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High water closes Kerr Lake campsites

About a third of the campsites at Kerr Lake are flooded because of an above-normal lake level, a state parks and recreation official said Tuesday.

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HENDERSON, N.C. — About a third of the campsites at Kerr Lake are flooded because of an above-normal lake level, a state parks and recreation official said Tuesday.

The water level there was about 306 feet on Monday, 4 feet above normal, Bryce Fleming, superintendent of the Kerr Lake State Recreation Area, said.

And that is bad news for the state park with the upcoming Memorial Day weekend. Fleming said the park would lose an estimated $10,000 in revenue.

The high waters affect 196 of the 646 camping sites. At many sites, picnic tables are partially covered in water and fish were swimming around them.

Visitors able to camp at the lake said the flooding has also been an inconvenience to them. Boat ramps are also closed, and they are having to drive to ramps farther away to get on the lake.

Campers said they expected the water levels to be high, but didn't expect them to be like they are.

High gas prices could also deter some people who live farther away from visiting the lake this weekend, but Fleming said the cost also could draw some local visitors who don't want to travel too far.

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