SANTA CLARITA, California, May 16. A recent article from SCVNews.com reports that water levels at Castaic Lake, the site of June’s USA Swimming open water nationals, are so low that public swimming is prohibited at the popular watering hole this summer.
A statewide drought in California is causing receding water levels in many of the state’s public lakes, and it’s forcing many closures. Castaic Lake, located about 40 miles northwest of Los Angeles, will still be open for kayaking, float tube fishing and stand-up paddleboarding, according to the article on SCVNews.com. Motorboats might not be allowed if the water levels get any lower.
“Castaic Lake remains a wonderful place to visit, with a variety of options for fun, healthy recreation — but the state drought emergency is affecting many aspects of life in California, and we will not compromise on matters of safety,” said Castaic Lake State Recreation Area Director Russ Guiney.
The USA Swimming open water nationals are set for June 13 and 15 at the lake, the second straight year it will be held there. When contacted by USA Swimming about the lake’s water levels and the closure for recreational swimmers, spokesperson John Martin replied with the following in an email:
“While receding water levels have recently forced the closure of recreational swimming beaches at Castaic Lake State Recreation Area in California, USA Swimming does not anticipate its Open Water National Championships on June 13 and 15 to be affected. Throughout the much of the lake, water levels remain in excess of 30 feet deep within a few feet of the current shoreline.
The safety of competitors at all USA Swimming events is of upmost importance, and our National Events staff will continue to monitor the conditions of the lake in conjunction with local officials and representatives from meet host Canyons Aquatic Club.”
The open water nationals will select teams for the Pan Pacific championships, the junior Pan Pacific championships and the junior world championships. USA Swimming has relocated its nationals in previous years, citing water temperature as the reason for changing sites in the wake of controversies after the untimely death of Fran Crippen.