Two boat ramps at Lake Lowell in the Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge will be closed early next week due to low water levels.

The ramps at the Lower Dam Recreation Area and at the west end of the Upper Dam will be closed on the advice of the Canyon County Sheriff’s marine deputies. The water level in Lake Lowell has dropped to a point where it is no longer safe to launch boats at these sites. Lt. Ben Keyes said.

“Launching boats at such low water levels can damage boats, motors, trailers, and vehicles,” Keyes said. In addition, the water at these locations is not deep enough to float a boat off of most trailers, he said.

Visitors can still launch boats at the ramp at the east end of the Upper Dam, just off Iowa Avenue. And The disabled-accessible fishing dock at the west end of the Upper Dam will remain available for interested anglers.

This is a normal seasonal closure and typically happens when the lake water level has fallen below 2519 feet, officials said. The level at Lake Lowell, a manmade irrigation reservoir, was 2519.7 feet as of Thursday.