Fort Worth

Fort Worth Residents, City Workers Prepare for Bill's Impact

Area lakes could rise and threaten homes again

Water officials and emergency crews are keeping a close eye on what Tropical Storm Bill may bring to Tarrant County and Fort Worth.

The city of Fort Worth says, that as of Tuesday afternoon, its Emergency Operations Center was not activated, but EOC employees were monitoring the situation.

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"When you're talking about bringing on extra firefighters or extra police officers to mobilize and put them on the street, we will have the people here who will have the authority to activate those individuals and get them moving," said Eric Carter, with the Fort Worth Emergency Operations Center.

Some city workers went home with city vehicles on Tuesday, equipped with barricades and sandbags in the event of overnight flooding.

"After hours we strategically send vehicles home with employees around town to be able to respond quickly as needed," said stormwater superintendent Juan Cadena, in an e-mailed statement.

Work crews spent the day Tuesday doing daily activities, but will be ready if they're called upon.

The Fort Worth Fire Department, meanwhile, will double its dive teams on-duty for Wednesday morning. The department typically has two teams working daily, one on the west side of town and the other on the east side. On Wednesday they'll add teams to the north and south sides as well, in case Tropical Storm Bill causes problems.

The department also contributed resources to Texas Task Force One, which deployed to Central Texas for possible flooding.

Despite some light rain and a much bigger storm on the horizon, several boaters and fisherman couldn't stay away from Eagle Mountain Lake Tuesday afternoon.

The Tarrant Regional Water District says it's possible homes threatened by high lake levels two weeks ago could be threatened again depending on where, how much and how quickly additional rain falls.

For those working near the spillway, like David Cathey, they know exactly what could spell trouble for them.

North Texas city officials are being proactive, placing barricades and closing flood-prone streets, in preparation for rain from Tropical Storm Bill.

"Depending on where it comes from, if it hits up north around Bridgeport and Chico, it could basically raise this up probably another foot, foot-and-a-half," Cathey said.

By the time the lake crested two weeks ago, the bait shop dock where Cathey works was covered with six inches of water.

"I'm hoping it does not happen like that again," Cathey said.

Residents near Pelican Bay on the west side of the lake are also keeping a close eye on the rainfall. Water has receded a great deal since at least two homes saw water lapping at their walls.

With several inches of rain from Tropical Storm Bill expected, authorities say they’re preparing for rising lake levels.

Those living and working along the lake do have some concerns.

"There can be a concern depending on how much debris and stuff like that," Cathey said.

However, no one is stressing out about the tropical storm's arrival, saying it's a part of life on the lake and that they'll deal with whatever Mother Nature brings.

"If it happens, it happens, but this is Texas, you never know what's going to happen," Cathey said.

TRWD engineers and experts will monitor levels at Lake Bridgeport, Eagle Mountain Lake and Lake Worth from it's 24-hour "war room."

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