BELTON, Texas — On Thursday the United States Army Corps of Engineers announced that unseen and below surface level hazards are now closer to surface level than before on Lake Belton. That spells trouble for people who go out on the lake often and is a drastic change from a year ago.
The management at Frank's Marina told 6 News the water levels a year ago were well above capacity saying they were about 4 or so feet above full capacity. Some local lake goers said last year the entire park was underwater this time last year.
If you go and look now, the beaches look completely different.
"I've seen it way lower before," Bradford Bush, a lake goer who lives walking distance away told me. "But to see the beach like it is now it's surprising."
As a result of the lower water levels, sand flats and sand bars in the water are even more of a problem. People on boats in the area can get stuck on these hazards much easier even though they're more visible. The problem is, they're still incredibly difficult to traverse.
"I take my boat out every once in a while and you do have to kind of watch out," Belton Lake goer Gerrel Williams told me. "I noticed a couple of stumps that are showing out here that haven't been showing in the past and it's always it's always a hazard for boats so you'd have to watch what you're doing."
Although water levels are lower, Artie Johnson, a Belton Lake Ranger, says there's been no shortage of people going out to the lake, and he still encourages the community to get out on the lake and enjoy it safely.
"Come out and have fun at the lake," Johnson said. "Just make sure you're using caution make sure you know the water levels keep up with the weather. Make sure you get a good weather report. So you know when not to be on the water."