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Residents near Mark Twain Lake have seen high water levels over the past week. That's left several beaches temporarily closed.

KHQA checked in at the Clarence Cannon Dam Wednesday. The water level is drifting around 628 feet above sea level. That's ten feet below what would be a concern for the dam. We spoke with local residents to find out if this is usual for the area.

"Mark Twain Lake often has high water," said Kurt Meyer, from the Canon Dam General Store and Cabins. "The lake is open. People are using the lake, the fish are biting very well and the water's clear and free of debris. This is really nothing out of the ordinary at all."

Meyer says the lake is gradually dropping three tenths of a foot each day. At present, The Clarence Canon Dam is releasing about 11,000 cubic feet per second. That's only about a sixth of what it released during the 2008 floods, when the lake reached a record level of more than 640 feet above sea level.