LCRA: Lakes could open by Nov. 2 depending on conditions
Debris continues to wash ashore at the Lakeside Park boat ramp on Lake Marble Falls. Lakes LBJ, Marble Falls, and Travis as well as Inks Lake will remain closed to the public until at least Friday, Nov. 2, due to debris and unsafe conditions, according to the Lower Colorado River Authority. The lakes can be accessed for the purpose of retrieving property, if the location of that property is known. Staff photo by Jared Fields
STAFF WRITER JARED FIELDS
Lakes LBJ, Marble Falls, and Travis as well as Inks Lake will not open for public use until at least Friday, Nov. 2, said Lower Colorado River Authority officials Oct. 30.
Conditions on those lakes will be evaluated Nov. 2 regarding any debris and unsafe conditions to determine when they will reopen.
Lake Buchanan opened for public use Oct. 26.
The LCRA continues flood operations at Mansfield and Tom Miller dams. Four floodgates are open at Mansfield Dam, lowering Lake Travis about 2 feet per day. One floodgate could close as soon as Thursday, Nov. 1, with other floodgates closing every one or two days until they’re all closed around Nov. 7.
Lake Travis’s elevation has fallen to 691.48 feet as of 11:45 a.m. Oct. 30. According to LCRA, the lake is expected to fall to a range of 692 feet to 688 feet on Oct. 30-31.
The flooding in October has filled the combined storage of the Highland Lakes reservoirs — lakes Buchanan and Travis — to 109 percent as of Oct. 30.
As part of regular maintenance, the LCRA lowered Inks Lake in early 2018 and Lake LBJ in early 2017. Lake Marble Falls was set to be next on the list in early 2019, but no plans have been announced so far.
“LCRA plans to determine which, if any, lakes will be lowered next year in the next couple of weeks after the current flooding calms down and we have a chance to better assess conditions along the lakes,” said LCRA public information officer Clara Tuma. “Any lake lowerings likely would occur in the January-February timeframe.”
City of Marble Falls officials also await that announcement.
“We hope and have been expecting word now any day; however, due to the flooding in the entire basin, it could take longer than what would occur under normal circumstances,” said Marble Falls Assistance City Manager Caleb Kraenzel.