Due to the low and receding water levels caused by this summer’s drought, Morse Beach has had to close for the rest of the 2012 season. Normally, the beach would be open daily until Aug. 14 and thereafter would be open on weekends until Labor Day.

Lifeguards and season pass holders are greatly affected by early closing. Allen Patterson, director of Hamilton County Parks and Recreation Dept., which runs the beach, said that lifeguards were given the option to stay on staff to help close down the beach. Those who agreed to stay are now working on various projects to get the area ready for next year’s summer season. Such maintenance activities include putting equipment away, repairing ropes and buoys and painting the bathhouse. As for the few summer pass holders, Patterson is still discussing how to best handle the situation.

Closing early isn’t something entirely new for Morse Beach. In Patterson’s 20 years in the department, he recalled the beach having to close due to drought conditions one time before. Additionally, during this previous early closing, there was less water than the beach has now.

So for the rest of the summer, residents will have to cool off in local pools and splash parks and look forward to the opening of Morse Beach in 2013.