Government
Local leaders take steps to ensure water supply as drought persists To secure a continued water supply from Lake Travis in the thick of ongoing drought conditions, Cedar Park City Council approved the construction and recommissioning of a temporary floating raw water intake system Feb. 8. Some context The continued decline in Lake Travis water levels prompted city officials to start the process of recommissioning in early 2023. Lake Travis levels are at 631.5 feet, and the tem- porary intake system will need to operate should levels fall below 618 feet, said Eric Rauschuber, Cedar Park’s director of public works and utilities. “The engineering is complete, the drought persists, and it’s becoming a necessary time for recommissioning,” he said.
The timeline 2009: Cedar Park and Leander enter into an agreement to construct a drought contingency raw water intake barge and underwater pipeline 2013: Construction on the barge concludes 2015: Lake Travis’ water levels improved with rains, causing the barge to be decommissioned, removed from the water and stored 2023: In May, officials approved the design for the reconstruction of the intake system 2024: Construction is approved and anticipated to conclude in late summer
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The Crossover food trucks gain approval Cedar Park City Council approved a special use permit Jan. 25 that allows up to six food trucks at The Crossover. The backstory In June, council passed an ordinance that requires businesses with more than one food truck to have a special use permit. Officials said the three previous food trucks at The Crossover were “grandfathered in.” The venue then added three more trucks in December.
SOURCE: CITY OF CEDAR PARK/COMMUNITY IMPACT
The takeaway With forecast drought conditions and low lake levels, city leaders are recommending expediting the process of getting the intake system back in service. Officials said the barge will need to be operational by the end of the summer or early fall. Rauschuber said the construction of the intake system is expected to take five to six months. Cedar Park’s portion of the cost is $4.2 million. Leander, which also utilizes the system, will pay $1.8 million as it receives a smaller portion of the water.
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