Lake Travis - Westlake Edition | April 2026

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Lake Travis Westlake Edition VOLUME 17, ISSUE 3 APRIL 24MAY 22, 2026

Drought persists in Central Texas

Combined storage of lakes Travis, Buchanan

Despite drought conditions in the area, water supply conditions are normal due to large amounts of rainfall last summer. If combined storage drops below 1.5 million acre-feet, or about 75%, by designated dates, the LCRA could declare less severe drought conditions if other criteria are met.

By Sienna Wight

Page 14

83% full

96% full

73% full

Lake Buchanan 880,356-acre-foot capacity when full

Lake Travis 1,115,076-acre-foot capacity when full

SOURCE: LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITYCOMMUNITY IMPACT NOTE: DATA IS ACCURATE AS OF APRIL 16

MATTHEW BROOKSCOMMUNITY IMPACT

2769

Also in this issue

BULLICK HOLLOW RD.

GERONIMO ST.

Impacts: Read more about Japanese barbecue eatery Chubby Cattle coming soon (Page 6)

Transportation: Dive deeper into Bee Cave’s vision for a Hwy. 71 alternative (Page 16)

Lake Travis is 815,835 acre-feet full as of April 16, according to the Lower Colorado River Authority.

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LAKE TRAVIS WESTLAKE EDITION

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About Community Impact

Community Roots: Founded in 2005 by John and Jennifer Garrett, we remain a locally owned business today. Texas-Wide Reach: We deliver trusted news to 75+ communities across the Austin, Bryan-College Station, Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth and San Antonio metros.

Market leaders & metro team

Reporters Brittany Anderson Katlynn Fox Jessica McLaren Bailey Meyers Michael Milliorn Jillian Nachtigal Hannah Norton Daniel Schwalm Hamera Shabbir Brooke Sjoberg Ben Thompson Gracie Warhurst Sienna Wight Chloe Young Graphic Designers Abbey Eckhardt Alissa Foss

Taylor Stover General Manager tstover@ communityimpact.com

Minh Nguyen Laura Patino Joseph Veloz Managing Editor Darcy Sprague Product Manager Gloria Amareth Quality Desk Editor Adrian Gandara Austin Market President Travis Baker

Grace Dickens Editor gdickens@ communityimpact.com

Jill Futch Account Executive jfutch@ communityimpact.com

16225 Impact Way, Pugerville, TX 78660 • 5129896808 Careers communityimpact.com/careers Press releases ltwnews@communityimpact.com Advertising ltwads@communityimpact.com communityimpact.com/advertising

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LAKE TRAVIS WESTLAKE EDITION

PACE BEND PARK

183

2769

Impacts

medicine, hormone optimization, metabolic health services, comprehensive adult care and more. • Opened in January • 12117 Bee Cave Road, Bldg. 1, Ste. 202, Bee Cave • www.thrivinglifeclinic.com 4 Happy Health and Wellness The health clinic specializing in patient-oriented, holistic care opened in the Westlake area. The clinic oers primary care, IV therapy, allergy treatments and a variety of other holistic care options. • Opened April 2 • 4201 Bee Cave Road, Ste. C-100, Austin • www.happyhealthwellness.com 5 Amara Luxe Head Spa Owned by local Mae Fu, Amara Luxe is a scalp wellness spa providing customizable treatments. The signature ritual includes Precision Scalp Health, an analysis of hair and scalp conditions to create a customized treatment plan, and The Sensory Experience, personalized treatments under the “waterfall head bath,” hydrotherapy and an acupressure massage. • Opened Jan. 8 • My Salon Suite, 7101 Hwy. 71, Unit U-2, Austin • www.amaraluxeheadspa.com 6 ATX Indoor Golf Club Chris and Meredith Roach are the local owners behind the golf club, which oers 24/7 indoor golf simulations, including private and semi-private hitting bays. The bays are equipped with seating, a TV and a refrigerator. Guests are welcome to purchase snacks and non- alcoholic drinks from the business’s “19th hole” pantry, or bring their own. • Opened Feb. 1 • 5446 W. Hwy. 290 Service Road, Unit 5, Austin • www.atxindoorgolfclub.com

LAKE TRAVIS

DOSS RD.

HAYNIE FLAT RD.

420

2222

360

SYDNEY CAROL LN.

404

STEINER RANCH BLVD.

LAKE TRAVIS

Lakeway

620

WATER FRONT AVE.

EMMA LONG PARK

COMMONS FORD RANCH

YACHT CLUB COVE

ROUGH HOLLOW DR.

West Lake Hills

2244

360

Bee Cave

BARTON CREEK HABITAT PRESERVE

FLINTROCK TRACE

MOPAC

620

FLINT ROCK RD.

290

2 Cielo Behavioral Health Early Skills Center The business uses Applied Behavioral Analysis services, which seek to improve social skills, communication and learning for those with autism or developmental delays. The Early Skills Center emphasizes play-based ABA services for young children, focused on early learning and school readiness, co-owner Omar Abdullah said. • Opened Jan. 5 • 3698 RM 620, Ste. 115, Austin • www.cielobehavior.com 3 Thriving Life Clinic The business oers specialized services centered around increasing patient longevity. Locally owned by Dr. Delaine Mueller, Thriving Life Clinic provides longevity

Now open

1 The Yoga Tiki The business owned by local Tamara Kenigsberg features two studios in its location across from Lexus of Lakeway. Its upstairs studio oers traditional yoga classes, workshops and trainings. Meanwhile, its downstairs studio is heated, designed for dynamic power, sculpt practices and cardio dance, according to the business. • Opened March 28 • 107 S. RM 620, Ste. 108, Austin • www.theyogatiki.com

Coming soon

7 Charles Schwab The wealth management rm will take over the old location of Schmidt Family Barbecue at the Hill Country Galleria. Charles Schwab oers investment products and services, including brokerage and investment accounts,

Delaine Mueller, MD

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VO2 Max Testing DEXA Scan

Comprehensive Lab Testing Genetic Testing

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

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online trading, and other wealth management options. • Opening TBD

Now open

Coming soon

• 12532 Bee Cave Road, Bee Cave • www.hillcountrygalleria.com

What’s next PERMITS FILED WITH THE TEXAS

DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING AND REGULATION

8 Taqueria De Diez The restaurant has plans to open a Tijuana-style taqueria in Westlake, according to permitting information. The fast-casual concept will be rooted in Mexican street food, with handmade tortillas and meats prepared on a trompo and at-top grill, according to information from the business. An opening date was not available as of press time. • 3736 Bee Cave Road, Ste. 2, West Lake Hills • www.taqueriadediez.com 9 Pilates Addiction The franchise is slated to open a new Austin location, per a TDLR ling. The studio oers four signature Pilates classes utilizing its WundaFormer machine, combining the Pilates reformer, Wunda chair, ballet bar and jump board into one. • 5145 N. RM 620, Ste. G-170, Austin • www.pilatesaddiction.com

12 Bella Loma Owned by Brandy, Lalo and Maria Salmeron, the business oers a tasting room for customers to enjoy house-distilled agave spirits and mixed drinks, including margaritas, Mexican martinis and specialty drinks. The distillery has a ranch in Mexico to grow and harvest agave. • Opened Feb. 21

14 Chubby Cattle The Japanese-inspired, all-you-can-eat barbecue restaurant is coming to Barton Creek Square, a media representative for the restaurant said. The restaurant specializes in serving Wagyu barbecue, along with a variety of sushi and other sides included in the all-you-can-eat experience. • Opening this summer • 2901 S. Capital of Texas Highway, Unit J01B, Austin • www.chubbycattle.com

• 12501 CR 404, Spicewood • www.bellalomatexas.com

Relocations

10 Kim Ortiz Portrait Art After six years in the Hill Country Galleria, the business is moving in May to a 2-acre property on Lake Travis. The studio’s new focus is oering a portrait experience for families and dogs at their home, lake house or ranch alongside commissions for painted portraits and modern wall art. The previous location was at 12820 Hill Country Blvd., Ste. E-110, Bee Cave. • Relocating May 1 • 4453 Eck Lane, Austin • www.kimortiz.com 11 Spring Line Wealth Partners The business relocated from 5324 Reimers Road, Spicewood, to Flintrock Trace Oce Park near Lakeway. Spring Line Wealth Partners oers nancial, investment

and insurance planning, along with business-oriented nancial planning services. • Relocated April 1 • 2802 Flintrock Trace, Ste. B103, Austin • www.springlinewealth.com

• Reopened April 14 • 103 Yacht Club Cove, Lakeway • www.canyongrillelakeway.com

Closings

In the news

15 Westlake Eyecare The business’ Four Points location ocially closed this April. Patients at the former location will be directed to Dr. Amy Jones and Dr. Haley Nguyen at Westlake Eyecare’s additional branches in West Lake Hills and

13 Canyon Grille The restaurant reopened this spring following a weeklong transformation into a farm-to-table dining concept under new owner Haythem Dawlett. The restaurant will oer a rotating seasonal menu, with ingredients regionally sourced from local farmers, according to a news release.

downtown Austin. • Closed April 10 • 7301 N. RM 620, Ste. 165, Austin • www.westlakeeyecare.com

KINDER 101 LAKE TRAVIS ISD L A K E T R A V I S I S D

Calling all incoming kindergarten students for the 2026-2027 school year: LTISD will host kinder orientation at each elementary campus. Parents will attend an orientation while children visit classrooms and participate in fun activities.

Your child must be fully enrolled in Skyward to attend this event! Visit LTISDSCHOOLS.ORG/ENROLLMENT to enroll.

LAKE TRAVIS WESTLAKE EDITION

TRAVIS COUNTY, TX • 2025 PROPERTY TAX DATA REPORT • PAID FOR BY OWNWELL

54% of Travis County residential properties didn’t protest their 2025 property taxes.

46%

54%

Protested 1

Didn’t Protest 1

177,605

204,405

residential properties

$122.0M total missed potential savings

$160.2M total realized savings in 2025

Protestors won 89% of the time in Travis County1

WHY CHOOSE OWNWELL² 94%

IMPORTANT DATES

deadline for current & retroactive homestead exemption applications April 30, 2026 May 15, 2026

Travis County 2025 win rate

41,730

Travis County properties represented by Ownwell in 2025

property tax protest deadline

23% of Travis County residential protested properties chose Ownwell in 2025

$744 average annual property tax savings for Ownwell clients in 2025

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25%

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Government

BY CHLOE YOUNG

Travis County is launching a 10-year plan to expand its parks system. The Travis County Commissioners Court approved a plan to expand, strengthen and increase access to county parks over the next decade at an April 14 meeting. The countywide effort comes after voters approved a $276.44 million parks bond proposition in 2023. In the Southwest region, the county is looking to acquire new land connecting Reimers Ranch Park in Dripping Springs to RGK Ranch Park—a 1,506-acre park acquired by the county in 2024. The county has already begun developing vision plans for both parks, including camping sites and expanded trails at Reimers Ranch Park, said Kari Spiegelhalter, co-founder at Mend Collaborative, an urban planning and landscape architecture firm working on the county’s parks plan. TravCo unveils final parks plan

The details

Overall, the Travis County parks department has developed a list of 35 recommended projects, with several in southwestern Travis County. Some projects may be short-term, completed in three years or less; medium-term, completed in four to six years; or long-term, taking seven to 10 years.

Recommendation type

Recommendation

Park name/location Timeframe

Funding sources

Acquire land to connect RGK Ranch Park to Reimers Ranch Park. Develop and implement a Vision Plan for Reimers Ranch Park that incorporates the newly acquired properties and includes camping and expanded trails. Make park-wide improvements to Pace Bend Park, based on the Pace Bend Vision Plan. Develop and implement a vision plan for RGK Ranch Park. Construct synthetic sports fields, pavilions, and walking trails.

Voter-approved bond funding

N/A

Short-term Acquisition

Annual budget process, voter-approved bond funding

Reimers Ranch Park Short-term Planning

Annual budget process, voter-approved bond funding Annual budget process, voter-approved bond funding Funded in the 2023 voter- approved bond funding

Pace Bend Park Medium-term Project

RGK Ranch Park

Short-term Project

Bee Creek Sports Complex

Short-term Project

What’s next

REIMERS RANCH PARK PAVILION

BEE CREEK SPORTS COMPLEX

Travis County Parks representative Janet Coles said. “It’s very holistic and will help us with many challenges the county has in front of us as we can use our parks as fabric for the community to rely on,” Precinct 3 Commissioner Ann Howard said about the plan.

The parks plan was developed over the past year using feedback from community members, a steering committee and the Commissioners Court, Spiegelhalter said. The approved plan will allow county staff to develop cost estimates for the projects, which could require funding approvals at a later date,

BEE CREEK RD.

REIMERS RANCH TO RGK RANCH LAND ACQUISITION

RGK RANCH PARK

HAMILTON POOL RD.

MAP NOT TO SCALE N

SOURCE: TRAVIS COUNTY/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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LAKE TRAVIS - WESTLAKE EDITION

Government

BY GRACE DICKENS & BEN THOMPSON

Lakeway OK’s $253K for park project manager City leaders are preparing for work on the $2.1 million Butler Rough Hollow Park to begin this summer, with the latest City Council action pinning down one of several project managers to come for the city’s parks bond projects. A motion allowing the city manager to negotiate an up to $253,550 contract with Pape-Dawson Consulting Engineers LLC was approved in a 5-1 decision at the March 16 City Council meeting, with council member Matt Sherman dissenting. Diving in deeper Although the city hasn’t used project managers for its bond work so far, the projects moving forward are more complicated and will happen simultaneously to deliver them on time, Director of Parks and Recreation Andra Bennett said. “Simply put, we don’t have the bandwidth or the expertise that is needed from an engineering

Bee Cave revises tree trimming rules Bee Cave City Council approved changes to its tree trimming ordinance for residents as oak wilt season begins in Central Texas. The details Recent policy changes approved March 10 clarify that single-family residents are not required to get a city permit for tree trim- ming, but do not change rules prohibiting trimming from February to June. The rule update still requires business owners to get a permit from the city in order to trim trees, according to city documents. Oak wilt is a destructive tree disease that is widespread in Central Texas, killing millions of oak trees every year, according to Texas Oak Wilt. Oak wilt is most prevalent from Feb. 1-June 30.

The new park will include:

An amphitheater with limestone block seating

A mountain bike course

A basketball area with six individual hoop stations

A multisports eld including baseball and soccer equipment

A playground area and a ninja course

SOURCE: CITY OF LAKEWAYCOMMUNITY IMPACT

standpoint to now manage these larger park projects,” Bennett said. Sherman voted against the item due to cost concerns, and the mounting scal impact of contracting out a rm like this for each of the remaining projects. What’s next Project completion is expected in spring 2027.

Austin to start recurring 3rd-party eciency reviews Austin ocials authorized continuous third-party audits of citywide operations and services, a process partly prompted by a failed tax rate election. The gist

“We don’t know of any other city that’s doing it this way where it’s a systemic, citywide, ongoing, independent eciency

The audit will analyze Austin’s government organization, public programs and services, third-party contracting practices, and nancial comparisons to peer cities. Public progress reports will be made at least semiannually, and all project recommendations, results and other information will be posted online. As improvements are suggested, city leaders will have to detail how changes will be made.

assessment or audit. And never before has Austin done this.” KIRK WATSON, MAYOR

The city auditor’s oce is now tasked with start- ing up and overseeing the ongoing “comprehensive eciency assessment” program, to be handled independently by an external consultant.

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Election

BY HANNAH NORTON

Races to watch Some races at the top of the Republican runoff ballot include: U.S. Senate: Incumbent John Cornyn and state Attorney General Ken Paxton Texas attorney general: State Sen. Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston, and U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Austin Texas railroad commissioner: Incumbent Jim Wright and former Tarrant County GOP chair Bo French Texas’ new 9th Congressional District: Army veteran Alex Mealer and state Rep. Briscoe Cain, R-Deer Park Texas’ new 35th Congressional District: State Rep. John Lujan, R-San Antonio, and Air Force veteran Carlos De La Cruz Some runoff contests on the Democratic side are: Texas attorney general: State Sen. Nathan Johnson, D-Dallas, and former Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski Texas lieutenant governor: State Rep. Vikki Goodwin, D-Austin, and union leader Marcos Velez Texas’ new 18th Congressional District: Incumbent Christian Menefee, D-Houston, and U.S. Rep. Al Green, who currently represents District 9 Texas’ new 33rd Congressional District: Former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, and U.S. Rep. Julie Johnson, who currently represents District 32

Texas held its primary elections March 3, with Republican and Democratic voters selecting their parties’ nominees for scores of federal, state and local seats. Yet some candidates aren’t done campaigning— dozens of primary races are headed to runoff elections May 26. In Texas primaries, state law requires that a candidate receive more than 50% of the vote to win their race outright. When no one meets that threshold, the two highest- performing candidates advance to a runoff. The winner of each runoff election will appear on the November ballot. What to know about May 26 runoff elections

More details

Texans who voted in a political party’s primary this March can only cast ballots in the same party’s runoff, per state law. Those who did not participate in the primaries can vote in either party’s runoff. Individuals who participate in third-party nominating conventions may not vote in another party’s primary or runoff.

Dates to know

Deadline to register to vote in the runoffs

April 27

May 15

Last day to apply to vote by mail

May 18

Early voting begins

May 22

Early voting ends

May 26

Runoff election day

SOURCE: TEXAS SECRETARY OF STATE/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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LAKE TRAVIS - WESTLAKE EDITION

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Environment

BY CHLOE YOUNG

Provisional flash flood risk areas There were a number of provisional flash flood hazard areas approved March 3. Travis County awarded $1M state grant to install flood sirens would likely be exposed to flooding, including camps, RV grounds and parks, Green said. Other factors considered included building footprints, population estimates and historical records of past flash floods, she said. The backstory Waterways Buildings at moderate to high risk Youth camps RV parks

The Travis County Commissioners Court approved an award agreement for at least $1 mil- lion in funding from the Texas Water Development Board at a March 24 meeting. The grant is a part of the state’s $50 million effort to fund the installa- tion of flood warning siren systems in counties impacted by the July 4-5 flooding. The details The $1 million grant is expected to cover the installation of outdoor warning siren systems, including flood gauges, in Travis County. The sirens must be located in areas the TWDB has identified as being prone to flash flooding. The TWDB approved provisional flash flood haz- ard areas at the March 3 meeting and was expected to work with affected counties on a final map detailing where warning sirens would be warranted, TWDB Division Director Dena Green said. The board identified high-risk areas based on environmental conditions and where people

Central Texas was impacted by catastrophic flooding on the weekend of July 4, resulting in more than 130 fatalities, according to previous Community Impact reporting. In Travis County, there were 10 deaths and 80 homes destroyed from the disaster, according to Travis County information. Flooding in the Sandy Creek neighborhood in northwest Travis County resulted in multiple deaths. The devastation prompted state lawmakers to enact new laws related to flood safety in the 2025 legislative session. To receive the grant funding, county officials are working to create and submit a project plan to the TWDB board by Dec. 31.

LAKE TRAVIS

COLORADO RIVER

360

2244

290

MOPAC

SOURCE: TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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LAKE TRAVIS - WESTLAKE EDITION

Drought persists in Central Texas From the cover

LCRA service area

The big picture

Colorado River

Authorized water service area

As drought conditions continue in Central Texas, the Lower Colorado River Authority is updating its Water Management Plan with more conservative water supply triggers and updated hydrology, or the study of movement, distribution and management of water. Central Texas has experienced intermittent droughts over the last few decades, with the drought of record occurring from 2008 to 2015. The majority of Travis County is in extreme drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. However, LCRA ocials said that water supply conditions are normal, with the combined storage of lakes Buchanan and Travis at 83% full. Over July Fourth weekend in 2025, Central Texas experienced historic ooding, which led to the deaths of more than 100 people. The ash- ooding was prompted by heavy rainfall, with some areas receiving over 20 inches, according to previous reporting by Community Impact . The combined storage of Lakes Travis and Buchanan rose from 51% to 95% full, according to LCRA Public Information Ocer Clara Tuma.

Williamson

The Highland Lakes Lakes Buchanan and Travis are primary water supply reservoirs, while lakes Inks, LBJ, Marble Falls and Austin are pass-through lakes.

Travis

Hays

Lake Buchanan

Lake Marble Falls

Inks Lake

Gulf Coast

Lake Austin

MAP NOT TO SCALE N

Lake LBJ

Lake Travis

SOURCE: CENTRAL TEXAS WATER COALITIONCOMMUNITY IMPACT

LCRA Executive Director of Water John Hofmann said. “The July rainfall events of last year were really benecial for our water supplies.” Despite the updates, local advocacy group Central Texas Water Coalition said the changes to the water management plan aren’t enough to protect all of the communities that depend on the Highland Lakes for their water supply.

The Highland Lakes, including Buchanan and Travis, were created to retain water for homes, businesses and agriculture during drier conditions, and Tuma said Lake Travis is “designed to uctuate.” “Our water supplies right now are almost a million acre-feet better o than they were this time during the same period as the drought of record,”

The specics

What they’re saying

updated hydrology through 2032. The LCRA distinguishes between rm and interruptible water customers. Municipal, resi- dential and industrial groups are examples of rm customers. Interruptible customers have their water supply curtailed or cut o under certain water supply conditions, as outlined in the plan.

The LCRA submitted a Water Management Plan update to the Texas Commission on Environmen- tal Quality in March, following several months of planning, hydrology review and public feedback. The TCEQ required the update process to begin in 2025. The plan updates rm water requirements as demand in the area has increased, as well as

The Central Texas Water Coalition was established in 2012, during the drought of record, to advocate for a sustainable water supply. While Executive Director Shannon Hamilton said that the plan is better, she is concerned for communities north of Lakeway that have xed intakes for water. The CTWC advocated for a higher combined storage to provide better protections for these areas, but these changes were not included in the plan update.

Water usage

Industrial: 87,705 acre-feet Municipal: 250,238 acre-feet

In 2024, various groups used 463,504 acre-feet of water from the Highland Lakes and the Lower Colorado River.

Environmental: 46,296 acre-feet Recreational & irrigation: 5,990 acre-feet Agricultural*: 73,275 acre-feet

*REPRESENTS AN INTERRUPTIBLE CUSTOMER

“It puts rm customers at risk of mandatory curtailment and puts water intakes in communities in areas such as upper Lake Travis in danger of losing access to the water supply.” DAVID LINDSAY, CTWC VICE PRESIDENT, FEB. 17 LCRA MEETING

LCRA Water Management Plan update

Proposed update

Condition

Current plan

Normal conditions** Less severe drought**

Maximum allocation of 178,000 AF of water for agricultural customers Below 1.5 million AF combined lake storage, with maximum of 155,000 AF maximum for most agricultural customers Below 1.3 million AF of combined storage, with 18 months since combined storage was 98%. No interruptible water is supplied

Maximum allocation of 125,000 AF of water for agricultural customers Below 1.7 million AF combined lake storage, with maximum of 96,000 AF maximum for most agricultural customers Below 1.45 million AF of combined storage, with 14 months since combined storage was 98%. No interruptible water is supplied

Extraordinary drought**

Anytime cuto

1 million AF combined storage

1.1 million AF combined storage

NOTE: TABLE DOES NOT INCLUDE ALL PLAN UPDATES OR CRITERIA. • **MARCH 1JULY 1

SOURCE: LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITYCOMMUNITY IMPACT

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY SIENNA WIGHT

Average water inows into lakes Buchanan, Travis

Diving in deeper

The following data represents the estimated amount of water owing into lakes Buchanan and Travis from rivers and streams. On average, inows have dropped dramatically, even from the drought of record in 2008-2015.

Water inows play a large role in lake storage. Hamilton said that human-made ponds are causing reduced inows by retaining water that could ow into the lakes. According to the CTWC, nine out of 10 of the worst annual inows have occurred since 2006, and 2022 was the worst year on record. “It’s something that we’ve been concerned about for a while,” Hofmann said. “We’re ... at the early stages of trying to see what [aerial] technology can do to allow us to better get a handle on how these impoundments might factor into the amount of runo ... [in the] water supply reservoirs.”

200K

Average (1942-2025) Drought of record (2008-2015) 2026

150K

100K

50K

Jan.

Feb.

March

April

May June July Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

SOURCE: LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITYCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Looking ahead

Understanding drought

There’s a chance that El Niño conditions will emerge this summer, Cockrell said. El Niño is a period of warmer sea-surface temperatures, often leading to increased rainfall. “El Niño conditions can exist,” Hamilton said. “It doesn’t mean Texas will get rain. … El Niño is a hope, not a promise. And it’s hard to hope for a ood because that is devastation.” Tuma said that it will not necessarily take ooding to replenish the lakes, but it will require a signicant amount of rainfall within certain conditions, such as location and soil moisture. The TCEQ is currently reviewing the LCRA’s Water Management Plan update, but it could take a couple of years for it to be implemented, Hofmann said.

“As folks look to groundwater to keep their land- scape alive, neighbors next door who use [it] for their indoor potable use might turn on their faucet one day, and their pump will pump air,” Cockrell said. “It really does put people’s water supply at risk, whether they use that for irrigation or indoor plumbing.”

As of March 17, 66% of the Southwestern Travis County Groundwater Conservation District is under extreme drought conditions. Under extreme drought conditions, people tend to utilize more groundwater, according to SWTC- GCD General Manager and hydrogeologist Lane Cockrell.

According to the National Drought Mitigation Center, there are four general types of drought.

Understanding drought

Meteorological drought • Lower rainfall and reduced runoff

Agricultural drought • Soil lacks water, and plants yield less

Hydrological drought

Socioeconomic drought • Economic, social and environmental impacts

• Reduced

streamflow and water inflows

Time

SOURCE: NATIONAL DROUGHT MITIGATION CENTERCOMMUNITY IMPACT

• Wheelchair Ramps • Grab Bars & Handrails • Stairlifts • Vertical Platform Lifts • Pool Lifts • In-home Elevators

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LAKE TRAVIS WESTLAKE EDITION

Transportation

Bee Cave City Council approves final vision for local alternative to Hwy. 71

Western school exit wait times Traffic delays could reach nearly 10 minutes by 2045 if current conditions persist.

2045 traffic solution

Delay

Existing two-lane roadway

9.86 minutes

Several changes to Bee Cave’s Thoroughfare Plan were approved at the March 24 City Council meeting, marking updates to the city’s future transportation goals in the area. Of the approved changes, the most notable is the final alignment of a Southwest Collector road that connects to Hamilton Pool Road, intended to provide an alternative path to Hwy. 71. Current traffic on Hwy. 71 and Hamilton Pool Road exceed capacity, and Bee Cave Parkway is approaching capacity, city documents show. A Southwest Collector is intended to address mobility and safety in the area. “We know traffic is already congested, and we expect that it’s going to continue to grow,” said Mallory Scates, transportation engineer with

Freese and Nichols, a firm assisting the city. Four alternatives were initially proposed in October for the Southwest Collector, but Option 3 was approved at the meeting. Option 3 aligns the Southwest Collector to meet at the Bee Cave Elementary School driveway and includes one signalized intersection, rather than two nearby intersections. Three scenarios were examined for traffic queuing at the second proposed driveway for Bee Cave Elementary. The study found that by 2045, a signalized, four-lane roadway resulted in a traffic delay of 52.7 seconds, compared to nearly five minutes for a signalized two-lane road and almost 10 minutes for the existing roadway configuration.

Two-lane roadway with signal

4.94 minutes

Four-lane roadway with signal

52.7 seconds

Approved Southwest Collector

BEE CAVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

HAMILTON POOL RD.

GREAT DIVIDE DR.

SOURCE: CITY OF BEE CAVE/COMMUNITY IMPACT

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY GRACE DICKENS

Diving deeper

What’s next?

Average annual daily traffic

Daily traffic is expected to increase for several Bee Cave roads by 2045.

Approved plans are subject to change, pending council action. The recent update is just one of other future changes to come for the city’s Our Bee Cave 2037 Comprehensive Plan, another guiding document for the city. “We do have … an update to our Comprehensive Plan coming, and this thoroughfare update is part of the comprehensive plan,” City Manager Julie Oakley said. “So this is just an update on what we knew we needed to tackle first, but we will be doing another update to the thoroughfare plan during that process.” The city approved an item to solicit proposals for consultants to assist in updating the plan at the April 14 City Council meeting.

2025

2045 (projected)

34,040

61,400

32,300

58,250

15,870

28,680

14,480

24,680

0 5K

10K

15K

20K

25K

30K

35K

40K

45K

50K

55K

60K

65K

TORDERA DR.

620

CUEVA DR.

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Transportation

BY GRACE DICKENS

LAWRENCE DR.

Upcoming projects

620

LARIAT TRAIL

WESTLAKE DR.

SUTTON DR.

BEE CREEK RD.

360

BOLD RULER WAY

HIGHLANDS BLVD.

360

W. CESAR CHAVEZ ST.

1 MoPac South expansion Project: The project features a number of express lanes along the 8.7-mile stretch from Cesar Chavez to Slaughter Lane, alongside shared-use paths and pedestrian crossings, according to the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority. Update: Public comment on the proposed project is open through May 3. • Timeline: TBD • Cost: $825 million • Funding source: TBD

290

MOPAC

HAMILTON POOL RD.

W. SLAUGHTER LN.

OAK MEADOW DR.

290

CONVICT HILL RD.

MAP NOT TO SCALE N

HIGH PLAINS DR.

along Hamilton Pool Road, from east of the Pedernales River to east of High Plains Drive, per Travis County. Update: The project is 50% complete as of April. • Timeline: secondquarter of 2026-end of 2026 • Cost: $2.39 million

Ongoing projects

Upcoming projects

3 Loop 360 Project Project: The Westlake Drive/Cedar Street project will remove trac signals on the mainlanes and add an underpass at each cross-street for both locations. Update: Construction to continue between Bold Ruler Way and Pennybacker Bridge through mid-2026. • Timeline: projectcompletion estimated mid-2026 • Cost: $72.1 million • Funding source: Texas Department of Transportation, city of Austin 2016 Mobility Bond 4 Hamilton Pool Road Safety Improvement Project, Phase 2 Project: The project will add shoulders and turn lanes

2 Cardinal Hills Estates street improvements Project: The project will improve right of way for sections of Lawrence Drive, Sutton Drive and Lariat Trail to meet the Travis County standards required to integrate the roads into ongoing county maintenance programs. Update: The project is 7% complete as of April. • Timeline: design to be completed fourth quarter of 2026 • Cost: TBD • Funding source: Travis County

• Funding source: Travis County bonds 5 Oak Hill Parkway expansion

Project: The project will turn Hwy. 290 from a four-lane, undivided roadway to a six-lane divided highway, per the Texas Department of Transportation. Update: The Convict Hill bridge could open in April. • Timeline: 2022-26 (totalproject) • Cost: $677 millionallocated for the entire project • Funding source: TxDOT

LAKE TRAVIS WESTLAKE EDITION

Development

BY GRACE DICKENS & BEN THOMPSON

BY CHLOE YOUNG

Dell Children’s launches pediatric bone marrow transplants

Lakeway approves updated city plans Lakeway City Council approved updates to the city’s 2025 Comprehensive Plan on March 16. Diving in deeper Cities use comprehensive plans to steer deci- sions surrounding land use, transportation, infrastructure, community identity and more. Some changes in the plan include the cre- ation of a “dynamic core” zone on the future land use map, or FLUM, specically in areas along RM 620 and Hwy. 71 to “encourage investment while balancing new ideas with the local character and culture,” according to the updated plan. The city plans to launch a dashboard allowing residents to see progress on comprehensive plan goals, leave com- ments and provide feedback on what projects should be prioritized next.

Austin considers eminent domain for radio tower Austin is seeking to acquire a site north of West Lake Hills to build a new emergency and public service communications tower for the Greater Austin-Travis County Regional Radio System. Austin City Council was scheduled to pursue eminent domain proceedings for the west side property April 9, but the item was withdrawn from consideration. What’s happening The city may pursue eminent domain proceed- ings for the proposed GATRRS tower on 0.28 acres of land labeled 00 Mount Larson Road. Austin could launch legal proceedings against owner NW Communications of Austin Inc., Fox 7 Austin, after attempting to buy a portion of the media compa- ny’s property there. “The City and the property owner have been unable to agree on the value of the needed

Proposed tower site

TORO CANYON RD.

Dell Children’s Medical Center in Central Austin has become the rst pediatric hospital to provide bone marrow transplants, also known as stem cell transplants, in Central Texas. The advanced procedure increases the cure rate for pediatric cancer patients, Dell Children’s doc- tors told Community Impact . The hospital’s new stem cell transplant program means Austin-area families no longer have to leave Central Texas to receive lifesaving cancer care, said Dr. Amir Mian, the program’s medical director and division chief for pediatric oncology and hematology for Dell Children’s. “Previously, everybody had to travel out of town, and what it meant was leaving home for more than a month, sometimes even longer,” Mian said. “Now they don’t have to. ... Nobody has to leave town just to get lifesaving treatment.” How it works The transplant involves removing a patient’s

bone marrow and replacing older, damaged stem cells by administering new, healthy stem cells to pediatric cancer patients through an IV, Mian said. Stem cells form blood and immune cells and are found in bone marrow. These new stem cells travel to the patient’s bone marrow and begin producing healthy blood cells that may restore their immune system and eliminate the underlying cancer, he said. The treatment is administered when a patient’s cancer or cancer treatment damages or destroys their bone marrow. Looking ahead Next year, Dell Children’s is aiming to begin providing advanced CAR T-cell therapy and gene therapy, Mian said. These treatments involve collecting and reengineering stem cells to ght disease, said Dr. Shannon Cohn, pediatric oncolo- gist and stem cell transplant physician.

BEE CREEK

WESTLAKE DR.

Pediatric bone marrow transplants at Dell Children’s have eliminated the need to travel for advanced cancer care, a Dell Children’s physicians said.

acquisition,” city sta reported. The city values the land at $61,505, while the Travis Central Appraisal District assessed it at $1.83 million this year. Zooming out The radio system currently uses 17 towers across Central Texas that support city and county rst responders, local emergency service districts, and other municipalities and public entities. It also hosts state and federal agencies.

CHLOE YOUNGCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Health care

UT Medical Center shifts from downtown to Northwest Austin

Ocials conrmed Feb. 18 that the University of Texas Medical Center will be located in Northwest Austin rather than at the former Erwin Center site downtown. “As our two institutions continued to work collaboratively over the last year, it became apparent that the proposed Erwin Center location would not be as conducive to the fully integrated, patient-centered approach that was being envisioned, and there would be limits to future growth on that,” UT Board of Regents chairman Kevin Eltife said at a Feb. 18 board meeting. The new site, anchored by Dell Medical School, will be located west of the J.J. Pickle Research Campus on university-owned land in Northwest Austin, although a specic site was not conrmed. Of the several university-owned plots of land in the area, one holds The Shops at Arbor Walk, while another has part of the Braker Lane Crossing shopping center.

Key

Research and Science Mixed Use zoning 1 West Pickle Research Building 2 JJ Pickle Research Campus 3 The Shops at Arbor Walk

North Austin

360

183

MOPAC

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