The 2012 Celina Governor’s Cup Regatta, scheduled for Aug. 25-26, has been cancelled due to low water levels at Grand Lake St. Marys, organizers have announced.

Officials said the low water depth makes it unsafe to hold the annual hydrdoplane powerboat races, a tradition that dates back to 1958 and usually draws about 30,000 to the area over two days.

“We could not, in good conscience, conduct our race in waters that have the potential to leave a racer trapped in their boat with no way out if it were to flip,” the organizing committee said.

Donna Grube, executive director of the Auglaize and Mercer Counties Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, said it’s a blow to the area’s tourism industry, especially in the late summer when the number of visitors drops off because school is in session.

While race itself is free, the event usually brings between $2 million and $3 million in tourism revenue to the area. “So having it cancelled, that’s money that won’t be coming into Auglaize and Mercer counties,” she said.

Beyond the immediate financial impact, Grube said the race would have been a chance for people to see how healthy the lake is now, after several years of algae issues.

The regatta had to be called off in 2010 when an outbreak of toxic cyanobacteria, or blue green algae, made contact with the water unsafe. Race Co-Chair Scott Anderson said algae hasn’t been a problem at all this year. “There’s nothing else that would have prevented us from having a race,” he said.

Anderson said the committee has been watching the water levels throughout the dry summer and waited until last week to make a decision after conferring with American Powerboat Racing Association officials.

He said they went ahead and made the decision now to be fair to vendors and racers who may want to take part in another event that weekend instead.

Brian Miller, park manager at Grand Lake St. Marys State Park, said the water level was 12 inches below normal as of last week, but that the depth has not affected any other recreational activities on the lake.

Indian Lake’s water was eight and a half inches below normal last week and Lake Loramie was nine and half inches low. “We haven’t seen these levels in about 10 years,” he said.

“It’s just the drought,” Anderson said. “I’m sure it’s affecting a lot of races across the country.”

The Celina Governor’s Cup Regatta was originally put on by the St. Mary’s Boat Club and The Celina Lions Club from 1958 through 1970. Gov. C. William O Neal presented the Governor’s Cup to the first winner. It was revived in 1995 by a group of volunteers.