MONETA, Va. (WSET) — For businesses around Smith Mountain Lake, a strong summer tourism season can make or break the year.
But this summer, the drought brought an added challenge, with lake levels falling by as much as five feet.
Business owners at Bridgewater Marina said the lower water levels affected their bottom line. They said fewer people spent time on the water, while some visitors changed their plans because of the conditions.
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For Kevin Gray, owner of Smith Mountain Lake Coffeehouse, that makes the Labor Day weekend crowd especially important.
“We’re about 20 percent down from what we were past few summers, but overall the local folks really take care of us, and they always come in and support us, and then we’ve been getting a lot of folks that are here on vacation still,” Gray said.
Gray said Labor Day weekend is an important opportunity for the business to bring in revenue that can help carry it through the rest of the year.
After a summer affected by low water levels, business owners are hoping a strong holiday weekend will help make up for some of what they lost.
For businesses that depend on visitors coming to the lake, the final big weekend of summer could be a chance to finish the season on a high note.