Glenwood Community Watches River Levels Run Canoes and Commerce Aground
By: Marci Manley, KARK 4 News
Updated: November 16, 2012
"There's a lot at stake," she said, looking out around the river bend.
When your livelihood relies on a river like Gayla Claborn, low flowing waters can leave you feeling stranded in mid-stream without a paddle.
"We're actually working other jobs to try and survive," she said. "My husband is heading to South Dakota to work on an oil rig.
The Caddo River has begun to widen. Because state law prohibits debris and gravel from being dredged from waterways by private citizens. And those who live near the Caddo River say that's left the current to cut into the banks.
It's led to property owners dealing with abnormal flooding, and canoe rental businesses like Claborn's struggling to stay afloat.
"What's going to happen? Is it going to rain. When are ya'll going to do something? The customers keep calling and want to float, but we don't know what to tell them," she said. "It's scary. We thought last year's drastic drop in levels was a fluke. We've invested our entire life savings into this business."
In the past the river was full of areas where floaters could have slid right on through, in waters that were waist deep. But that's just not the case anymore.
The current slow flow of customers is felt by the entire community.
"Most people don't think about it, but those people come here. They buy gas, buy food in our restaurants," said Glenwood Mayor Ron Martin. "It's a huge loss when you have businesses see a 50 percent decrease in their customers."
With 200 jobs lost when the saw mill closed, Glenwood's tourism can't afford to take a hit.
"If we dont have that revenue stream coming in -- we're going to have to cut somewhere else, the things we give our citizens," Martin said.
And like ripples in the water, they all believe the effects will eventually be felt downstream.
"This is a tributary of Lake DeGray. So the potential over a long period of time is all along the watershed," Martin said.
In the short term, owners like Claborn wonder what will become of their life's work.
"We can't do another year like the last two years. We're really at that critical point," she said.
Not sure if they will stay afloat or run aground. That's why they're requesting input from state agencies and experts on river flow, to find the best solution to steering the river back to its right direction.
"We want the people that are good at this to come in and help," Claborn said.
According to city officials, commissioners from Arkansas Game and Fish, political representatives, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have all committed to attending a round table in the spring to discuss the issue and try to find solutions.
When your livelihood relies on a river like Gayla Claborn, low flowing waters can leave you feeling stranded in mid-stream without a paddle.
"We're actually working other jobs to try and survive," she said. "My husband is heading to South Dakota to work on an oil rig.
The Caddo River has begun to widen. Because state law prohibits debris and gravel from being dredged from waterways by private citizens. And those who live near the Caddo River say that's left the current to cut into the banks.
It's led to property owners dealing with abnormal flooding, and canoe rental businesses like Claborn's struggling to stay afloat.
"What's going to happen? Is it going to rain. When are ya'll going to do something? The customers keep calling and want to float, but we don't know what to tell them," she said. "It's scary. We thought last year's drastic drop in levels was a fluke. We've invested our entire life savings into this business."
In the past the river was full of areas where floaters could have slid right on through, in waters that were waist deep. But that's just not the case anymore.
The current slow flow of customers is felt by the entire community.
"Most people don't think about it, but those people come here. They buy gas, buy food in our restaurants," said Glenwood Mayor Ron Martin. "It's a huge loss when you have businesses see a 50 percent decrease in their customers."
With 200 jobs lost when the saw mill closed, Glenwood's tourism can't afford to take a hit.
"If we dont have that revenue stream coming in -- we're going to have to cut somewhere else, the things we give our citizens," Martin said.
And like ripples in the water, they all believe the effects will eventually be felt downstream.
"This is a tributary of Lake DeGray. So the potential over a long period of time is all along the watershed," Martin said.
In the short term, owners like Claborn wonder what will become of their life's work.
"We can't do another year like the last two years. We're really at that critical point," she said.
Not sure if they will stay afloat or run aground. That's why they're requesting input from state agencies and experts on river flow, to find the best solution to steering the river back to its right direction.
"We want the people that are good at this to come in and help," Claborn said.
According to city officials, commissioners from Arkansas Game and Fish, political representatives, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have all committed to attending a round table in the spring to discuss the issue and try to find solutions.
