TYLER, Texas — Following the rain over the past three days, lake levels are higher than usual across East Texas.
With plenty of sunshine on tap – chances are a lot of folks are making weekend plans to get out on the lake.
However, officials at Tyler State Park say because the water level is so high, you can’t see debris hidden in the water. These hazards include tree stumps, retaining walls, and submerged docks. So, people taking the boat out should use extra caution.
“With the influx of water, there's a chance that some debris can wash in the lake. Some new areas of the park are covered. So you want to be careful while you're going out. Take it slow if you're unfamiliar with the lake, especially. But even if you are familiar, be sure that you just take your time,” Tyler State Park superintendent Derek Dye said.
According to Dye, the lake at Tyler State Park is currently at 100% capacity. So not only does it affect boaters, it also affects people who want to use the trails.
“Just some trail ways affected that. We had to close down. We have a lake shore trail and the water is over the lake shore trail currently,” Dye said.
As far as access to the lake goes, there is no restrictions. Dye said the park isn't renting any boats due to the dock being submerged in water, but visitors can bring their own.
"The boat ramp is high right now, but it's open. Just be cautious when you're getting on the water, especially with the lake being so high. You just want to watch where you're going. Make sure that we're not having run into any debris.” Dye said.
People getting out on the water should follow all boater safety rules, such as wearing life jackets and having a passenger serve as a lookout for submerged objects.