All developed boat ramps at the Blue Mesa Reservoir were limited, effective immediately, to hand-launching of non-trailered watercraft, the National Park Service announced in a news release Monday evening.

Severe drought conditions have left the Gunnison County reservoir at less than 25% capacity, losing its title as the largest body of water entirely in Colorado to Lake Granby, according to a social media post by the Bureau of Reclamation.

Water levels have fallen by nearly 20,000 acre-feet to 194,372 acre-feet since the agency’s announcement on Aug. 13.

The shallow water has allowed the ruins of Iola, the town flooded to create the reservoir in the 1960s, to become visible and created prime conditions for toxic blue-green algae to form, according to previous Gazette reporting.

Monday’s announcement also warned boaters of “unknown hazards” that are typically submerged due to low water levels.

All motorized watercraft must be inspected before entering the Blue Mesa Reservoir, while hand-powered hand-launched vessels do not need to be inspected if they meet clean, drain and dry requirements. Shoreline launching of trailered watercraft is still permitted in allowed areas.

Reservoir levels and other information about the reservoir can be found on the Curecanti National Recreation Area website.