diff --git a/src/OrchestratorLayer/config.F90 b/src/OrchestratorLayer/config.F90
index 651913967..a8be8e2d4 100644
--- a/src/OrchestratorLayer/config.F90
+++ b/src/OrchestratorLayer/config.F90
@@ -537,6 +537,8 @@ subroutine init_namelist_rt_field(did)
     integer, intent(in) :: did
 
     integer ierr
+    character(len=512) :: msg
+
     integer:: RT_OPTION, CHANRTSWCRT, channel_option, &
          SUBRTSWCRT,OVRTSWCRT,AGGFACTRT, &
          GWBASESWCRT,  GW_RESTART,RSTRT_SWC,TERADJ_SOLAR, &
@@ -702,17 +704,17 @@ subroutine init_namelist_rt_field(did)
 #else
     open(12, form="FORMATTED")
 #endif
-    read(12, HYDRO_nlist, iostat=ierr)
-    if(ierr .ne. 0) call hydro_stop("HYDRO_nlst namelist error in read_rt_nlst")
+    read(12, HYDRO_nlist, iostat=ierr, iomsg=msg)
+    if(ierr .ne. 0) call hydro_stop("HYDRO_nlst namelist error in read_rt_nlst: " // trim(msg))
 
     if (lake_option == 3) then
-      read(12, reservoir_nlist, iostat=ierr)
-      if (ierr /= 0) call hydro_stop("reservoir_nlist namelist error in read_rt_nlst")
+      read(12, reservoir_nlist, iostat=ierr, iomsg=msg)
+      if (ierr /= 0) call hydro_stop("reservoir_nlist namelist error in read_rt_nlst: " // trim(msg))
     end if
 
 #ifdef WRF_HYDRO_NUDGING
-    read(12, NUDGING_nlist, iostat=ierr)
-    if(ierr .ne. 0) call hydro_stop("NUDGING_nlst namelist error in read_rt_nlst")
+    read(12, NUDGING_nlist, iostat=ierr, iomsg=msg)
+    if(ierr .ne. 0) call hydro_stop("NUDGING_nlst namelist error in read_rt_nlst: " // trim(msg))
     !! Conditional default values for nuding_nlist
     if(maxAgePairsBiasPersist .eq. -99999) maxAgePairsBiasPersist = -1*nLastObs
 #endif
@@ -756,6 +758,11 @@ subroutine init_namelist_rt_field(did)
     nlst(did)%SOLVEG_INITSWC = SOLVEG_INITSWC
     nlst(did)%reservoir_obs_dir = "testDirectory"
 
+    if ((lake_option == 3) .and. (reservoir_persistence_usgs .or. reservoir_persistence_usace .or. reservoir_rfc_forecasts)) then
+      reservoir_type_specified = .TRUE.
+      lake_option = 1
+    end if
+
     nlst(did)%lake_option = lake_option
     nlst(did)%reservoir_persistence_usgs = reservoir_persistence_usgs
     nlst(did)%reservoir_persistence_usace = reservoir_persistence_usace
@@ -768,10 +775,6 @@ subroutine init_namelist_rt_field(did)
     nlst(did)%reservoir_rfc_forecasts_time_series_path = reservoir_rfc_forecasts_time_series_path
     nlst(did)%reservoir_rfc_forecasts_lookback_hours = reservoir_rfc_forecasts_lookback_hours
 
-    if ((lake_option == 3) .and. (reservoir_persistence_usgs .or. reservoir_persistence_usace .or. reservoir_rfc_forecasts)) then
-        reservoir_type_specified = .TRUE.
-    end if
-
     nlst(did)%reservoir_type_specified = reservoir_type_specified
 
     write(nlst(did)%hgrid,'(I1)') igrid
diff --git a/src/Routing/Reservoirs/Level_Pool/module_levelpool.F90 b/src/Routing/Reservoirs/Level_Pool/module_levelpool.F90
index 65a1c6066..02bce4f98 100644
--- a/src/Routing/Reservoirs/Level_Pool/module_levelpool.F90
+++ b/src/Routing/Reservoirs/Level_Pool/module_levelpool.F90
@@ -407,6 +407,7 @@ subroutine LEVELPOOL_PHYSICS(ln,lake_opt,qi0,qi1,qo1,ql,dt,H,ar,we,maxh,wc,wl,dl
 
 
         else   ! ELSE for LAKE_OPT....
+         call hydro_stop("Invalid lake option supplied to LEVELPOOL_PHYSICS()")
         endif  ! ENDIF for LAKE_OPT....
 
         return