Serving Texans since 1934

Downtown Austin

Downtown Austin before the Highland Lakes dams

1935

Transmission line crew

LCRA transmission line crew

1941

Buchanan Dam

Buchanan Dam construction crew

1937

Comal Power Plant

Comal Power Plant

1947

LCRA has deep roots in Texas, dating as far back as the Great Depression of the 1930s.

We were created by the state Legislature in 1934 to improve the lives of people living in a region challenged by devastating floods, extreme droughts and limited access to reliable electricity.

The early years
When our doors opened for business in 1935, we went to work. We built a chain of dams that tamed the lower Colorado River and formed the Highland Lakes, significantly reducing the impact of cycles of drought and flood that had devastated the region for centuries. We also produced hydroelectricity and built transmission lines that brought reliable, affordable power to residents of the rural Texas Hill Country for the first time.

An important mission
In the decades that followed, LCRA continued to help Texans respond to population growth and other challenges. We built power plants and transmission facilities to meet the increasing demand for power, provided a clean, reliable water supply for a growing region, developed parks and recreation areas to provide public access to the river and lakes, and supported economic development throughout our service territory.

While our services have evolved to meet the changing needs of the state over the past 85 years, our mission has remained constant: LCRA exists to enhance the lives of the people of Texas.