Photo caption: A group that rented kayaks from Lucky’s Caddo River Canoe and Kayak gathers before beginning a float trip May 15. Photo: Thomas Kerberskey

A lack of rainfall this summer has left the Caddo River at low levels, limiting canoeing and kayaking since early August and cutting into business for outfitters that are an important part of Glenwood’s growing tourism industry.

Thomas Kerberskey, co-owner of Lucky’s Caddo River Canoe and Kayak Rental, said the business has been closed to floating in that time, except for one weekend after several inches of rain briefly raised the river.

“It’s not uncommon for us to see low water in August. That’s fairly normal,” Kerberskey said. “But to get as low as it has this year — this is 21 years I’ve been doing this, and this is the only year we’ve ever had to close for Labor Day weekend.”

He described this year’s weather pattern as “really odd.”

“It started out dry in the spring, and then we got some water there kind of in the middle,” Kerberskey said. “Then when it quit raining, it dried up, probably about as bad as I’ve ever seen it. I’ve seen it get low in the past, but never this early and last this long.”

The consequences extend beyond the canoe and kayak rental businesses. Visitors who come to float the Caddo also spend money elsewhere in the Glenwood area.

“It definitely affects my pocketbook, and it affects the town,” Kerberskey said. “When people call, or when I post it on Facebook, ‘Hey, we’re closed due to low water levels,’ there’s a lot of revenue that doesn’t come through this town.”

Kerberskey believes changes in the river itself have also made low-water conditions more noticeable.

He began floating the Caddo when he was about 15. Now 53, Kerberskey said considerably more gravel has accumulated in the riverbed than before. He recalled that gravel was once removed from the river for use by local governments and concrete operations.

“The city, the county, even the concrete plant, I reckon, used to get gravel out of the river to use on roads,” he said. “They just don’t do that anymore.”

Kerberskey first worked for Wright Way Canoe Rentals as a teenager, which was the first such business along the Caddo River, before later partnering with Josh Cubbage to open Lucky’s. During that time, he has watched floating become an increasingly important part of the area’s tourism industry.

“I would say it’s definitely grown. It’s a popular thing to do,” Kerberskey said. “We bring a lot of people to this town. In 21 years, I’ve seen it grow quite a bit.”

He recalled the earlier canoe rental operation having about 20 canoes and a handful of kayaks. Lucky’s now has about 60 to 70 canoes available for floating, he said, while tubing has also become increasingly popular.

Labor Day once marked the traditional end of the floating season, but Kerberskey said that has changed as customers continue seeking trips later in the year.

“I normally don’t really ever truly close unless I don’t have water,” he said. After the regular season, customers can call and arrange a float rather than finding the office staffed each day.

“I try to take care of floaters year-round if possible. So as soon as we do get some water, we will open back up.”