RESIDENTS of Campbell Town and Ross hold serious concerns that their drinking water supply could run dry this summer, with Lake Leake falling to a record low for this time of year of 1.92 metres.
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Lake Leake and the Elizabeth River provide the water for about 1800 people in the Northern Midlands, but the lake is now so low the newly constructed boat ramp sits almost two metres clear of the water.
The man-made lake has a capacity of 5.18 metres but a lack of significant rain in the past few months, combined with high evaporation levels through October and November, has prompted residents to call on authorities to develop a contingency plan.
Campbell Town man Bill Chugg said he had been "heartbroken" to see the state of the lake.
"We haven't reached summertime yet and it's at an all-time low," he said.
"I don't know what we can do at the moment other than have a contingency plan.
"What are these people planning for us to do?"
The Bureau of Meteorology has warned that the summer months were more likely to bring dry, warm conditions to the Northern Midlands than relief.
Climatologist Ian Barnes-Keoghan said the odds were "very much against" a cool, wet season.
"There's not a strong chance of above average rainfall, and given how dry it's been, you really need significantly above average rainfall to turn around the deficiencies that are there already," he said.
"It's not ruling it out, but given how much pressure is on the lake at the moment, odds are certainly not favouring an increase in the lake levels."
Similar concerns were raised in February 2007, however, back then the lake level was above 2.3 metres.