Lake Whitney Water Levels

It seems like we fight a never ending battle with the media. Whether it's low water, high water, or just right water, the press always wants to use scare tactics to create a story. Here are the facts:

1. The lake levels are not in any way too low for boating on the lake. Current levels can be seen at http://www.swf-wc.usace.army.mil/whitney/ . Today we are 11.5 feet below normal, but there is still 90 feet of deep water on our end of the lake.

2. We see levels of 11-13 feet below normal almost every summer. Our guests have been launching boats and we have been renting our boats with no difficulty at all.

3. Keep in mind that Lake Whitney originally was built for a level much lower than the current normal. What that means is that in some places there are ramps that "reappear" as the level goes down.

4. The top 13 feet of water in this lake is managed by the Brazos River Authority. When the lake reaches 13 feet below normal, then the Corps regains control and usually no further water is let out.

5. At the current daily rate of drop in the level (with no rain anywhere on the Brazos) the worst we could anticipate a level about 13 feet below normal by the end of July. A few years ago when the lake reached record setting low levels (far worse than is anticipated this summer) there were still useable boat launches available at Lofer's Bend East campground and at Harbor Master Marina, both just 2 miles from us.

6. The Lofers Bend West campground boat ramp is the only ramp closure posted today on the Corps website. Ramps at the Lake Whitney State Park are closed, as are a couple of private ramps. These are short ramps that are often closed during summer months.

7. The lower water levels actually create a safer boating environment in some cases by exposing sand bars and stumps at the water's edge that are often hidden hazards at normal levels.

8. Lower water gives a unique opportunity to explore the shore on foot. Hiking is now possible from our resort all the way to Lofer's Bend park more than a mile to the west and well into the Towash Creek area to the east.