news-record.com

BURLINGTON -- After a three month suspension of activities on Lake Cammack, the water level is back up, and the lake will reopen for regular use Saturday.

Burlington's Recreation and Parks Department suspended all activities at the Lake Cammack Park and Marina in the middle of September, due to an unsafe water level. At the time, it had been about 6 feet below its normal level, which is 2 feet below what is considered a safe level.

Bob Patterson, Burlington's water resources director, said Lake Cammack had purposefully been kept at a lower level to aid in construction on the dam. "(We) had maintained it between 3 and 4 feet low," he said in a Times-News article from September.

Patterson said 4 feet below normal is considered a safe depth, and boating had been allowed on Lake Cammack up until Aug. 18. After that, the water level dropped to 5.25 feet below normal, making it dangerous for water activities. On Sept. 19, all water activities were suspended on the lake, which had dropped to 6.33 feet below normal.

Now, though, the water level is back at a safe depth. "It is even or level right at the top of the dam," said Patterson. "It's full right now," he said. "Over the last month, (with) each of these rains, the level's come up significantly."

So beginning Saturday, Lake Cammack will open and operate under its typical winter hours, which are Saturday through Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to a news release.

Lake Mackintosh had been operating under extended hours during the temporary suspension of activity on Lake Cammack, and will also be reverting back to its normal hours. Beginning Saturday, Lake Mackintosh will operate under its winter hours of Wednesday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Lake Cammack is located at 4790 Union Ridge Road in Burlington, and offers outdoor recreation options including boat launching ramps, handicapped accessible fishing pier, bank fishing spots, the Civitan Shelter and several trails.

For more information on Lake Cammack, call 336-421-3872. For information on Lake Mackintosh, call 336-538-0896.