By Shelley Hazen
Think a giant reservoir can’t be drained like a bathtub? You’d be wrong. In Lake Texoma in Oklahoma, a giant vortex will suck every drop of water into a terrifying black abyss.
The lake is actually being drained by floodgates. Recently, the Army Corps of Engineers opened those gates to lower its level, and therefore, the risk of flooding. Oklahoma and Texas have been overwhelmed by a recent torrent of rain, Business Insider reported.
Lake Texoma is along the border with Texas and is one of the largest reservoirs in the country. It’s filled with overflow from the Denison Dam on the Red River. When its level gets too high, it has to be drained.
Over the past few weeks, it has reached a record high of 646 feet.
“I always compare it to when you fill up your bathtub and then pull the plug. When the water level gets low enough, you’ll see an apparent vortex,” assistant project manager BJ Parkey told ABC News.
The tornado-like, swirling hole is wide at the top and narrow at its tip. The size depends on how much water is released, when, and how wide the floodgates are opened. It can be up to eight feet across.
A video of the vortex in action, posted to YouTube by the Army Corps, said it’s eight in width, but has likely dwindled by now to about three. Apparently, it can be large enough at times to swallow a boat, and for that reason, signs are posted warning boaters not to get too close.
The floodgates will stay open until the Lake Texoma reaches normal levels, likely by the end of July, the Weather Channel added.