AUSTIN, Texas — The Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) is encouraging people who live throughout the lower Colorado River basin to conserve water as dry conditions and extreme heat continue.
“It’s been a while since we’ve had any rain, and these extreme 100-degree-plus days are taking a toll on all of us,” said John Hofmann, the LCRA's executive vice president of water. “They also are taking a toll on our water supply lakes. With very little water flowing into the lakes and a ‘heat dome’ roasting our area since early June, lake levels are decreasing as significant amounts of water evaporate or are used on landscaping in the region. We all need to step up and do our part to conserve.”
The LCRA said it is now in Stage 1 of its drought contingency plan and it is requesting that its firm customers – mostly water districts, municipalities and industries – to reduce water use by 5%.
The LCRA is projecting that Austin could hit Stage 2 drought restrictions by mid-August.
Two of the Highland Lakes, Lake Buchanan and Lake Travis, are water supply reservoirs that provide water to thousands of people. According to the LCRA, combined storage at the two lakes is now at about 953,000 acre-feet or about 49% capacity.
That combined storage is expected to fall below 900,000 acre-feet, or about 45% of capacity, by mid-August. At that point, the LCRA would move to Stage 2 of its drought contingency plan and request that firm customers implement mandatory drought response measures, with a target of reducing water use by 10% to 20%.
The LCRA said that each of its customers would decide how to implement the additional measures based on provisions in their own drought plans.
“Our water supply is stressed but still in OK shape,” Hofmann said. “It’s in our entire region’s interest to slow down water consumption because everything we do now will help prolong and protect our water supply. We are getting close to the next trigger in our drought contingency plan and customers soon will be implementing additional drought response measures. But no one should wait for restrictions to be put in place to stop wasting water.’’
The LCRA has also cut off Highland Lakes water to the Gulf Coast, Lakeside and Pierce Ranch agriculture operations in Colorado, Wharton and Matagorda counties for all of 2023.
The LCRA says everyone should follow their local water providers' restrictions for outdoor watering. The agency recommends the following tips for water conservation:
- Water yards no more than twice a week and only before 10 a.m. or after 7 p.m. to reduce evaporation, if allowed by the local provider
- Use water-efficient landscaping and drought-tolerant plants
- Cover swimming pools when not in use
- Add mulch to landscapes and compost to turf to help prevent water loss
For more tips, tools and resources, visit WaterSmart.org.