Beltzville State Park was in the news for many reasons in 2016.

Most notably, a man was killed when lightning struck the swimming area during a crowded afternoon where the weather turned quickly.Jose Lopez-Hernandez of Camden, New Jersey, died Aug. 14 as a result of injuries suffered during a lightning storm at the park's swimming area. A spokesman for the state Department of Conservation of Natural Resources said that the strike occurred just after swimmers were ordered out of the water.The lake's swimming area continued to draw large crowds to the state park.Over the Independence Day weekend, crowds exceeded the capacity of the 900-car parking lot and overflow parking areas, prompting authorities to turn away vehicles.The large crowds prompted an online petition to restrict the number of people using the park. Some locals have suggested that an admission fee would reduce the number of days when large crowds prevent them from using the lake.In the fall, the lake was in the news for a different reason - low water levels. Because of droughtlike conditions throughout the Delaware River watershed, water was released from the lake to help maintain the flow of the river.The water level dropped well below 312 feet, meaning that both the Pine Run and Preachers Camp boat launches were closed to boaters. The boat launches reopened in December after rain, and a lack of dam releases, allowed the water level to recover from the low levels seen during the month of November.Meanwhile, a nonprofit, the Friends of Beltzville State Park celebrated its first year in operation.