TEXAS — Lakes affected by the flooding in July are now fuller than they have been in years, like Canyon Lake.
Taking a walk down to the water at Canyon Lake looks different from when it did back in May, when Spectrum News last talked to Brett Mazey with the Army Corps of Engineers.
“Yeah, we were walking in that area,” said Mazey.
That area he is talking about is now covered by water.
“This is the highest point the water would get. This is about 911 [feet] right through here. It’s currently at 909 [feet],” said Mazey.
That 909 feet is what Mazey said is considered a full conservation pool. That’s something he hasn’t seen since serving as the Canyon Lake manager.
“I’ve worked here two years, and it’s never been this high. They’re stating about four and a half years ago, it started dropping below 909,” said Mazey.
He said folks are excited the lake is back, allowing full recreation activities to go on.
“Comal Park, Canyon Park, and Pirate Creek Park—they’ve opened up their beaches. They have official beaches that are designated swim areas that are groomed for people to picnic and swim. There’s no hazards under the water,” said Mazey.
Mazey said it took about three to four days for the lake to fill up, rising 24 feet in the days after heavy rain fell in Central Texas in July.
It’s a stark difference from this time just two months ago.
“As the shoreline receded, you could literally walk out 100-300 yards before you hit the water,” said Mazey.
Back in 2025, an island was visible in the middle of the lake.
“The island is about 15-20 feet underwater now, and what the island really was is a plateau where heavy equipment had dug out in front of the dam over here,” said Mazey.
As of the middle of July, Mazey said a dozen out of the 23 boat ramps are now open.
He and the other people with the Army Corps of Engineers have been waiting for this to happen and knew it would.
“When you look at historical charts, you can see every year over a 10-year period—an increase and a decrease in water levels,” said Mazey.
Mazey said the rain hit exactly where they needed it to restore the historically low lake.
“We had the perfect weather or perfect storm a couple weeks ago that allowed the water to flow from Kerrville, down the Guadalupe, down here to Canyon Lake at a nice steady pace,” said Mazey.
He knows that won’t be the last time the lake fluctuates.
“The drought I hope is ending, and it wasn’t the first drought. We had a really bad drought in the 50s and we anticipate another drop happening in another 10 to 20 years,” said Mazey.
Until then, he will enjoy the new view.