An ongoing water shortage has forced the temporary closure of Big Bend National Park’s Chisos Mountain Lodge “until further notice,” according to park officials.
In an alert posted last week, the park said the lodge had closed Thursday because of what officials have described as a “critical” water shortage in the Chisos Basin area.
The water crisis began just before Christmas, when pumps at the Chisos Basin’s only water source failed while a back-up pump was away from the park being repaired, according to officials.
“Pump repairs are being expedited, with no timeline for restoration,” last week’s alert said.
Representatives for the national park did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the closure.
In a Facebook post, the lodge – which is operated by the private vendor Aramark – said that said guests with existing reservations through Jan. 28 have been contacted.
“Our reservations team will continue reaching out directly to all impacted guests as we closely monitor the situation daily in coordination with the National Park Service,” the lodge operator said.
The closure comes just months before the planned start of a multi-million dollar project to tear down the lodge and replace it with an entirely new building. That project, still set to begin on May 1, will include water infrastructure upgrades for the Chisos Basin area.
The park’s recent alert said the Chisos Basin campground remains open but without water access, while a nearby camp store and food truck remain open with reduced hours. Restrooms in the basin have also been closed, but officials said portable toilets have been temporarily placed there.
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