A swimming beach at a local lake has been closed following multiple drowning incidents.
Lewisville officials announced on Saturday that they have decided to close the swim beach at Lewisville Lake Park. The decision comes just weeks after multiple bodies were pulled from the lake.
Lewisville Fire Department’s dive team recovered the bodies of three individuals — two 19-year-old men and a man in his 40s, who had drowned in the lake on consecutive days — July 3, 4, and 5 — as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Reportedly, none of the victims were wearing life jackets.
In an August 12 press release, city officials said the swimming beach would be closed “indefinitely.” Officials decided to close the beach due to safety concerns in the wake of the recent deaths.
Officials also posted a map showcasing the areas affected by the closure, including the swim beach itself and adjacent portions of the park. Swimming and wading risks are said to have increased due to the retreating shoreline resulting from decreased water levels.
According to Water Data for Texas, Lewisville Lake was just under 99% full three months ago but dropped to 90% full last week. Water levels currently stand at just over 88% full.
“Visitors to all North Texas lakes need to be aware of the hazards caused by lowered lake levels that impact shorelines,” said the press release. “Areas that previously were safe for walking along the shoreline, wading, and swimming might not be safe at this time.”
Additional warning signs in both English and Spanish have been placed around the entire area and will remain there for the duration of the closure. Officials also noted that free life jacket loaner stations are available for Lewisville Lake Park and Tower Bay visitors.
Citizens are advised to pay attention to the warnings around the area and not to bypass the signs and barricades set in place.