KINGSVILLE, Texas —
Lake Corpus Christi is sitting at 91.4% full, and while many residents are celebrating the return of water to the reservoir, others say the recovery comes with hidden risks.
"It's wonderful that the water has come back, but I know what's under it."
During the months of uncertainty around water levels in Corpus Christi's reservoirs, vegetation sprouted up in areas of the lake bed that had been dry — and it kept growing. Now that the water has returned, that overgrowth is submerged and out of sight, but residents say it is far from gone.
John Ahrens is among those who cannot yet enjoy the refilled lake.
"You move here, you got this beautiful lake. And want to use your boat, but even when the water comes back, you're at risk."
Ahrens has been raising concerns about the overgrown vegetation since before the water returned. In July 2025, KRIS 6 reported on his story, showing how significant the growth had become.
Overgrown vegetation in the lake poses several dangers, including an increased risk of drowning, boat navigation hazards, and reduced visibility of underwater obstacles.
The risks extend beyond people on the water. Aquatic life is also threatened.
"When you have decaying vegetation, particularly to the degree we have, you're looking at depleting the oxygen in the water."
"This can affect health... the safety of other people and the health of aquatic life."
Ahrens and other residents in his neighborhood have taken matters into their own hands, mowing their areas of the lake to keep vegetation low. But with most of it now underwater, they are pushing for longer-term action.
"I would love to see some proactive measures put in place by the city."
Ahrens said he reached out to the city more than a year ago. As of now, no solutions have been announced.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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