This summer's drought has made a noticeable impact on one of the area's most popular destinations for locals.
The water level in Lake Minatare is *well* below where it was this time a year ago. Water marks on tree trunks highlight just how far the water has dropped.
Park Superintendent Dan Thornton explains that downstream irrigation and a lack of rain has caused the water to go down pretty fast.
Foot traffic during the past few weeks has been down as a whole, but some of the lake's best fishing is underway.
"Fishing is actually pretty good right now," says Thornton. "There's some water coming in the inlet. They're catching some walleyes off of scouts. So fishing has actually picked up even though visitation is a little bit down."
Thornton is excited to see what kind of turnout is expected at Lake Minatare for the last long weekend of the summer.
