SNAPSHOT: LAKE TRAVIS' ELEVATION

LCRA continues to release floodwaters through floodgate and hydroelectricity operations. The goal is to return Lake Travis' to its full elevation of 681 feet above mean sea level -- but keep the Colorado River below flood stage at all locations downstream of Austin. See situation report for more details.

LCRA will reopen Lake Travis to recreation at 1 p.m. today but cautioned boaters to continue to watch for debris and other hazards that may damage watercraft or injure people.

Travis, now at elevation of 686.26 feet above mean sea level (msl), is down by more than 15 feet from its peak elevation July 6 but is still more than 5 feet above full elevation in its flood pool. Lake Travis is at full elevation at 681 feet msl.

Boaters beware: It's not the same lake
Boaters, especially those not familiar with Lake Travis, should exercise due caution as they venture onto the lake, said Tim Bradle of LCRA’s Water Surface Management department.

“It’s not quite the same lake that it was before the flood,” Bradle said. “While much of the debris is gone, some still remains, especially just below the lake’s surface, and it could be hazardous to watercraft and people.”

LCRA staff is still replacing on Lake Travis some channel markers and buoys that were moved or lost during the flood. “Boaters need to exercise caution, as some navigational channels and hazards may not be marked,” Bradle said.

Bradle added that boaters should avoid creating wakes at Graveyard Point, the subdivision that is the first to be inundated when Lake Travis is in its flood pool. At elevation 686 feet msl, most of the houses at Graveyard Point are out of the water. “But many houses are still at the water’s edge and could be further damaged by wakes created by boats,” Bradle said.

As of this morning, three floodgates were open at Mansfield Dam, which forms Lake Travis. LCRA may close one floodgate later today, and the remaining gates may be closed later this week, if there are no more rains in the Hill Country watersheds that flow into Travis.

LCRA officials note that Lake Travis and Mansfield Dam – designed specifically to hold and safely release Hill Country floodwaters – continue to do their job of protecting Austin and downstream communities from the worst effects of floods.

LCRA closed Lake Travis to recreation June 29, following rains of up to 19 inches or more in some Hill Country locations that ultimately poured more than 1 million acre-feet of water into the Highland Lakes chain. The floodwaters caused an already full Lake Travis to peak July 6 at 701.52 feet msl, its fifth-highest elevation since Mansfield Dam was completed in 1942.

The upper Highland Lakes – Buchanan, Inks, LBJ and Marble Falls – remain open to recreation. LCRA cautions boaters to watch for debris or other navigational hazards. Swimming in the Highland Lakes continues to be at your own risk.

See situation report with latest info on dam operations and lake and river forecasts
Read July 13 news release