, 32, of Garland was the driver
Ottwell said bystanders reported the car overturned multiple times before coming to rest against a bank of electrical transformers. The vehicle came to rest across the ditch full of flood water, and rain continued to fall after the wreck. Phennel and her son were checked by AMR Ambulance personnel at the scene.
West Tawakoni Volunteer Fire Department and Quinlan Police Department also responded to the call at 6:29 p.m.