Colorado residents distraught after lake in beloved local park DISAPPEARS
A lake in a southwestern Denver park has lost nearly all its water, as residents say they have never seen it this dry before.
Lake Huston used to be where many locals went fishing, but Tiercel Duerson and his young son were seen roaming the muddy plain looking for treasure.
'I have lived down the street for many years with my dad, and it’s always been full (of water). People fish here, and eagles come here,' Duerson told KDVR-TV.
The lake began drying up about a month ago after the Salisbury Lateral - the canal that supplements its water supply from May to September - shut down early last year due to a leak, said Stephanie Figueroa, a spokesperson with Denver Parks and Recreation.
The leak, combined with the chronic lack of snowfall in Denver and much of the western United States this winter, has led to Lake Huston being reduced to 'a single shallow pool', according to Figueroa.
'Huston is a shallow, storm‑water–fed lake that has accumulated significant sediment over the years, leaving it only about four feet deep when full,' Figueroa explained. 'The lake entered winter at an unusually low level. With minimal snowfall and no ice cover this season, evaporation has further reduced water levels.'
States like Colorado rely on mountain snowpack to run off into rivers and reservoirs. Less snow has contributed to drier conditions across the region.
Much of Colorado was already experiencing drought conditions before this season’s lack of snow. Denver is currently classified as being in a severe drought, according to federal data.
Lake Huston, a partially man-made lake in Denver, when it was full. The water went dry about a month ago after the canal that feeds it suffered a leak and had to be shut down
The water level has now receded to the point that the area has more dirt and mud than water. Officials have also blamed the historically dry conditions for Lake Huston's demise
A severe drought designation means crop or pasture losses are likely and water shortages are common.
Figueroa told the Daily Mail that Denver's Department of Transportation and Infrastructure have made the necessary repairs to the Salisbury Lateral canal, adding that the water could be turned back on by May 1.
Assuming there are no more leaks, the lake could be refilled early next month, Figueroa said. But because Denver is under water restrictions this year, she said officials cannot guarantee that there will be enough water to go around.
'We have to fill Garfield Lake before it can spill over and start filling Huston Lake. With the water restrictions in place this year, there is no guarantee we will get enough water to fill both Garfield and Huston Lakes without significant improvement in the current drought situation,' Figueroa said.
Garrett Scray, who has lived by the lake for eight years, said he was worried about it drying up.
'It’s more like a pond,' Scray told 9News. 'It’s kind of an eyesore now with water down so much and half the lake being mud and just being dead fish floating around.'
Resident Chris Burroughs was also saddened by the lake's condition.
'I was thinking about all the fish and the pond life that are going to disappear, I mean, it has been extremely dry, and we certainly need rain,' Burroughs told KDVR-TV.
A miniature regatta took place on November 5, 1975, on Lake Huston
Figueroa said officials have been out a few times a week to remove fish from the lake. She said this will continue until there are no more fish left.
Council Member Flor Alvidrez told KDVR-TV that Lake Huston is not the only body of water struggling to sustain itself.
She pointed out that nearby Washington Park has a pond that has extremely low water levels.
In Aurora, east of Denver, the 12 reservoirs that feed the city are about 58 percent full, which is roughly 10 percent lower than normal for this time of year.
'The reality of the situation is that it will continue to draw down,' said Aurora Water spokesperson Shonnie Cline. 'We might get a quarter to a third of the normal water we see to replenish reservoirs this year.'
Both Denver and Aurora have developed systems to reuse water, a critical necessity during drought conditions.
Aurora officials say they recycle and treat roughly 90 to 99 percent of its water supply to meet the city's needs.
