LCRA is informing its agricultural irrigation customers in Colorado, Wharton and Matagorda counties that a planned curtailment of their water supplies is no longer necessary due to increased water supply levels.

The curtailment is part of the recently approved 2010 Water Management Plan and was triggered when water storage levels in lakes Travis and Buchanan were below 1.4 million acre-feet. Recent rains have raised these levels to above 1.5 million acre-feet as of Feb. 9.

“LCRA is able to lift this curtailment due to improved conditions from recent rains,” said Tom Mason, LCRA General Manager. “We also are encouraged that the Highland Lakes will receive additional inflows due to the El Niño weather pattern.”

LCRA operates the Highland Lakes under a Water Management Plan, which is approved by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Under this plan curtailment for irrigation customers can occur during times of drought when water supplies are low. The lower Colorado basin continues to recover from a severe drought that has lasted since 2008. Conditions have significantly improved since water supplies dropped to 39 percent full in September 2009. Water supply lakes were 75 percent full on Feb. 9.

“LCRA began signing contracts last week for water for first crop” said Kyle Jensen, LCRA water operations manager. “Now that water will also be provided for second crop, LCRA will begin working with our irrigation customers to develop contracts to include second crop.” Many of LCRA’s 350 rice farmers grow two crops of rice. The growing season for the first crop typically runs from March to August, and the growing season for the second crop typically runs from August to October.