AUSTIN, Texas — Local experts are urging Central Texans to think before they water their lawns.
The Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) is asking people to be smart about their water use, especially as drought continues across much of Central Texas.
“Conserving water is a necessity in a semi-arid region like Central Texas,” said John Hofmann, LCRA's executive vice president of water. “We all should play a role in conserving water and making sure it’s used wisely, especially during these hot, dry conditions.”
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that during the summer, up to 70% of water is used on outdoor landscapes. Instead, LCRA wants everyone to use the following best practices when it comes to water:
- Water yards before 10 a.m. or after 7 p.m. and follow local watering restrictions
- Use water-efficient landscaping and drought-tolerate plants
- Cover swimming pools to reduce evaporation
- Add mulch to landscape beds and compost to turf, which will help prevent water loss
- Wash full loads of laundry or adjust water levels when washing smaller loads
“There are beautiful plants that can survive these hot Texas summers with minimal water,” Hofmann said. “We encourage people to use native plants instead of ones more suited to regions with much greater rainfall or milder seasons.”
For more water-saving tips, tools and resources visit WaterSmart.org.
In July 2022, LCRA issued Stage 1 of its drought contingency plan. This plan asked customers to reduce their water use by 5%. During that time, LCRA said because of the duration and intensity of the drought, "no Highland Lakes water would be available to the Gulf Coast, Lakeside and Pierce Ranch agricultural operations in Colorado, Wharton and Matagorda counties for the second growing season in 2022."
The LCRA also stated that customers in the Gulf Coast, Lakeside and Pierce Ranch operations could have Highland Lakes available after the March 1, 2024, evaluation date.
Water for LCRA customers mainly comes from lakes Buchanan and Travis, with two water supply reservoirs in the Highland Lakes. The LCRA said that if the combined storage of lakes Buchanan and Travis fall below 900,000 acre-feet or 45% capacity, it will move to Stage 2 and customers will need to reduce water use by 10 to 20%.
Lake-level projects from the LCRA are available here.