TEXAS — For years, Canyon Lake has dealt with drought that caused boat ramps and parts of the park to close.
With recent rain events that have bumped up the lake levels a little, officials at Canyon Lake say they are expecting a decent crowd for Memorial Day weekend.
Canyon Lake is nestled in the picturesque Texas Hill Country. It’s a popular spot for fishing and swimming.
“We are currently 8 feet above last year’s numbers,” said Brett Mazey, lake manager for Canyon Lake.
Brett Mazey from the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers said the increase in water is much needed. However, they’re still not out of the woods.
“We’re currently at 886 mean sea level, which is about 23 feet below average. We want the lake to be at 909,” said Mazey.
The catastrophic flooding in the Hill Country last summer is one of the things Mazey said caused the change.
“We had that flood in July of 2025, where we saw a 15 foot increase,” said Mazey.
Ahead of Memorial Day weekend, the flow of visitors continues, with even more expected for the holiday itself.
“We’re seeing a pickup. The month of May, we’ve seen an increase at all of our parks of more activity, with lots of visitors coming,” said Mazey. “I’ve noticed an increase of people from outside the country.”
Mazey said the non-U.S. visitors include those from Germany and Australia.
Looking out in the middle of the lake, the “islands,” as some call them, are still visible. Normally, they would be underwater.
That’s why Mazey said most of the boat ramps continue to be off limits.
“We currently have three boat ramps open. We’re hoping that if we have a 10 to 12 foot increase in water levels, we’ll see more boat ramps start to open up,” said Mazey.
He said he and the other U.S. Army Corp of Engineers who monitor the lake and park areas each day just want to make sure everyone is safe.
“This looks like a trail for people to hike, but this is actually a trail we created with our vehicles so we can pick up trash. This is where the water level would normally be when it’s at conservation pool,” said Mazey.
He even pointed out the black markings on the rocks where the water used to be.
“If people were coming here five years ago, they’d be more up here on the next ledge, enjoying the water jumping in and swimming,” said Mazey.
As water levels continue to rise, more areas will open. Mazey said right now, north park has been turned into a day use park that has become quite popular and will continue to be through the summer months.
“It’s free, so people can come in. There’s picnic tables, fire rings, grills and a nice access to the water,” said Mazey.
One thing park officials ask if that everyone wear a life jacket in the water and keep in mind that jumping from cliffs is not allowed.