A late-summer day on the lake is as much a part of Austin’s culture as live music and breakfast tacos. But that part of this area’s identity suffered a blow on Labor Day when the lingering drought forced a longtime waterfront favorite to close its doors.

Carlos’n Charlie’s, a Mexican restaurant and bar on the shores of Lake Travis that was open for nearly 20 years, shut down Sept. 2. The owners blamed a third consecutive year of dry weather.

Central Texas lakes are at their lowest levels in more than 60 years, despite heavy rains in the recent days, and Lake Travis and Lake Buchanan, the reservoirs northwest of Austin that supply water to the region, now stand at just 33 percent full. These lower levels have significantly reduced customer traffic and forced many lakeside business owners to make difficult decisions.

The closing of Carlos’n Charlie’s was the latest and most visible business impact of the drought. In the past, thousands of patrons would arrive by boat and car to watch the restaurant’s annual Fourth of July fireworks show and listen to live music. But the boat docks have been unusable for more than three years.