Kaw Lake Campground Cleaning Storm Debris Ahead Of Busy Weekend

Park employees and volunteers are working hard to get the Coon Creek campground cleaned up at Kaw Lake near Ponca City. The clock is ticking since a big camping weekend is quickly approaching.

Across the campground, trees and limbs are scattered, tin shelters and picnic tables will need to be replaced, and there is even an overturned dock and camper.

“Our full-time staff is all here; we’ve got a few volunteers that stay at the lake and work at the lake,” said Peat Robinson, lake manager. “We’ve got some folks from Keystone.”

Robinson says there is an urgency to get everything in shape, with a busy weekend quickly approaching.

“You know we have people that have reservations coming in,” said Robinson. “We’re trying to get it ready for the weekend. It kind of depends on how things go. Hopefully, we’ll get there, but it may not happen this weekend.”

Even if the roads get cleared, Robinson says there could be issues with utilities and plumbing that may take longer to fix. In his nine years of managing the lake, he cannot remember a storm this bad.

“As far as wind storms, it’s more significant,” he said. 

Despite heavy rainfall from the storms, Robinson says water levels are manageable.