Huntington Lake water level expected to drop dramatically

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Huntington Lake is now about 80 percent full, and experts say the lake is expected to drop dramatically by the end of the month.

Bright blue waters and a beautiful sky are typical this time of year at Huntington Lake, and this scenery is why Leo Beck keeps coming back.

Beck told Action News, "I made my first trip in 1962."

But this year Beck noticed a big change, docks now stand on dry land, and not as many boats are floating these waters.

Beck said, "It's real difficult to launch a boat on it and more difficult to get it out."

Cyndy Miller and her family also noticed the lower lake levels and moved her family's boat off the dock.

Miller explained, "It could probably do some structural damage to the keels since ours was a sailboat."

A spokesperson for Southern California Edison, the company that operates the areas dams and lakes says Huntington is now at 80 percent of normal levels. But the lake is on schedule to be drained down to half its capacity by the end of the month.

Bill DeLaine said, "What we're doing is making those water deliveries to the irrigation districts downstream to provide irrigation to agriculture.

Experts say a skimpy snow season caused the drop.

"This year the winter 11/12 was a near record dry in terms of precipitation," DeLaine said. "What we'll see going into the fall are levels that are lower than normal."

But despite the draining lake, visitors say this place will always remain picture-perfect.

"It's still beautiful and absolutely gorgeous," Miller said. "The climate it just perfect."

Now lake levels are expected to go back up once the rainy season kicks in.

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