City Leaders Plan Drought Contingencies

FORT SMITH, Ark. -- The ongoing drought across the Hometown area has sparked a water shortage for some communities, and now some city leaders are having to come up with plans just in case no rain falls soon.

Fort Smith leaders said their main water supplies are suffering right now.

Both Lake Fort Smith and the Lee Creek reservoir are way below their normal levels, officials said, but city leaders are coming up with alternatives.

"Right now we're projecting that our water supply lakes, with no additional rainfall, have enough water in them to see us through April," said deputy city administrator Ray Gosack.

What if it doesn't rain by April? City leaders said they've got it covered.

"Right now, there's really not a reason for concern," Gosack said. "We are developing contingency plans for lengthening the life of the supplies that we do have."

Those contingencies include tapping into other local water sources and asking residents to conserve. However, nothing beats a good rainfall.

"We're also hopeful that we will get some winter and spring precipitation that will replenish the water supply lakes," he said.

City leaders said they're not at a critical point yet, but they asked Fort Smith residents to keep an eye on how much water they're using because it can make a difference on the supply during times of drought.

Officials added that they don't expect droughts like this in future years because Lake Fort Smith is undergoing construction that will triple its supply capacity.