The 2024 Flood & Rebuild

The 2024 season at Yough Lake Marina was one for the record books and not in the way anyone wanted. A severe drought dragged on through the summer, dropping the lake to 1,363 feet, 76 feet below normal summer pool and the lowest level in over twenty years. The water receded so far that the lake returned to its original river channel, leaving the marina's docks sitting on bare ground.

An algae bloom compounded the misery, bringing boating to a halt before the drought forced an early end to the season altogether. But the worst was yet to come. With the docks grounded on the exposed lakebed, they had no way to float and absorb the impact when water inevitably returned. The stage was set for disaster.

On November 24, 2024, Steve Leskinen sat down and shared what had happened. Over 14 inches of snow had fallen in Garrett County, followed by three-quarters of an inch of rain. The water raged back into the lake basin, cut a new channel through the exposed lakebed, and rose 14 feet vertically in less than a week. The force of the water was devastating. It twisted, bent, flipped, and tore up 25% of the marina's docks. The damage totaled $300,000.

“Mother Nature has shown us every side of herself this year. It has been one thing after another to extreme levels. There is absolutely no way anyone could have changed any of the hurdles we've been faced with this year.”

“It's with very heavy hearts that we have to share this with all of you that have been through this crazy year with us,” Steve wrote. For a family that has operated on this lake since 1969, the damage was more than financial. The docks are the lifeblood of the marina, and six of ten were destroyed in a matter of days.

The Leskinen family got to work immediately. Through the winter of 2024-25, they sourced materials, repaired and replaced structural steel, and rebuilt the dock infrastructure from the ground up. Dock assignments went out in March, and by spring the progress was real.

As Steve wrote to customers: “Please know that there are still things that need finished on the docks, but they are together, the anchors have been dropped, and they are secure.”

On May 1, 2025, Yough Lake Marina opened for early launching -- ready for another season. Boaters were back on the water.

The 2024 flood changed how the marina approaches the offseason. When the floodwaters cut a new channel through the lakebed, they left behind a raised area of sediment in the center of the lake creating an “island” that appears when the water drops each winter. Heading into 2025-26, the Leskinen family adopted a new strategy: they disconnected docks 3, 4, 5, and 6 from shore and positioned them over this island, so the docks would settle safely on stable ground instead of being caught in the path of rushing water.

As Steve put it: “Learned a lesson the hard way last year a once in eighty years occurrence, but we're still preparing for the second time.” That mindset of hoping for the best and planning for the worst is what has kept the marina going for over half a century.