LCRA requests water conservation efforts as lake levels dip

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Lower Colorado River Authority is encouraging water users to "incorporate additional water conservation efforts" into their routines, as high temperatures continue to cause excess water use and evaporation.

John Hofmann, LCRA's executive vice president of water, said in a release Monday the triple-digit temperatures paired with the region's dry conditions are impacting lake levels and supplies.

"With very little water flowing into the lakes and a ‘heat dome’ roasting our area since early June, lake levels are decreasing as significant amounts of water evaporate or are used on landscaping in the region. We all need to step up and do our part to conserve," Hofmann said in the release.

Currently, LCRA is in Stage 1 of its drought contingency plan. The authority has requested its firm customers — mainly comprising municipalities, water districts and industries — to lower water uses by 5%.

Both Lakes Buchanan and Travis serve as water supply reservoirs and provide water for more than 1.4 million Texans, businesses, industries and the environment, the release said. Currently, combined storage in both lakes is at approximately 953,500 acre-feet — or, as LCRA officials said, about 49% of total capacity.

With combined storage projected to fall to 45% of capacity by mid-August, LCRA officials are poised to move to Stage 2 of its drought contingency plan. A Stage 2 designation will result in LCRA asking its firm customers to "implement mandatory drought response measures, with a target of reducing water use by 10-20%."

“Our water supply is stressed but still in OK shape,” Hofmann said in the release. “It’s in our entire region’s interest to slow down water consumption because everything we do now will help prolong and protect our water supply. We are getting close to the next trigger in our drought contingency plan and customers soon will be implementing additional drought response measures. But no one should wait for restrictions to be put in place to stop wasting water.’’

LCRA is also urging people to follow their local water providers' restrictions for outdoor watering, regardless of whether their local municipalities have restrictions in place. Some tips to conserve water use include:

• Don't water yards more than twice a week, and only water them before 10 a.m. or after 7 p.m. to minimize evaporation, so long as that's allowed by your local provider.
• Use water-efficient landscaping, drought-tolerant plants.
• Cover swimming pools when they aren't in use.
• Add mulch to landscapes, as well as composts to turf, to minimize and prevent water loss.

More water-saving tips are available online.