Thanks to last week’s heavy rains, boat ramps that had been closed for over a year due to prolonged drought are now available to recreationalists.
Comal County today reopened four of the boat ramps it operates on Canyon Lake, and the Water Oriented Recreation District of Comal County (WORD) reopened two in its popular Comal and Canyon Parks.
Canyon Lake’s 23 boat ramps are operated by the county, WORD and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).
The current lake level is 909 feet or “full pool.” At this conservation level, the reservoir holds 378,852 acre-feet of water and covers 8,200 acres.
Road crews have completed debris clearing on some of Canyon Lake’s boat ramps.
WORD tested water quality at many locations around the lake with results confirming conditions remain well within acceptable standards for contact recreation.
“As with any natural body of water, visitors should always exercise caution, as currents, submerged debris, bacteria, wildlife waste, and other natural hazards are possible in any natural water body,” WORD said on social media today.
Reopened County Boat Ramps
- Boat Ramp #1 – Canyon Lake Village, 579 Skyline Dr.
- Boat Ramp #2 – Canyon Lake Village West, 2410 Colleen Dr.
- Boat Ramp #6 – Canyon Lake Hills 1 – East, 2078 Canyon Lake Dr.
- Boat Ramp #7 – Canyon Lake Hills 2 – West, 2050 Ledgerock Landing
Reopened WORD Boat Ramps
- Boat Ramp #3 – Comal Park, 1178 Comal Park Rd (located on the South Side of Canyon Lake)
- Boat Ramp #18 – Canyon Park, 1769 Canyon Park Rd, (located on the North Side of Canyon Lake)
Boat Ramp #4 in Comal Park remains closed.
Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA) Boat Ramp #14 is open.
Rules
The same rules still apply at all boat ramps.
Ramps are for launch and recovery only, so loitering, day camping, and fishing near ramps are not permitted.
Parking rules for cars and trailers will be enforced and everyone is asked to follow Comal County’s Boat Ramp Order and WORD’s Water Safety Ordinance.
Full boat ramp information and lake levels are available on the county engineer’s website, comalcounty.gov/cceo.
Applicable regulations and ordinances for county-operated ramps:
Boat Ramp Rules and Regulations
- Wear a life jacket. A legal life jacket must be on board the boat for every passenger. All children under 13 must wear a life jacket at all times. It’s the law.
- Life jackets are required for all children 12 and under when boating, kayaking, canoeing or rafting.
- Take a boater’s ed course. It’s the law for boat operators born on or after Sept. 1, 1993. It could save your life. Visit tpwd.texas.gov/education/boater-education for more information.
- Almost 50% of all boating accidents involve alcohol. Intoxicated boat operators will be prosecuted.
- Personal watercraft must keep 50 feet away from all objects and persons when on plane, including other boats and personal watercraft.
- An engine cut-off switch must be worn by the operator of any motorboat under 26 feet in length if operating at a speed above the no-wake speed. To learn more about Texas Parks & Wildlife boating laws and regulations, visit tpwd.texas.gov/boat.
- Do not swim, fish, scuba dive, or picnic in water safety zones around boat ramps.
- Boat ramps can only be used to launch, recover, inspect or repair a watercraft.
- Obstructing parking or the launch and recovery of watercraft is prohibited. Be courteous and share the ramp space with others who are launching or loading.
- No wake zones = idle speed only
- Littering is strictly prohibited.
- No foam products on the water.
- No glass products on the water.
- No open plastic containers five ounces or smaller on the water.
- No trespassing on private property.
- Public nuisance behavior will not be tolerated.
- Violating WORD of Comal County ordinances and Comal County orders could result in a $500 fine.
For a complete list of local water safety laws, visit wordcc.com/area/water-laws and co.comal.tx.us/orders.htm (Order 519).
Boat Ramp Information
There are 23 boat ramps around Canyon Lake. Twenty-two ramps are on the main body of the lake, and one ramp is upstream on the Guadalupe River.
Most boat ramps are operated by WORD, Comal County, or the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which owns and operates Canyon Lake. Canyon Lake is a federal property.
County Engineers maintains this map of boat ramps, hours of operation, status and rules.
To learn more about recent improvements to county boat ramps, click here.
County Boat Ramps:
1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 22 and 23.
#1 Canyon Lake Village, 579 Skyline Dr. Low-water closure elevation is 889.07 feet
#2 Canyon Lake Village West, 2410 Colleen Dr. Closes at 892.28
#5 Canyon Lake Forest, 3150 Canyon Lake Forest Dr. Closes at 905.15
#6 Canyon Lake Hills 1 – East, 2078 Canyon Lake Dr. Closes at 894.73
#7 Canyon Lake Hills 2 – West, 2050 Ledgerock Landing. Closes at 897.65
#8 Canyon Springs Resort, 1298 Canyon Springs Dr. Closes at 892.72
#10 Cranes Mill Park, 16700 Cranes Mill Rd. Closes at 903.
#11 Cypress Cove, 3850 Tanglewood Trl. Closes at 901.60
#22 Canyon Lake Shores, 808 Park Shores. Closes at 903.87
#23 Mystic Shores, 22100 N. Cranes Mill Rd. Closes at 903.31
USACE Boat Ramps:
The Corps of Engineers operates boat ramps #14 (JBSA Recreation Park), #15 and #16. Boat Ramp #14 is open.
For general information about USACE boat ramps and parks, click here.
Water Oriented Recreation District of Comal County (WORD) Boat Ramps:
#3, #4 in Comal Park and #18 in Canyon Park.
For more information about Comal and Canyon parks, click here.
Other Boat Ramps:
Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA): #14 in Jacob’s Creek Park 1, #15 in Jacob’s Creek Park 2, and #16 in JBSA Hancock Cove.
Crane’s Mill Marina: #9
Canyon Lake Marina: #19
Canyon Lake Yacht Club: #12
General Information
The 909-foot measurement is the lake’s elevation above sea level, not depth. If the lake’s elevation dropped below 800 feet mean sea level, it would be just about dry. The original river channel that was flooded to create the lake is significantly above sea level.
To learn more about individual boat ramps, click here.
To learn more about the real-time status of county-operated boat ramps, and maps of each ramp, visit the Comal County Engineers’ website and click on “Boat Ramps.”
For detailed information about Canyon Reservoir, visit this page by the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority.
For more information about the history of Canyon Lake and lake levels in general, click here.
If able, can we transport our kayaks down to water edge and then return vehicle to ramp parking lot, specific Ramp 22.
Why is Canyon Lake still releasing water at 90+ cfs post the flood (now at 74 cfs) when the lake was not approaching full level?
Again, we need these questions answered by the authorities:
1. Please provide details on the downstream contracts. Who are the parties in the contracts? When were the contracts signed? How long are the contracts valid for? Why were the contracts signed originally and why is water that is supposed to support the local community of Canyon Lake being transferred to other communities?
2. If the mission of Canyon Lake dam (according to the Army Corps of Engineers) is to provide 1) Guadalupe River flood control and 2) a water source for local Canyon Lake residents, then why has there been contracts established with stakeholders residing outside of Canyon Lake?
3. Why isn’t the State of Texas providing long term solutions to preserve water downstream? Why can’t the contracted parties develop a solution to preserve water downstream and not rely on water releases from Canyon Lake?
There needs to be full transparency and accountability in terms of preserving fresh water in the State of Texas.