The warning comes from Seqwater ahead of the Christmas break, with thousands of people expected to take advantage of lakes and parks during the holidays.

Seqwater Chief Executive Officer Neil Brennan said while a La Niña was forecast to bring an elevated risk of additional rainfall, dry weather earlier this year had seen lake levels fall across parts of the region.

“Low lake levels increase the danger of submerged and semi-submerged hazards in the water, such as trees, rocks and fence posts,” Mr Brennan said.

“As a result of these low water levels, a number of lakes have had to close boat ramps and restrict some water-based activities until safe and practicable.

“Conversely, we’ve had to restrict in-water recreation at lakes like Enoggera Reservoir and Lake Kurwongbah, where major rainfall has impacted water quality.”

Mr Brennan said it was always important for people to plan ahead and be prepared if visiting one of Seqwater’s recreation sites.

“Before heading out to one of these areas, people are encouraged to check the Seqwater website or the free Seqwater App for any recreation updates, check weather forecasts and make sure they have the right safety gear such as lifejackets,” Mr Brennan said.

“During these busy periods, our rangers regularly patrol our lakes alongside Queensland Police and other agencies such as Maritime Safety Queensland, however they can’t be everywhere, so we rely on people to stay vigilant about their own safety and the safety of others.

To put the safety message at the forefront of people’s minds, Seqwater is launching its annual Play it safe education campaign, which will run during summer through to Easter.

“In the final weeks of the school year, Seqwater delivered a series of Play it safe virtual incursions to more than 15 schools across the region to engage more than 1400 students.

“In addition, we’re increasing the visibility of our safety messaging at some of our most popular recreation spots such as Lake Somerset and Lake Borumba. 

“Queenslanders grow up learning about safety in the surf and in the pool, but it’s just as important to follow some simple safety rules on still water.

Find out how you can play it safe and where on the Seqwater website or via the interactive map at seqwater.com.au/recreation