Lake Conroe Tops Boating Deaths List; Lake Palestine Fifth

CONROE (AP/Staff) – Four boating-related deaths so far this year have made Lake Conroe the deadliest lake in Texas since 2000, while Lake Palestine is high on the list. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department records show 22 people since then have been killed on the 21,000-acre lake north of Houston. That’s two more than Lake Livingston, about 70 miles northeast of Houston, in the same period. Officials tell the Houston Chronicle the numbers are up despite increased law enforcement and better boater education. Alcohol is blamed for many of the deaths. Records show Lake Travis northwest of Austin and Lake Lewisville in the Dallas area are next with 17 boating-related fatalities since 2000, followed by Lake Palestine at number five with 16. In 2000, Texas recorded 53 boating fatalities. Last year, 21 people were killed.