AUSTIN (KXAN) — City councilmembers from the town of Lago Vista are worried that “larger users” relying on water from Lake Travis are “undermining regional drought response efforts”, according to a new resolution passed by the city on June 9.
“Lago Vista is surrounded by water on three sides. We’re a peninsula. We see the lake every day. We know how low it is,” said Shane Saum, a city councilman with Lago Vista.
The city, located west of Austin and on Lake Travis, relies on the lake as its primary source of water.
Last week, the city council approved a resolution, following a motion by Saum, “urging the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) to prioritize water storage in Lake Travis, ensure equitable water management among municipalities and engage lakeside communities in creative partnerships for water security and conservation.”
The LCRA is currently drawing up a new water management plan. The plan is required by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. It governs the LCRA’s operation of the water supply in the Highland Lakes. The plan is updated every five years.
LCRA board members heard from experts with the Water Operations Committee on Wednesday, June 18 to discuss the plan and next steps.
Changes to stream flows and increased water demand are driving changes to this plan, according to a presentation during the committee meeting.
“We have more communities and more people than ever before that are pulling from Lake Travis for their drinking purposes. That needs to be heavily weighted in the water master plan,” Saum said.
During Wednesday’s meeting, the LCRA revealed they anticipate normal demand to grow by 19% by 2032.
The new study used in the plan includes new water data up until 2023. It also includes data from the 1950s drought and the 2008-2015 drought.
The city of Lago Vista, in the resolution, voiced concern about how much water Cedar Park, Leander and Round Rock take from Lake Travis as part of the Brushy Creek project. The three cities have contracts with the LCRA to take 77,000 acre-feet of water annually from Lake Travis.
The resolution asked that the LCRA maintain this amount and to “commit publicly that no increases in firm water contracts” tied to the project will be “issued unless supply and conservation targets are met.”
The resolution also voiced concerns about other cities addressing drought. “We’re just asking that every community do their part,” Saum said.
A spokesperson with the city of Cedar Park told KXAN:
“We adhere strictly to our Drought Contingency Plan, which aligns with the LCRA guidelines. Per this plan, Cedar Park has implemented our Stage 3 Drought Response, which calls for a 20% reduction in overall water usage when:
- The combined storage of Lakes Travis and Buchanan drops below 1.1 million acre-feet, and
- The three-month rolling average of inflows into those lakes falls below the 25th percentile of historic averages.
These thresholds are monitored closely, and we remain ready to escalate conservation measures as needed in coordination with the LCRA.”
Additionally a spokesperson with Leander told KXAN that they maintain one-day-per-week watering even when LCRA’s plan allows more.
Finally, a spokesperson from Round Rock told KXAN:
“The fact of the matter is that, over the past 15 years, while our population has grown by approximately 35,000 people, total water use has actually decreased. In 2011, Round Rock’s water system reached a peak use of 42 MGD (million gallons per day). In contrast, our peak usage day in 2024 only reached 33.8 MGD. These are real and significant water savings that are the result of long-term planning that includes tiered water rates, year-round watering restrictions and consistent investment in conservation programs and water infrastructure.”
LCRA’s executive vice president of water, John Hofmann, responded to the resolution in a statement:
“We always appreciate feedback from our customers. As a customer, the city is always invited and welcome to attend our regular firm water customer meetings and our Water Management Plan participant meetings. We look forward to seeing city leaders there and continuing the conversation about LCRA’s water management practices.”
A meeting with customers, like the city of Lago Vista, is scheduled for June 25 at the LCRA Red Bud Isle location.
The plan is expected to be drawn up by October, with a vote occurring early next year.