LCRA won't lower lake levels this year

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The Lower Colorado River Authority will not draw down the pass-through lakes on the Highland Lakes chain this year because of the ongoing drought.

Ordinarily, the LCRA lowers the levels of Inks, LBJ and Marble Falls lakes on a four-year rotation. They draw down Lake Austin when the city of Austin requests it.

Last year at this time , a person could walk halfway out into Lake Austin. The idea was for the cold to kill off the invasive Hydrilla plant and homeowners could work on their docks. There has been no request this year.

The drought has done a number on the area's water reservoirs, Lake Travis and Lake Buchanan.

“For Inks Lake, for instance, it would take about 6 to 8 inches out of Lake Buchanan,” said Rowney. “It’s a lot of water, especially this time period. It’s water we really can’t afford to move downstream unnecessarily. ”

As for next year, it all depends on Mother Nature.

"It’s going to take a lot of rain for an extended period of time where we’d feel comfortable lowering the pass through lakes," said Rowney.