It's a slow go, and the flood waters have not yet receded from many structures, but Lake Texoma marinas are slowly coming back to life. The goal is to be cleaned-up and opened-up for Labor Day weekend this fall.

The Army Corps of Engineers is predicting Lake Texoma will be at its normal level of 617 feet above sea level by the end of August. If so, that means things should be ready for visitors by the Labor Day weekend, Saturday September 5 - Monday September 7th.

Wouldn't that be awesome?

Authorities are cautioning boaters to use great caution on the lake, even though some ramps are now accessible. It's still very risky because you can't see drop-offs or any submerged debris.

It's very important to remember than rivers feeding into Lake Texoma brought in massive amounts of floating debris, meaning tree limbs and trunks, as well as man-made trash. Stepping into deep water when you don't absolutely know what's there is not wise, even if you're hoping a boatramp is perfectly normal below the surface.

And it's also important to remember that your favorite roads, your quickest, easiest routes to your favorite lake may not be open. KTEN.com reports the following regarding Highway 91 between Oklahoma and Texas:

"The carved out road is currently 256 ft. wide and 23 ft. deep. [picture that for a moment...]

"Making it easy to forget this spectacle is actually a busy highway.

"Folks on both the Oklahoma and Texas side, folks that use this stretch of highway daily, to travel back and forth to work to conduct their businesses, and with school getting ready to start up, it's a vital roadway that we need to get open as quick as possible..."

"As for repairs, they will begin in a few months and won't be completed until at least summer of 2016."

That's just one example of how long it will take for things to get back to some degree of normal.

So, do yourself a favor and call ahead and make sure the marina or restaurant or other establishment you intend to visit in the next few weeks is actually open.

And get ready for a big Labor Day Weekend on Lake Texoma!