Hidden Buildings Revealed as Water Levels Plunge at Popular Texas Lake

Hidden structures have resurfaced at Lake Corpus Christi in Texas as record-low water levels expose bridges, boathouses, and roads long lost beneath the reservoir. The sites revealed by an ongoing drought have captured the attention of local historians and residents, as reported by KIII News.

Water storage at the lake dropped to less than 20 percent of capacity last December, prompting Corpus Christi city officials to declare Stage 3 of the City’s Drought Contingency Plan.

Newsweek reached out to the city, which manages the lake, via email for comment.

Why It Matters

The exposure of submerged landmarks highlights not only the impact of persistent drought on South Texas water supplies but also brings historical sites into public view—for better or worse.

As critical reservoirs like Lake Corpus Christi reach historic lows, regional water restrictions intensify, threatening the daily lives of residents and the stability of local ecosystems. The drought has left visible traces of the area’s past, underscoring the challenges it faces for its present and future.

What To Know

Lake Corpus Christi stood at just 18.4 percent full as of June 6, 2025, according to the official water monitoring site, Water Data for Texas. Current storage was reported at 47,379 acre-feet, sharply down from its 256,062 acre-feet conservation capacity. The water surface was 14.98 feet below the conservation pool elevation.

Over the past year, the lake has seen a steady decline: it was 35.8 percent full one year ago, dropping to 27.7 percent six months ago, and 22.6 percent three months prior to the latest measurement.

Bridges, roadway remains, and the shells of old boathouses have become visible across the exposed lake bed. Live Oak County historian Conrad Conrad has been working to identify these structures, including an automobile bridge built to provide access before the original river valley was flooded in the late 1950s.

Remnants of a 1930s boathouse and structures constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression have also resurfaced.

Drought in other parts of Texas has contributed to the exposure of structures and other things, such as hidden pecan groves at Lake Travis in Austin, in the summer of 2023. Later that year, plummeting lake levels revealed a porta-potty in the lake bed.

According to the most recent report from the U.S. Drought Monitor, nearly 12 percent of the Lone Star State is experiencing exceptional drought, primarily concentrated in the southern and western parts of the state.

What People Are Saying

U.S. Drought Monitor, in a recent update: “For the second consecutive week, heavy rainfall (more than 1 inch) prompted a 1-category improvement to central and southern Texas. Despite this recent heavy rainfall, levels in the long-term monitoring wells of Bexar and Medina Counties remain near or at all-time lows.”

Live Oak County historian Conrad Conrad told KIII News: “It’s shocking, to say the least. And the worst part is there’s nothing in the future.”

What Happens Next

Current drought restrictions are in effect for Corpus Christi residents, as Stage 3 of the city’s Drought Contingency Plan has been implemented. Lawn watering is not permitted, and other restrictions are in place, including limits on car washing and outdoor watering.