LCRA is a conservation and reclamation district created by the Texas Legislature in 1934. (See The LCRA Enabling Legislation.) It has no taxing authority and operates solely on utility revenues and fees generated from supplying energy, water and community services.
LCRA supplies cost effective electricity for Central Texas, manages water supplies and floods in the lower Colorado River basin, provides public parks, and supports community development in 58 Texas counties.
LCRA electricity: reliable, cost-effective
LCRA sells wholesale electricity to more than 40 retail utilities, including cities and electric cooperatives that serve more than 1 million people in 55 counties.
With six hydroelectric dams and wind power purchased from West Texas wind farms, LCRA is one of the largest publicly owned suppliers of renewable energy in Texas.
Water management and protection
LCRA manages water supplies for cities, farmers and industries along a 600-mile stretch of the Texas Colorado River between San Saba and the Gulf Coast.
LCRA operates six dams on the Colorado River that form the scenic Highland Lakes: Buchanan, Inks, LBJ, Marble Falls, Travis and Lake Austin.
LCRA regulates water discharges to manage floods and releases water for sale to municipal, agricultural and industrial users. It also operates an environmental laboratory and monitors the water quality of the lower Colorado River.
It regulates on-site sewage systems and reduces the impact of major new construction along and near the lakes.
Recreational opportunities
LCRA owns 16,440 acres of recreational lands along the Highland Lakes and Colorado River, including 44 parks, natural science centers and nature preserves.
Community development partnership program
The Community Development Partnership Program has awarded more than $21 million in matching grants for more than 1,244 community development projects since 1995.