For the Reporter

Lake Tapps has reached its highest approved level – elevation 543 feet – according to the Cascade Water Alliance.

The lake was filled to full recreational level as Cascade begins its maintenance outage.

The headgates are closed and no water will be added to the lake during the remainder of the recreational season, the alliance said. Cascade will minimize water released through the tailrace. It is expected that recreational lake levels will be maintained through Labor Day and possibly into mid-September.

Cascade is repairing Dike 3, replacing the last section of the timber flume, refurbishing the headagates and assessing facilities that drain water from the lake back to the White River.

A reminder that immediately after Labor Day, lake levels will be dramatically reduced – about a foot a day—and that residents should remove all boats from the lake prior to this time.

For more information and lake levels, visit www.cascadewater.org.