Lake Travis reaches record low

AUSTIN (KXAN) - There is a another sign the drought has made an impact in Austin.

As of Wednesday, Lake Travis is officially at its third lowest elevation ever. The LCRA reported the lake was at 636.49 feet above sea level on Wednesday morning.

According to officials, the new readings places the lake below its previous third-lowest all-time elevation, which was 636.58 feet. That reading was taken in October 1984 at the end of a severe drought. T

The lake is almost 30 feet below its average elevation for August.

Signs of the low lake levels are all over Lake Travis.

Already, officials have shut down all but one public boat ramp on the lake, while marina workers say they are dealing with boats getting stuck in low water on a daily basis.

Austin native Rodney Zeidler took his family to the lake on Wednesday to take pictures. He said the levels could be a once-in-a lifetime sight.

" You got to save it [as] memoribilia," Zeidler said. "I hope it comes back up," he added.

Lake Travis is only about 20 feet higher than the lake's all time low set in August 1951.

According to LCRA officials, the Highland Lakes chain still has enough water to meet the critical needs - providing power and water even if the drought got as bad as the 40s and 50s.

LCRA's predictions are grim, however.

According to it's own data, barring significant rainfall, the lake will continue to drop at the rate of about a foot or more a week during the next several weeks, falling to as low as 630 feet msl by Sept. 1.

As of Wednesday, LCRA reported the combined capacity of both of Austin's water sources was at about 46 percent.