LCRA won’t draw down lakes in 2021
The Lower Colorado River Authority announced it has no plans to lower Lake Marble Falls (pictured), Inks Lake, or Lake LBJ in early 2021. Staff photo by Daniel Clifton
Lower Colorado River Authority announced it has no plans to draw down Lake Marble Falls, Inks Lake, or Lake LBJ in 2021.
“With dry weather upon us and the fact we’ve drawn down all the lakes within the last four years, we’ve decided not to lower any of the lakes in 2021,” LCRA General Manager Phil Wilson said in a media release. “We’ll consider another drawdown next year about this time, for a potential lowering in early 2022.”
The three lakes are considered for drawdown once every four years, unless an additional lowering is necessary because of a flood or other significant event. Inks and LBJ were last lowered in 2020; Marble Falls in 2019.
Lake Austin, which is owned by the city of Austin, was lowered in 2017, at the request of the city.
The LCRA occasionally draws down one or more of the four pass-through lakes from January-February to let lakeside property owners do repairs and maintenance on docks and retaining walls and combat nuisance aquatic vegetation.
Lakes Buchanan and Travis are water supply reservoirs, which supply water for more than 1 million people, businesses, industries, the environment, and agriculture. Lake Travis is also designed to hold back floodwaters.