Lowering the water level exposes aquatic plant life to the cold air causing it to freeze and die off, township supervisor Tom Faley said. He added there are places where the water level is down by as much as 75 percent, prompting water fowl to walk on the lake bottom or swim in puddles.

“It looks ugly in the winter but you get a beautiful lake in other times of the year,” Faley said. “They do it every year.”

“Drawdowns are one tool used to manage aquatic plant growth and fish populations,” said Kris Kuhn, area fisheries manager. “Aquatic plants provide very good habitat for both young and adult fish, as well as aquatic insects. However, too much vegetation can negatively impact fishing and boating opportunities and has the potential to disrupt the balance of fish population in a lake.”

The water level was lowered through the use of a device that controls the release of water going through a dam at one end of the lake, Faley said. He added that the drawdown is used to control a type of algae called chara and a type of waterweed called elodea.

The state commission owns and maintains the 6-acre lake located in Boiling Springs. The lake and its surrounding land provide fishing, boating, hiking and other recreational opportunities to visitors and local residents.