There are 23 boat ramps on Canyon Lake and Comal County operates nine of them — #1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 22, and 23.
On Thursday, Sept. 10, Comal County commissioners will receive legal advice concerning the operation of these boat ramps in partnership with the Water Oriented Recreation District of Comal County (WORD) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The county has easements related to the nine county-maintained ramps.
WORD already operates Comal, Canyon, Cranes Mill and Nichol’s Landing parks and their boat ramps, and has an existing interlocal agreement with the county to provide law enforcement, sanitation/dumpsters and some cleanup services at its nine ramps.
Precinct 1 Commissioner Doug Leecock describes the upcoming discussion as very preliminary. No action will be taken after commissioners emerge from behind a closed-door executive session.
There will be no presentation in open court.
“We’re talking about just building, having a relationship with WORD for the management of people,” he said.
Leecock spearheaded the Canyon Lake Boat Ramps Community Alliance (CLBRCA) before his election to Commissioners Court in November 2024.
Starting in 2020, CLBRCA conducted a community survey on the needs at each boat ramp and spent years working closely with then-County Judge Sherman Krause to develop an action plan to address these issues.
The process was long but the timing was perfect.
Although tourism slowed as the lake shrank to 60% of capacity, low water levels were exactly what county road crews needed to implement the upgrades.
Boat ramps more or less untouched since the 1980s received makeovers. Parking lots were repaved and striped to alleviate confusion. Parking spaces were added at some ramps. New signage clarified the do’s and don’ts at county ramps.
Traffic flow in and out of boat ramps improved.
When heavy July rainfall restored Canyon Lake to 100% capacity, the county was prepared for the influx and better able to manage larger crowds resulting from rapid growth in New Braunfels and Canyon Lake.
County constables and Sheriff’s Office deputies working in sweltering summer heat, surrounded by hundreds of recreationalists, finally had the tools they needed to enforce rules and regulations some boaters claimed they didn’t understand.
Despite rumblings about tickets and traffic enforcement, there were no serious accidents at the lake.
All that’s needed now are people to keep things running as smoothly as possible, Leecock said.
About WORD
The park-and-recreation district was created by the Texas Legislature in 1988. It encompasses Canyon Lake and over 30 miles of floatable water on the Guadalupe River above and below Canyon Lake.
The district issues permits to water-related businesses, allowing them to collect user fees from customers.
This tax revenue is used to clean up trash from rivers, lakes, and popular roadways; provide law enforcement and emergency medical services; contribute to local projects and organizations; educate the public about safety and responsible water recreation; and provide public health and sanitation services, such as dumpsters and portable toilets.