After hitting its lowest level ever, Lake Corpus Christi is rebounding, bringing visitors and longtime fishermen back to the water this Labor Day weekend.
MATHIS, Texas — After reaching its lowest point in history just months ago, Lake Corpus Christi is seeing a dramatic rebound, and the change is bringing more people back to Lake Corpus Christi State Park.
Ranger Hannah Chandler watched the lake fall to its historic low before seeing water levels climb significantly in a matter of weeks.
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“I watched it go to the lowest point in history at this lake, and then I watched it come up in a month’s time,” Chandler said.
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The rebound has also brought new attention to the park.
Videos on the parks social media pages reached nearly one million views, Chandler said. That attention has helped the park reach more people through its regular programming and events.
“The spike has been amazing for our programming, amazing for our camping,” Chandler said. “We have activities and events here all the time, and we’ve been getting more and more people at each one.”
On Saturday, the park was busy with fishermen, kayakers, boaters, jet skiers, campers and other visitors taking advantage of the improved conditions.
Chandler said fishing, camping, swimming and day-use visitation have all benefited from the lake’s recovery.
But longtime visitors remember when getting onto the water was much more difficult.
Mario Perez, who lives in Sandia, has been fishing at Lake Corpus Christi since he was a child. When water levels were at their lowest, some boats had trouble using the boat ramp, requiring rubber mats to help them get into the water.
Perez’s connection to the lake goes back decades.
“We’d come out here on our bicycles,” Perez said. “And our parents would rent us a cabin, and we’d stay out here and with friends just by ourselves for two or three days, you know, and fish.”
Even after all those years, Perez said he still comes back for the same reason.
“Sandia, you know, is just … there’s nothing else to do there, you know, other than come out here to the lake … more dogs than people in that town,” Perez said.
For Chandler, seeing the lake recover has meant more than simply watching the water rise. She said the rebound has also brought back wildlife, including aquatic birds, and people eager to enjoy the outdoors.
“It was fantastic to see the rejuvenation in both the water, the wildlife and the amount of people we have enjoying the outdoors now,” Chandler said.