San Diego County supervisors approved $2.5 million Tuesday to help extend the boat launch at El Capitan Reservoir, a move aimed at keeping the Lakeside recreation site usable when water levels drop, according to East County Magazine.

The project would extend the existing four-lane launch by about 200 feet with a 60-foot-wide reinforced marine-grade concrete ramp. East County Magazine reported that the proposal was brought forward by Supervisors Joel Anderson and Monica Montgomery Steppe and approved unanimously by the Board of Supervisors on Sept. 1.

El Capitan Reservoir is owned and operated by the City of San Diego, and county documents cited by East County Magazine say a broader county takeover of recreational operations was not feasible because the reservoir’s primary purpose is drinking water supply. County and city staff instead identified the ramp extension as the top capital improvement priority.

The issue matters to Santee and Lakeside residents because low reservoir levels have forced closures of the existing boat launch in recent years, even as shore fishing and kayaking remained available. The longer ramp is intended to preserve boating access through more of the year.

The funding would come from redirected county money, not new revenue, according to East County Magazine. County officials still expect to coordinate with San Diego city staff on a formal agreement and pursue additional state and federal funding, since the city’s estimate for the work is $2.8 million.