Oklahoma tornado causes $13 million in damage to Lake Thunderbird

Heavy damage caused by last week’s tornadoes mean Lake Thunderbird will remain closed, though Oklahoma Tourism Department officials plan to have the lake reopened by Memorial Day weekend.

BY JULIE BISBEE | Published: May 20, 2010 Comment on this article

Multimedia

Photoview all photos

Article Gallery: Oklahoma tornado causes $13 million in damage to Lake Thunderbird

More Info

ALSO ...

Vacation cost for Fido rises

In other business, members of the Tourism Commission approved a fee for pets staying in state cabins.

Beginning May 25, pet owners who stay at state park cabins will pay $10 per day for their animal.

In the past, the fee has been $10 per stay with an animal, said Hardy Watkins, executive director of the state Tourism Department.

Watkins said the fee increase was necessary to offset the cost of cleaning up after pets or repairing damage caused to cabins.

People who have existing reservations will not be charged the fee.

JULIE BISBEE,

Capitol Bureau

Related Venues

Members of the Tourism Commission on Wednesday approved an emergency declaration for the park that sustained major tornado damage.

The declaration allows the department to issue contracts for cleanup, debris removal and reconstruction of structures damaged in the storm.

The state will see a loss of approximately $1.9 million in damage to structures and lost revenue from the May 10 tornado, said Kris Marek, director of state parks.

The twister damaged rest rooms at two campgrounds, camping areas and the Little River Marina on the north side of Lake Thunderbird.

Storm damage also was reported at Lake Tenkiller, Lake Murray, Great Salt Plains, Boiling Springs and Sequoyah Bay state parks.

Page 1 of 2

1 2 Next