Canyon Lake in Comal County at historically low levels

AUSTIN, Texas - Recent rainfall has done little to get us out of our current drought in Central Texas. 

Right now, Canyon Lake is at historically low levels. That's not just impacting swimmers and boaters, but also the water supply in cities like San Marcos. 

Canyon Lake levels

By the numbers:

Right now, Canyon Lake is just 47.1% full. The water level has dropped consistently since last year, and is now in record territory. 

"So as far as I know, this is the lowest it has been since it filled up after the creation of the dam," said Chris Sager, a park supervisor with WORD of Comal County. 

Officials are worried the drought could get worse as we head into the summer months. 

Impact on water recreation activity

Big picture view:

It's led to all the public boat ramps being closed to motorized boats, causing a ripple effect for businesses that rely on boating. 

It's also made things a bit trickier for swimmers. But places like Canyon Park have made adjustments, like installing a water bridge. 

"We can't really bring the water to people, so we're trying to bring the people to the water. We've created lake access ramps to get down to it," said Sager. 

But at Canyon Park, the hope is that for now, people will enjoy all the things you can do—even if boating isn't one of them. 

"There is water in the lake. There are plenty of recreational activities. We have the opportunity to rent jet skis. We have an opportunity to run paddle boards and kayaks. We have a lot of other things besides just motorized vessels," said Sager. 

Impact on local water supply

What we know:

Aside from recreation, Canyon Lake also plays a major role in the water supply for San Marcos and New Braunfels. 

"It means that we have to definitely be careful and conserve our water resources until this drought breaks," said Jan de la Cruz, conservation coordinator for San Marcos Utilities. 

New Braunfels is currently in Stage 2 water restrictions, while San Marcos has been in Stage 3 since October. 

"That means that you can only use your sprinklers one day every other week. Drip and soaker hoses is allowed once a week," said de la Cruz. "We all love to have a lush green yard, but under these circumstances, that's just not feasible."