Flood damage at Lake Waco Wetlands could take years to fix

But the last few weeks have given the wetlands coordinator a new appreciation of the power of water in a hurry.

A series of floods in the adjacent North Bosque River in recent weeks destroyed boardwalks, picnic tables and other improvements that have helped make the 180-acre preserve at 1752 Eichelberger Crossing Road a destination for nature lovers.

Constructed wetlands upstream of Lake Waco remain covered in several feet of water from the lake's floodwaters, which were still 14.6 feet above normal Friday afternoon after days of releases of 'aggressive water from the dam of the lake. Eichelberger Crossing has been closed this week, blocking normal access to the wetland.

“This is the worst I've ever seen, as far as being the most destructive,” Schell said Thursday. “All my boardwalks are crooked.”

The floating rides came loose from their moorings and ended up in the wrong parts of the marshes. Schell said the segments will require significant repair, and tractors will eventually need to be repositioned once the wetland dries out again. Meanwhile, a viewing platform between two of the wetlands' main cells is gone, and the fate of benches recently installed by an Eagle Scout candidate is uncertain, Schell said.

Roads and trails around the wetlands have suffered from both erosion and siltation, and the pumps that normally divert a portion of the North Bosque River through the wetlands are submerged in water and mud and will likely need major work, he said. Schell.

The wetlands effectively dried up during a prolonged drought in 2022 and 2023, when the North Bosque slowed to a trickle and the pumps were out of service. In late October, floodwaters from a massive storm in the North Bosque watershed filled the lake. The pumps were repaired around the same time, allowing the wetlands to begin returning to normal this spring.

“The wetlands looked beautiful and the pumps were working, and then, boom, it happened,” Schell said. “He's party hungry.”

The North Bosque River had three floods in late April, early May and late May, according to data from the US Geological Survey.

Schell said that in the May 4-5 incident, he received a call from the Waco Lake Manager regarding the rising lake level. He got to the site in time to see waves of stormwater filling wetlands and flooding surrounding roads.

She and wildlife photographer Brian Boyd stood on a viewing platform just below the visitor center and watched snakes swim by, followed by an otter.

Boyd, who visits Lake Waco several times a week, said he has seen many animals displaced by the high water, including snakes and deer.

“Wildlife is coming to all of us,” he said.

Lake Waco in early May rose about 20 feet above its normal level of 462 feet above sea level. It has fluctuated since then as the US Army Corps of Engineers has released water or held back new inflows to protect downstream communities. It peaked again at 18 feet above normal on June 2, then dropped to 14.2 feet by Friday afternoon as the Corps continued to release nearly 8,000 cubic feet of water per second .

Lake Waco Park Ranger Taylor Christian said the corps will continue to assess its parks and roads around the lake as the water level recedes. For now, expect major damage.

He said the worst damage is at the Airport Beach and Airport Park campgrounds, followed by Twin Bridges and Reynolds Creek parks. Speegleville and Midway parks were less affected.

Caravan sites, grills, electrical pedestals and playgrounds have been damaged at several parks. The toilets have been submerged, along with their water heaters and other electrical equipment.

As the roads emerge from the floodwaters, they will need to dry for two weeks before park staff and others can drive on them.

The cost and time to repair the park facilities is still impossible to estimate, but Christian said the lake's 11 employees are an experienced team ready to get the job done.

“We've been through it,” he said. “We are subject matter experts in flood cleanup.”