Lake Travis at 25-year low

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Lake Travis is now at its fourth-lowest level of all time.

The lake level dropped to just over 640 feet above sea level, which is its lowest elevation since October 1984.

The lake is now dropping two-and-a-half inches a day, which is 1.5 feet a week.

The next milestone level is 636.58 feet, which is the third lowest level set back in October 1984. The second lowest level ever is 615.02 feet in November of 1963. The lowest level ever is 614.18 in August 1951.

Marie Damron along with her husband Mark and son Austin have been coming out to Lake Travis every week since the summer began. Every week, they watch firsthand the lake level drop.

"It's amazing to watch it happen," said Damron. "So when we're going across the water, that's the scary part when we're in three feet of water."

The hard part is maneuvering around all the islands that continue to pop up everyday.

"You could see the ground," said Damron. "That's why that boat was floating. We would have run aground."

Down the lake at Cafe Bleu, General Manager Jason Landtroop is gearing up for the start of his evening business. It is a little slower this summer after a lot of boat ramps shutdown.

"A lot of our walk in business, we've definitely seen a drop off in that," said Landtroop. "We have definitely seen a drop off of boat traffic."

Bob Shipman has been boating on the lake since 1965. He wanted to check out how low the lake was for himself.

"Lake Travis is a vital natural resource," said Shipman.

Travis County Parks officials said when the lake level drops below 640 feet, they will not allow big boats to launch out on the lake. Once it reaches below 639 feet, it will be a day to day call as to when they will close the last boat ramp on Lake Travis at Mansfield Dam Park.