Photos Reveal Secret Cave in Texas Lake as Water Levels Fall

Plummeting water levels at Canyon Lake in Comal County, Texas, has revealed something fascinating yet ominous to boaters enjoying the reservoir.

Levels have been dropping at the popular lake for months as a severe drought grips the state, the most severe of which is focused in central and eastern Texas. Comal County is suffering from exceptional drought, the most severe classification by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and the dry weather has caused water levels at Canyon Lake to fall and reveal a secret cave.

As of Tuesday, Canyon Lake was 65.7 percent full, a 20 percent fall from this time a year ago, according to a report by Water Data for Texas. Drought in Comal County also has worsened significantly since last year, when only 59 percent of the county suffered from exceptional drought. Now it's 100 percent.

Water levels keep falling as the drought continues and recently exposed a cave at Canyon Lake. The water levels have dipped below their lowest point in history at 892.65 feet, according to a report by KSAT.com. Despite the falling levels, boaters are still enjoying the lake. Last weekend, Pamela Hough Gilbert was on the lake with her husband when they discovered a cave.

"I've heard rumors about underwater caves in Canyon Lake for 40 years or more. It was just so cool to finally see one materialize," Gilbert told KSAT on Tuesday. "Canyon Lake has lots of secrets."

KSAT shared a photo of the cave, which appeared to be a dark hole in the side of a rocky bluff. Rocks rose from the water below and extended down from the cave's ceiling.

Despite being a fascinating discovery, the cave also evoked a creepy feeling, and Gilbert said she refrained from venturing inside.

"Neither one of us got very close and really didn't have any interest in exploring it at that time," she said. "I got the heebie-jeebies and swam back to the boat."

Caves aren't the only thing hiding beneath Canyon Lake's surface, as divers previously discovered entire towns at the bottom. The reservoir was formed in the 1960s and is managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It's not uncommon for manmade lakes to be filled over existing structures or geological features, whether that be towns, caves or trees.

Newsweek reached out to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers by email for comment.

However, as the water levels fall, exposed objects can pose a risk for boaters. Roughly 100 miles northeast of Canyon Lake, another popular Texas lake is experiencing similar issues.

Trees, sand bars and even a ghost town are buried below the surface in Belton Lake. Some tree branches and other obstacles have been exposed by the falling water levels, and officials warned boaters and swimmers to exercise caution when in the lake.