Lake Level hits 1115, Boaters Urged to Use Caution

While levels are nowhere near the 1105 level of early 2007, boaters should still exercise caution.

Officials of the Army Corps of Engineers urge boaters, dock owners and visitors at Beaver Lake to take extra safety measures because of the low lake level.  The lake is at elevation 1,115 feet, which is about five feet below top of the conservation pool.

They offer the following tips:

For boaters, some launch ramps may be impaired.  Stay in main river channels, and give the shoreline a wide berth.  Some areas may harbor obstacles just below the surface such as land points, rock formations, tree stumps or other hazards, and shallow spots that are usually deep under water.

Slow down, wear life jackets and use depth finders.  Check with local marinas about trouble spots.  Be especially careful at night.  Boaters are encouraged to stay on the side of the lake with bluffs since water is usually deeper there.  Gradually sloping shorelines can indicate shallow water depth.  A change in water color can indicate a change in depth.  Lighter color often indicates shallower water.

Dock owners should monitor their docks closely and move them as needed to prevent them from being grounded.

Because of the low lake level, the Beaver Project Office has suspended taking shoreline use permit requests for new private docks or modifications to existing private docks.  When lake levels are too high or too low, a proper assessment of the proposed dock site is difficult to achieve.  Rather than risk an improper conclusion, the Project Office defer considering dock requests until the lake level returns to elevation 1,120 feet.