County closes two more boat
ramps because of dry conditions
by Crystal Gottfried
Comal County Engineer Tom Hornseth issued a memo to commissioners last week regarding the closing of Canyon Lake Shores and Canyon Lake Village West boat ramps due to dry conditions and the lowered lake level.
The third and fourth of Canyon Lake’s eight county boat ramps were closed on August 10 because the lake elevation had dropped to 903.81 mean sea level (msl).
Boat ramps at Canyon Lake Forest, ramp #5, and Canyon Lake Hills at Astro Hills, ramp #7, closed several weeks ago because of the decreasing lake level.
Canyon Lake Village West Ramp #2 closes when the lake level drops to 903.81 msl and the Canyon Lake Shores Ramp #22 closes at 903.87 msl.
The lake level dipped to 903.63 msl as of Monday, August 14, almost six feet below its normal elevation of 909 feet above sea level.
According to Water Oriented Recreation District Manager Mike Dussere, recreational boaters should still have plenty of fun at Canyon Lake, as long as they boat responsibly.
“There are areas out there with lots of tree stumps, but I have not heard of any significant problems,” he said. “As long as people practice safety and are careful, they can have an enjoyable experience.
The remaining 18 boat ramps are open around the lake. They are managed by the county, private subdivisions, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. On the lake’s south shore, the ramps are numbered one through 10. Cypress Cove ramp #12 is on the lake’s west end while ramps #10 through 22 are along the north shore.
According to USACOE Park Ranger Judy Scott, their boat ramps and swimming beaches are still open.
“Some of the swimming areas inside the boat barriers are getting shallow,” she said. “But, we the parks and docks are still 100 percent open and we hope to keep it that way through the Labor Day holiday. We’re hanging in there, so tell everyone to come on down.”
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