Drought Has Drained Lake Wylie To Lowest Level Ever

Lake Wylie barely resembles the busy, flourishing attraction it was at the beginning of summer. Months of devastating drought have drained the lake to its lowest point on record, according to Duke Energy.

Thursday morning Lake Wylie was measured at 92.90 feet. That's nearly a foot lower than the all-time drought record of 93.80 set back in 2002. 100.0 is considered a full pond, so Lake Wylie is now down more than seven feet.

Only Nivens Creek boat landing remains open, but it could close too without significant rain. Duke Energy is keeping a daily watch on the landing.

People with boats docked at the Tega Cay Marina have watched the water disappear all summer. Phil Lomax from Matthews said it's changed a lot since he was there just two weeks ago.

"It is dramatically different. I was shocked when I came out here and saw this," he said.

Lomax can still go out in his pontoon boat for now, but other boaters are already stranded -- their boats are sitting on the bottom of a very shallow lake.

Duke Energy officials said expected rain showers will help maintain the lake, but won't do much to raise the water level.

They said if you include all eleven lakes in the Catawba River system, only 40 percent of usable water is left. In a typical October, there should be 70 percent.