Lake Hudson Causing Problems For Residents

Many Northeast Oklahoma lakes are out of their banks. Lake Hulah is highest, more than 20 feet above normal. The News On 6's Emory Bryan reports Lake Hudson is 10 feet above normal and rising, it is forecast to go up at least another foot.

That's causing concern just north of Salina, where it's lapping up against several homes.

Earl Wheeler built his dream home on Lake Hudson.

"It puts a whole new meaning to living on the lake," said Wheeler.

Now he's really on the lake, dealing with his fourth flood in the last year and a half.

"It's disheartening to build your dream home to live on the lake and then have it all wash away," said Wheeler.

Wheeler's half million dollar brick home has water lapping up to the basement. It's not high enough to reach the living space, yet, but it's already caused plenty of damage downstairs and outside, everything is below the waterline.

The water is high and still rising around his house and all of his neighbors in Craig's Cove.

All of the houses in the area were built close to the lake, that's part of the attraction of living on Lake Hudson, but no one ever expected the houses to be that close to the lake.

"Clean up wise, I'll say at least $25,000, easy," said Wheeler.

Wheeler has flood insurance, but says it doesn't cover most of the loss.

With floods coming so often, he's been in the middle of repairs for the last year.

"Is it something that's not being done right, is everything being overbuilt and the lake flooding more, is it the weather, what's doing this?" said Wheeler.

Lake Hudson is between two other lakes and a spokesman for the Corps of Engineers, which is handling releases from the dams, says they strive to balance the three lakes to minimize flooding for all of them.