High Waters Force Some Beaches, Campsites To Close For Holiday Weekend

The high waters are forcing some campsites and swimming areas at Oklahoma lakes to be closed for Memorial Day weekend. Most of the boat ramps are remaining open.

At Tall Chief Cove on Skiatook Lake, the rising waters have forced all campsites to be closed for the weekend. The beach is also closed for swimmers but the boating ramp is open.

There are also closures to campsites and swimming areas at both Keystone and Oologah lakes for the holiday. The Grand River Dam Authority will be our monitoring Grand and Hudson lakes, where high waters could cause further headaches.

Things like picnic tables and trash cans that are usually easy to see could now be underwater. There’s also debris that could be floating around.

Memorial Day weekend is the first time back on the water for many people, so officials encourage boaters to take it easy.

"It’s a good time to kind of reacquaint yourself with your boat, boat operation, check your life jackets, make sure they’re still in good shape, no rips or tears or anything like that," said Justin Alberty, a spokesperson for GRDA. "Make sure they fit you securely, your kids securely, your kids may have grown over the winter and it may be time for a new life jacket."

The GRDA also says boaters need to watch out for buoys near dams that are releasing water and make sure not to cross those. Make sure to check for any closures before heading out to your destination.