<p class="p1">Motorists drive across the Hopewell Bridge in Dry Creek as heavy rains from Wednesday, March 28, 2018 brought Bundick Lake to a major flood stage. (Pamela Sleezer / American Press)</p>Pamela SleezerBeauregard and Vernon Parish Reporter psleezer@americanpress.com
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<p class="p1">Gates at Bundick Lake near Dry Creek were opened late Thursday in anticipation of severe weather forecast to hit the area for the second weekend in a row.

<p class="p1">Officials with the state Department of Transportation and Development opened the lake’s drawdown gate after the National Weather Service forecast the lake would likely reach a 97-foot flood stage during heavy rains expected to hit the area by early Saturday morning.

<p class="p1">The Beauregard Parish Police Jury said that the gates would remain open until the forecast water levels fall beneath the flood stage.

<p class="p1">Thursday’s forecast from the weather service predicted the parish could see between 3 and 4 inches of rain, and local Director of Emergency Preparedness Glen Mears said that the still saturated grounds from last weekend could make for more flash flooding.

<p class="p1">“Anyone who lives near water needs to keep a very close eye on the (lake) levels. It could rise very fast,” Mears stated.

<p class="p1">Mears encouraged motorists to remain off of roadways at nighttime, saying that the darkness could make it difficult to judge the depth of water covering the roads, and thus travel much more treacherous.  

<p class="p1">Toledo Bend’s reservoir gates remain open, with five gates open at 1 foot each as of Thursday evening. Thursday marked the 48th day that the gates have remained open during a significantly wet season.

<p class="p1">Mears said that with more rain expected to fall just north of the dam, the gates could remain open for a longer period.