AUSTIN — Lakeside residents who want to dredge, clean up debris or repair a retaining wall on Lake LBJ will be able to do so during the lake's five-foot drawdown starting Jan. 2. Residents are reminded, however, that they will need to register to do work covered by a free, lakewide permit before proceeding with repairs.

LCRA plans to draw down Lake LBJ for eight weeks starting Jan. 2. LCRA officials expect it to take about six days to draw down Lake LBJ about 5 feet. Refilling the lake will begin Feb. 25 and be completed by Feb. 27 unless an emergency requires LCRA to refill the lake earlier.

LCRA has issued a lakewide permit to property owners to carry out needed work during the drawdown. Therefore, property owners will not have to get an individual permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Maintenance work covered by the lakewide permit includes dredging up to 2,000 cubic yards of material from below the 825 feet above mean sea level (msl) contour of Lake LBJ; repairing existing structures such as retaining walls, boat slips and boat launches; and cleaning up debris. All debris must be relocated to an area above the 825 feet contour for disposal. State regulations do not allow the burning of material in the lakebed.

The lakewide permit will be in effect from Jan. 2 through Feb. 28. The lakewide permit is free, but residents need to register and pick up an information packet before starting work. Permit packets are available at the following locations:

• SunriseBeach City Hall, 124 Sunrise Drive, Sunrise Beach
• GraniteShoals City Hall, 410 N. Phillips Ranch Road, Granite Shoals
• Llano County Annex in Kingsland, 108 West Chamberlain St., Kingsland
• Llano County Annex in Horseshoe Bay, 101 Ferguson Road, Horseshoe Bay
• Marble Falls LCRA Office, 500 North 281 Highway, Marble Falls

New construction of features such as retaining walls, boat ramps or channels is not allowed under the lakewide permit. All projects not covered by the lakewide permit will fall under LCRA's Dredge and Fill Standards. Property owners can call LCRA at 1-800-776-5272, Ext. 3597 to get information about LCRA's Dredge and Fill Standards or to ask questions about the lakewide permit.

Residents who plan to do maintenance should be prepared to remove materials and equipment on short notice if the lake needs to be refilled in an emergency, such as a flood. LCRA officials emphasize that the lake may have to be refilled quickly in a flood or if hydroelectric generating units need to be operated on the upper Highland Lakes in a weather emergency.