In preparation for a busy Memorial Day weekend on the Highland Lakes, there will be more patrols on the water.
The patrols will be looking for intoxicated boat drivers.
"Basically,
the laws on the water are the same as they are on land," said Cpt.
Scott Jurk, Texas Parks and Wildlife game warden. "On the water there’s
so many more factors like the wind, the sun, the heat. It makes it even
more difficult to operate when you’re intoxicated."
They’ll also
make frequent safety stops to check that all boats have a life jacket
for everyone on board, a fire extinguisher and a horn.
Drought
conditions in Central Texas mean the water levels, especially on Lake
Travis, are lower than in 2010. Lake Travis is 28 feet lower this
Memorial Day weekend than last year’s.
The Lake Travis Task Force warns of more hazards in the water, especially outside the main water channel.
"You’ll
notice the buoys are sticking way out further into the lake and they’re
marking obstructions that normally aren’t there," said Cpt. Jurk.
The marinas and businesses along the lake will be open for business, but several public boat ramps on Lake Travis
are closed because of the lower water levels. Only the ramps at
Mansfield Dam, Sandy Creek and Jones Brothers Park remain open.
Also, a burn ban is in place at all Lower Colorado River Authority or Travis County parks . That means no ground fires or cooking fires are allowed.
