Our region's water comes from two storage reservoirs, Lake Travis and Lake Buchanan, on the Colorado River. Together, the lakes can hold about 2 millon acre-feet, or nearly 650 billion gallons, of water. The lakes are about full.
Why water conservation is important
The Texas Hill Country sees droughts and floods regularly. It’s the nature of this arid region, and that’s why the lakes were created.
Lakes Travis and Buchanan were designed to fluctuate. They capture water in wet times and hold it for use by more than a million Texans, industries, agriculture and the environment when conditions turn dry. When water levels go down during droughts, this is the lakes at work. It’s everyone’s job to use the water wisely.
What you can do
Use water wisely
Save water
Use our water-saving tips, tools & resources
Save money
Offset your costs with outdoor rebates
Stay connected
Follow us on social media for the latest info
Make waves
- Stay informed.
Sign up to receive information about the Colorado River, lakes and weather conditions each weekday. - Connect and interact with us on social media.
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and X for the latest information on the drought, water-saving tips, rebate information and drought-tolerant plant suggestions, and repost for your friends and family. - Spread the word.
Whether you’re writing an article, researching a school paper, or talking water with your neighbors, share our WaterSmart tips, tools & resources, info on how we’re managing the Highland Lakes through drought, or how to take advantage of money-saving residential rebates.
What we’re doing
Drought response: Stage 2
LCRA’s firm customers – mostly municipalities, water districts and industries – must implement mandatory drought response measures with a demand reduction goal of 20%. Each firm customer has its own drought contingency plan to determine how to cut back water use.
Limiting outdoor watering to once a week.
LCRA is requiring cities, businesses, industries and others that purchase water from LCRA to limit outdoor watering of ornamental landscaped areas to no more than once a week until the drought eases. View our water customers’ watering schedules.
Cutting off water to most downstream interruptible agricultural customers for a second straight full year.
No water from the Highland Lakes will be available for most LCRA agricultural customers in Colorado, Wharton and Matagorda counties in 2024. Read the news release.
Other drought resources
The latest drought conditions in Texas
Drought conditions in Texas from NOAA and NIDIS
Drought dashboard from Texas Water Development Board
Information from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Information on burn bans, forecasted fire danger and drought
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