Public access to boat launches at Lake Tapps will end this week, after tree stumps normally submerged underwater are exposed from the low lake levels.
Public access to boat launches at Lake Tapps will end this week, after tree stumps normally submerged underwater are exposed from the low lake levels.
Pierce County Parks and Recreation is closing the North Lake Tapps boat launch site on Friday, Aug. 14.
This comes weeks after the Allan Yorke Park boat launch, which is run by the city of Bonney Lake, closed in late July. These are the only two public boat launch sites at Lake Tapps.
Pierce County Parks and Rec said water levels have fallen below the safe recreational threshold for motorized boats. With the lake dropping, tree logs and stumps that are typically submerged are now causing hazardous conditions for boaters.
Damion Coughlin, who lives on Lake Tapps Island, said the low water has already caused damage. "I've already damaged one prop on this lake this year, so I hit a stump," Coughlin said.
John Taylor, CEO of Cascade Water Alliance, said Lake Tapps relies on snowpack that feeds the White River, where water is diverted into the lake to help maintain recreational levels. Taylor said the "snowpack was basically gone by late June altogether, which is why we're seeing less water in the rivers and less water in lakes, and particularly in Lake Tapps."
Cascade Water Alliance, which owns the Lake, explained on their website, "The White River and the [Lake Tapps] reservoir are like many other water bodies in the state experiencing low flows and lower than normal water levels due to the statewide drought. Cascade’s state-granted water rights do not allow any water diversions to the reservoir when the river is below certain levels, called minimum instream flows, like it is now. The forecast is for continued warm and dry weather, and water levels in the reservoir are expected to continue to drop. As of July 31, the reservoir level is 541.28 feet. With no relief in sight, reservoir levels could be a full foot lower by the end of August."
As the lake continues to drop, Coughlin said he expects boating season to end early for many. "This is probably gonna be the last day that we boat out on this lake this year," he said.
Coughlin said the closures and low water could ripple beyond recreation. "It's sad to see that a lot of the local businesses and stuff are gonna be suffering because of the low levels because it doesn't attract as many people because not as many people are gonna be out on the lake if they can't launch their boats," he said.
