By JAMES BELL
Hays Post
Portions of Wilson Lake will remain closed through July 31 due to heavy precipitation that has caused flood concerns across the state since May.
Due to the conditions around the lake, the Wilson Lake Area Association has postponed the Fourth of July firework display to 9 p.m. Aug. 31, the group announced on Facebook this week.
On Friday, the Army Corps of Engineers listed the lake as 10.83 feet above conservation levels and at an elevation of 1,526 feet.
At that time, the dam was listed as releasing water at a rate of 1,200 cubic feet per second.
While the park at Wilson Lake remains open, many facilities are closed due to the high lake elevation and will remain closed through the end of July, according to the Army Corps of Engineers.
In Lucas Park, sites 1-42 and 51-96, Swim Beach Road, Group Camp and Boat Ramp Road are included in the list of sites closed through July.
In Minooka Park, the A-F loop is closed along with the east and west boat ramps and the swim beach.
The spillway ramp boat ramp and east end of the dam access are also closed.
The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism listed parts of the park as currently closed as well.
“All of Otoe is closed including the four cabins,” according to the KDWPT website.
In Hell Creek, the Lower Switchgrass primitive camping area, swim beach and kids pond, Little Bluestem primitive area, and sites 8-16 in Big Bluestem east and west were listed as closed as well.
They also listed Birdy loop of the Switchgrass Mountain bike trail as under water along with part of the marina loop.
The Indian Grass primitive, Lovegrass group camp, Big Bluestem sites 1-7 and 17-40, Buffalograss primitive, Hell Creek Boat ramp, Side Oats primitive, Wheatgrass east and west, Grama east, Switchgrass mountain bike trail, Marina, Dropseed east, seasonal camp and Marina Cove Toadstools were listed as open by the KDWPT.
In May, the dam received the highest amount recorded since recording keeping began in 1964, 10.83 inches of rain, according to the Corps.
During the drought of 2012, rainfall totaled 13.29 inches for the entire year.