In a sure sign that autumn has arrived, Cascade Water Alliance will begin draining water from Lake Tapps in November.

Cascade, in coordination with the Lake Tapps Community Council, will begin actively dropping the water level of Lake Tapps beginning Nov. 1 as part of the reservoir’s annual wintertime drawdown.

Cascade and the community council urge lakeside residents to remove their boats before the drawdown starts to avoid water craft from becoming stranded in shallow, exposed inlets.

Under the collaborative drawdown plan, Cascade intends to lower the reservoir’s water level by about 5 feet and then consult with the community council on whether to reduce the lake level further.

A key goal of the drawdown is to assess the lake and dike condition and remove debris.

The annual drawdown is also designed to ensure waves from severe winter storms do not overtop the reservoir’s dikes.

Refilling of the reservoir is scheduled to begin in February with the goal of returning the lake to its full, summer recreational level by mid-April.