Severe drought conditions have returned to San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties — and now Lopez Lake, a water source for southern SLO County cities, is being watched closely.
Lopez Lake is both a water source for the South County region and a popular recreation spot to launch boats. But Nick Franco with SLO County Parks and Recreation said the drought is leading to dwindling water levels, as the lake is losing two feet a month.
“Clearly, the primary source is providing drinking water for people, is at 36 percent and dropping," Franco said. "As summer continues, it's going to continue to drop as we continue to use it, and we don’t have rain to refill it.”
SLO County Public Works officials said Lopez lake is about eight percent away from triggering mandatory conservation, which could happen late this summer or early fall. A mandatory conservation could mean implementing a ten percent reduction in the use of the reservoir.
Franco said the recreation side of the lake isn’t shaping up so well either.
“We are advising people right now that it’s difficult to launch," Franco said. "It’s only about ten feet of water, which sounds like enough, but with the mud and the silt and people bringing their boats in and out, that kind of stirs things up and makes it a little more challenging. As it gets lower and lower, it’s just going to get more difficult.”
Franco said because of this, the boat ramp may have to close by the end of July or beginning of August, which is something they have not had to do since 2016.
Franco said because of the pandemic, Lopez Lake saw a boom in boaters and tourists that has continued into summer.
“We have way more people than we’ve ever had before," Franco said. "So it’s really unfortunate that the drought is happening at the same time.”
Franco said as of right they are warning boaters to launch at their own risk & reminds people that camping — as well as the water park — will remain open through this summer.
