LEANDER, Texas (KXAN) — A small lake in Leander’s Lakewood Park dropped several feet the week of Sept. 15. City officials said maintenance on a nearby dam is the reason behind the missing water.
Lakewood Park is located northeast of U.S. 183, south of Crystal Falls Parkway. The highlight of the park is the 40-acre pond on the south side of the park: Lake Lakewood.
Benches line the waterfront, surrounded by walking trails and a ringed track for fisherman. Many fish live in the lake, including catfish that were recently restocked. A kayak rental booth, run by local company Paddle EZ, is on the north end of the shore. A tiny pond connecting to the lake serves as a boat ramp.
Currently, the kayak stand is closed. The tiny pond is completely dry. Around the lake, water has receded more than a dozen feet in spots. The tiny creek that feeds the lake is down to a trickle.
“I’ve been coming here for probably two or three years now, and this is the first time I’ve ever seen it like this,” said Michelle Schoen, a local who frequently walks the trails.
Beneath the ringed track, there is nothing but mud. The water has receded past the end, and debris sticks out.
“This whole bay area here is (usually) completely covered and there’s no mud, you wouldn’t be able to see any mud,” Michelle said.
A viewer reached out to KXAN after noticing the water level dropping the week of Sept. 15. We reached out to the city to verify the claims. The City of Leander told KXAN that they had been notified and informed by the group that manages the lake, the Upper Brushy Creek Water Control and Improvement District (WCID), about the situation.
According to the city, the WCID’s maintenance contractor was doing work on nearby dams and lowering the lake levels to control the water. However, the water at Lakeview Park dropped lower than planned.
The WCID told the city that the water would not drop further and that the lake is within normal elevation ranges. Rain and natural inflows are needed to refill the lake.
The city told KXAN that the kayak business will not be able to operate until the lake levels return.
The WCID manages 23 dams across Williamson County. All of the dams are older than fifty years old. The Lake Lakewood dam was built in 1962. It is the district’s largest water storage location.
KXAN called and sent emails to the WCID, but did not hear back.
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