High water closes some boat ramps and beaches at Saylorville Lake
Central Iowans are finding relief from the heat at Saylorville Lake, although high water levels have led to the closure of some beaches and boat ramps.
"I don't mind warm weather, but this is a little bit too hot," said Todd Robinson, one of several jet skiers heading to the Lakeview Boat Ramp near the Saylorville Dam. While that ramp remains open, high water has closed the Cherry Glen Lower Boat Ramp and Oak Grove Beach.
The Army Corps of Engineers is warning boaters about debris in the water, which is difficult to see but easy to spot on the boat ramp.
"You have to be careful. The water's dark. You can't usually just see it unless it is something big, sticking out," said Colton Sigler, of Des Moines.
Managers report that the lake pool has been rising due to repeated heavy thunderstorms north of Des Moines. The outflow is roaring out of the dam at full speed into the Des Moines River below, but boaters are not worried about flooding. Their main goal is to stay cool and have fun.
"You can get yourself wet if you get going around in a circle and get caught by a wave and splash some water up on. Yes, that feels pretty good too when it's nearly a hundred degrees. Yeah, it's only hundred whatever degrees. But it's nice out there. It feels like 60 or 70. It's really nice," said Dave Hamilton, of West Des Moines.
The Army Corps says it may be more than a week before they can reopen boat ramps and beaches, depending on the weather.