By Associated Press
Anniston, AL – Cheaha Resort State Park is trying to stay open with the recent drought drying up the water supply.
For nearly a week, the park has trucked in 40-thousand gallons of water a day from Heflin. Thirty campsites in the lower campground have been closed, along with two bathrooms and one shower house.
Portable toilets have been installed in some areas.
The park restaurant has switched to disposable dishes and plasticware, and reduced daily water usage by 90 percent.
Park Superintendent David Odom said Cheaha's water usually comes from seven wells around the park. But the Southeast's worst drought on record left the 300-thousand-gallon tanks completely empty early last week.
The park was to stop bringing in the water today, trying to make do with its water reserves.
Importing water is costing 15-thousand dollars total. It's the first time Cheaha has had to do that during a drought since 1998.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)