Recent rain boosts the Highland Lakes

Oct. 29, 2026

Rain during July and September helped lakes Buchanan and Travis rise to a combined 95% full, or 1.9 million acre-feet of water.

Why it matters: With both lakes near full, we’re in a heightened state of readiness for potential flooding. There is no room to store floodwater in Lake Buchanan or the pass-through lakes. This means floodwater in the upper lakes must be moved downstream to Lake Travis’ flood pool. Heavy rain near or over the lakes could cause LCRA to begin flood operations quickly.

What we’re watching:

• Lake Buchanan: About 1.5 feet from full. We may need to open floodgates at Buchanan Dam with little advance notice if heavy rain falls near the lake, in its watershed or Pecan Bayou.
• Lake Travis: About 3.5 feet below full. It’s the only one of the Highland Lakes with a dedicated flood pool, so it can hold a lot more water if the rain keeps coming. Think as much as 31 Lake Austins.
• Inks, LBJ, Marble Falls and Austin: These pass-through lakes have no storage room, so any floodwater that enters must move downstream.

Looking ahead: Forecasters, including our own Bob Rose, say El Niño could bring above-normal rainfall to the region in the coming months. That’s good news for our water supply, but conditions on the lakes could change quickly. Stay informed at
www.lcra.org/flood.