RANKIN COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) – Extreme dry conditions are impacting the Ross Barnett Reservoir.

The normal level of the Rez is 297.50 feet for the Spring/Fall season. The reservoir currently sits at 297.12 feet above mean sea level, which sits below the target level for this season. Water levels will remain low without rain in the forecast.

Experts said every half foot of water makes a difference.

“When you’re on the lake, every half a foot makes a difference, and that’s not a very deep lake to begin with. So, you start losing access to your docks the lower you get, especially this time of year. Everybody wanting to boat,” said Marty Pope, Senior Service Hydrologist with the National Weather Service Office-Jackson.

Engineers said it’s not uncommon for the reservoir to be this low at this time of the year. They said typical weather patterns result in a drought of some degree around this time every year.

“Last year at this time, the reservoir was actually two inches lower than it is right now at this time. The water level is dropping, on average, 3/16 of an inch per day,” explained Mark Beyea, chief engineer at the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District (PRVWSD).

Beyea said the rainy season begins in November, so the Rez is very unlikely to experience any shortage of water for the water supply.

Police also emphasize safety on the Rez.

“When it comes to the water, one of the main things we kind of focus on is just the elements that are inside of the reservoir, which are going to be your start fields. So, it’s really just, you know, making sure that, you know, where you go and make sure you stay within those navigational channels and just know where you can be, where you shouldn’t be. That’s really the basics of being safe out there,” said Reservoir Police Chief Trevell Dixon.

Pope said the water levels are still fine for boating. However, people need to be cautious of stumps in the shallow areas.