Print edition: 
Most of the lakes in the area are ready for you to jump into over the Labor Day weekend. If you show up.
Managers at regional state parks don't know what to expect in the way of crowds.
High school football begins Friday night, and other activities associated with the beginning of a new school year can rob parks of swimmers and campers.
"Expectations are pretty much up in the air," said Mike Satterlee, park manager at Cheney State Park, "but we're ready for whatever the weekend brings."
Lake levels vary around the region. Cheney Reservoir is back at its normal level after flooding last month forced the east side of the lake to close for several weeks.
"We're not under water anywhere," Satterlee said.
The water level at El Dorado Lake is about five inches below normal due to evaporation, said Randy Just, assistant manager at the park.
But that won't create problems, and he expects a turnout of 45,000 to 60,000. Temperatures are expected to be in the low 90s, with no rain.
"I think it's going to be a pretty well-attended weekend," he said.
Many campsites with utility hookups, as well as non-utility campsites, are available at El Dorado, he said.
They usually don't fill up until the weekend. People are busy with school activities during the week and waiting to see what the weather will be like, Just said.
At Lake Afton, only about 10 percent of the 210 camp sites are booked. Mark Sroufe, the park's manager, doesn't expect a large crowd.
"The weather looks good," he said, "but the way the last year has been with the economy, I'm not looking for anything great, maybe just average."
The water level is normal at Afton, he said.
The water level at Cross Timbers and Fall River in southeast Kansas are about a foot below normal due to dam construction by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, said Kim Jones, manager at both parks.
Some boat ramps have been closed, and recreational boaters are being cautioned about underwater hazards, such as standing and floating timber, she said.
But she expects a good weekend for camping. Sites with full hookups are booked.
"I think we'll have a better-than-average Labor Day," Jones said. "The numbers we have in here are already indicating that."
None of these lakes have had a problem with blue-green algae blooms that have bothered lakes in other parts of the state.
Anthony City Lake in Harper County is the only lake in the south-central region still under a warning for elevated algae levels.
The city closed the lake Friday, and it will remain closed pending the results of tests this week by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
Blue-green algae are natural in aquatic ecosystems, but under the right conditions can rapidly grow toxic blooms that appear on the surface as floating scum resembling grass clippings or curds of green cottage cheese.
Exposure to the toxins can cause illness. Contact with the water from wading or swimming can cause a skin rash, as well as eye, ear and throat irritation.
Ingesting or inhaling toxins through sprays from jet skis or boats can cause diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, fever, fatigue and flu-like symptoms.
The KDHE doesn't expect any algae problems to develop in the lakes this week because of cooling temperatures and waning daylight hours, said Tom Langer, director of the bureau of environmental health for the department.
Santa Fe Lake in Butler County reopened last week after being at a warning level for the algae.
