CANYON LAKE, Texas \u2013 As families return to Canyon Lake after last week\u2019s flooding, officials say the biggest concern may not be water quality \u2014 it\u2019s what could be hiding beneath the surface.<\/p>\n
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which manages Canyon Lake, told KSAT it does not conduct water quality testing following flood events. Instead, the agency is urging visitors to be responsible by swimming only in designated beach areas, wearing properly fitted life jackets and using caution around flood debris.<\/p>\n
Officials also recommend avoiding stagnant, murky or foul-smelling water.<\/p>\n
Many visitors at the lake said they weren\u2019t overly concerned.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like I didn\u2019t see much of a difference, just a little more murky,\u201d said 12-year-old Hilson Tucker.<\/p>\n
When asked if that bothered him, he replied \u201cno.\u201d<\/p>\n
His father, Ross Tucker, said he checks for any official alerts before bringing his family to the lake.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt hasn\u2019t concerned me too much,\u201d he said. \u201cI do check to make sure there are no alerts out before we come to the lake, and Canyon Lake is not putting out any alerts. I feel like it\u2019s safe.\u201d<\/p>\n
Businesses on the lake also remain open.<\/p>\n
Frasier McNew, who operates Jet Ski Dude, said the Corps of Engineers oversees the recreation area and would close it if conditions were considered unsafe.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, no we wouldn\u2019t be allowed to be open,\u201d McNew said. \u201cThe whole park would be closed. The corps, they oversee us directly, they would be shutting us down.\u201d<\/p>\n
McNew said after last year\u2019s flooding, there was more debris. After last week\u2019s flooding, it hasn\u2019t been much of an issue, pointing out that it\u2019s clear enough to see your phone if you drop it in the water.<\/p>\n
\u201cLast year, there was a bunch of wind \u2014 it kept all the debris in one place until it slowly sank,\u201d McNew said. This year, there wasn\u2019t that much wind, so they actually spread out throughout the lake a little bit.\u201d<\/p>\n
KSAT has also reached out to the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority for the latest Canyon Lake water quality testing results and is still waiting for a response.<\/p>\n
Farther upstream, the Upper Guadalupe River Authority said initial testing found bacteria levels at most Upper Guadalupe River sites in Kerr County were within the state\u2019s recreational standard and consistent with pre-flood conditions.<\/p>\n
Even so, the agency continues to advise people to avoid swimming in Kerrville and to use caution throughout the river, because murky water and flood debris can hide dangerous hazards.<\/p>\n
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, which conducts routine water quality monitoring every four months, says it plans to test Canyon Lake next week. Until then, the agency recommends people remain aware of debris and other hazards that can linger after major flooding.<\/p>\n
Read also:<\/p>\n
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