COEUR d'ALENE - Low water levels forced Don Beck to pull the plug on boating season two weeks ago.

Beck, who lives in the Harbor Island area between Post Falls and Coeur d'Alene, pulled his boat from the Spokane River nearly two months earlier than he normally does.

"I generally leave my boat in until the first of October, but not this year," said Beck, who lives on the canal side of the river at Harbor Island. "Our boating season is pretty short here anyway, but this year it's really short."

Beck said he's home all summer, so he has been watching the level gradually drop due to the dry summer and monitoring water information provided by Avista Utilities.

"When you watch your boat in its slip, you can see it happening," he said.

However, some residents who are in and out of their homes may get caught by surprise about the decreased levels, he said.

The water level of Lake Coeur d'Alene on Friday was 2,127.22 feet - about 9 inches below maximum summer level.

Avista, which controls the lake and river levels with its Post Falls Dam, had to move to discharging 500 cubic feet per second this summer at the dam for the first time since its renewed license went into effect six years ago. The discharge is normally 600 cfs this time of year.

"We went to 500 after the lake drew down 3 inches (in July)," said Mary Tyrie, Avista spokeswoman.

Toni Beck, who lives in Kidd Island Bay on Lake Coeur d'Alene, said she plans to take her boat out of the water next week.

"The level is getting down there," she said. "I'm getting a little nervous about it."

She said boaters should also pay close attention to hazards in the water that normally don't appear in August.

"A lot of people leave their boats in until after Labor Day, but this year they may not be able to," she said. "It's really an unusual year. If the water goes down and your boat is sitting on the bottom (of the lake) then you're stuck. People should just be aware to protect their boats and other investments."

For more information on water levels, visit www.avistautilities.com/waterflow.