Lake Conroe records zero deaths over summer for first time in a decade, authorities say

For the first time in a decade, Lake Conroe had zero deaths from Memorial Day to Labor Day, authorities said.

Memorial Day, Labor Day and Fourth of July weekends are often considered “Super Bowls” for the man-made lake, officials said. 

Once deemed “the deadliest lake” in Texas, Lake Conroe’s waters were safer this year in part through efforts of the Montgomery County Precinct 1 Constable’s Office, according to a release by the agency. 

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Since 2017, the agency has been working to change the narrative on the lake by implementing the safe lake initiative, which includes voluntary boater safety checks, high visibility water enforcement, and equipping the deputies on the lake with the very best equipment to serve those on the water, the release states. 

Precinct 1 Lt. Miguel Rosario said it was great to see the lake moving away from the narrative that it’s dangerous. 

“We’re always striving for safety,” Rosario said, noting that the lake being called “the deadliest in Texas” is not something the agency wants. “We’ve done what we can, working through our partnerships and enforcement out on the lake to remedy that problem.” 

Despite the Houston-area seeing the hottest summer in recorded history, the lake still saw a huge amount of traffic over the holiday weekends, Rosario said. 

With help from the Texas Parks and Wildlife, the agency’s marine division initiated more than 460 traffic stops on vessels, conducted more than 681 boat safety checks, responded to only five boat crashes, and enforced more than 120 San Jacinto River Authority violations, the release states. Having visibility of deputies on the lake prevented accidents before they even occurred, the release states. 

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“A lot of times, like our drownings come from people that are uneducated,” Rosario said. “We’ve tried doing education, we put on the boater safety classes, we’ve talked to the rental companies…I like to think they take our talk seriously and that they’re passing (along) that education.” 

The agency also linked the success of its safety efforts to other organizations, including the Texas Offshore Performance Powerboat Squadron, the Lake Conroe Pontoon Party Group, and local marinas. 

In the release, Precinct 1 Constable Phillip Cash also announced adding an all weather craft to the fleet.

The 23 foot Maritime 233 Voyager will allow the marine division to continue operations year round. With a fully enclosed cabin, deputies will be able to respond in all types of weather conditions, the release states.