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 o cials 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 O cer 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 COALITION COMMUNITY 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 speci cs
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 1 JULY 1
SOURCE: LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITY COMMUNITY IMPACT
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