Mathis officials believe the lake’s recovery could reshape the community’s future.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The return of water to Lake Corpus Christi is doing more than restoring one of South Texas’ most popular recreation destinations. Leaders in Mathis believe it could also help fuel the city’s next wave of economic growth.

After years of drought left the lake at historically low levels, rising water has renewed optimism among business owners, city leaders and economic development officials who say the lake has always been one of Mathis’ biggest economic drivers.



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“It’s going to help us more or less get back to where we were at,” said Samuel Sarate, owner of S&S Graphics and Detailing.

Businesses that serve lake visitors say they benefit whenever anglers, boaters and campers return. Many stop in Mathis to buy fuel, food, supplies or have their boats cleaned and detailed before heading home.

The Mathis Economic Development Corporation says visitor traffic was already increasing before the lake rebounded.

“Using H-E-B as a reference point on numbers. Two or three years ago we had about 841,000 visitors and right now we haven’t completed the whole 2026 we’re at about 875,000 visitors you know we’re up about 6%,” said Executive Director Sabas Encinia.

Encinia says those numbers show more people are stopping in Mathis, creating opportunities for local businesses.

“For example, three years ago McDonald’s we had about 1.3 million folks stop by and now we’re up to about 1.5 million. It’s an uptick about 3.5% more people coming off the interstate and seeing what Mathis has,” Encinia said.

City Manager Cedric Davis says the lake’s recovery also revives development ideas that were difficult to pursue during the drought.

“I still think luxury cabins is a draw for Mathis and that lake and I will definitely be talking with others making some type of investment into luxury cabins out at the lake. We’ve got this gift. We need to enjoy it,” Davis said.

The return of water to Lake Corpus Christi could help shape the next few years of growth for the community that has always been tied to it.