LCRA awards $25,000 grant to improve boat ramp access at Llano County Park

Rail system will allow ramp to adjust to varying water levels for launching boats

MAY 9, 2025

LCRA representatives present a $25,000 grant to the Lake Buchanan Conservation Corporation for improvements to the boat ramp at Llano County Park. The grant is part of LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program. Pictured, from left to right, are: Doug Davidson and Debbie Davidson, LBCC members; Natalie Virdell, community volunteer; Susan Patten, LCRA Regional Affairs representative; Mike Davidson, LBCC secretary; Sue Thornton, community volunteer; Nick Zackoff, LBCC president; Carol Freeman, LCRA Board member; Linda Raschke, Llano County commissioner, Precinct 2; Margaret D. “Meg” Voelter, LCRA Board member; Ervin “Butch” Whitworth, LBCC director; Michael L. “Mike” Allen, LCRA Board member; Ron Abshier, LBCC director; Debbie Elkins, LBCC treasurer; Danny Ray, LBCC director; Jeannie Jones, community volunteer; and Rodell Jones, LBCC director.
LLANO COUNTY, Texas – The Lake Buchanan Conservation Corporation soon will add a rail system for a courtesy dock at Llano County Park that will allow boats to launch more easily in lower lake levels, thanks to a $25,000 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority.

The Community Development Partnership Program grant, along with $13,734 in matching funds from the corporation, will improve public access to Lake Buchanan, the largest of the Highland Lakes and one of the top-producing fisheries in Texas. The current dock is only usable during higher lake levels, but as a water supply reservoir, the level of Lake Buchanan fluctuates frequently and can go down significantly during serious droughts such as the one the region is in now.

“Just last month we put more than half a million hybrid stripers in as part of our stocking program,” said Butch Whitworth, Lake Buchanan Conservation Corporation director. “We have made Lake Buchanan one of the premier hybrid striper lakes in Texas, so the need to have more safe and convenient lake access has accelerated as a result.”

The rail system will allow the dock to roll up and down the concrete boat ramp to adjust for varying water levels and will secure the dock to the rail to prevent damage during high winds and extreme waves.

“As I go out to the lake and see folks trying to launch their boats, people are sometimes crawling over the big granite boulders to get to their boats, and it’s dangerous,” Whitworth said. “Especially for people who have mobility challenges, it limits their ability to launch their boats, and our goal is to make Lake Buchanan a wonderful destination for the people of Central Texas and beyond. I actually find they come from all across the country to enjoy the lake, and this project will allow us to make it more accessible.”

The community grant is one of 45 grants awarded recently through LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program, which helps volunteer fire departments, local governments, emergency responders and nonprofit organizations fund eligible capital improvement projects in LCRA’s wholesale electric, water and transmission service areas. The program is part of LCRA’s effort to give back to the communities it serves.

Applications for the next round of grants will be accepted in July 2025. More information is available at lcra.org/cdpp.

About LCRA

The Lower Colorado River Authority serves customers and communities throughout Texas by managing the lower Colorado River; generating and transmitting electric power; providing a clean, reliable water supply; and offering outdoor adventures at more than 40 parks along the Colorado River from the Texas Hill Country to the Gulf Coast. LCRA and its employees are committed to fulfilling our mission to enhance the quality of life of the Texans we serve through water stewardship, energy and community service. LCRA was created by the Texas Legislature in 1934 and receives no state appropriations.

Contact Info

Clara Tuma, Public Information Officer
512-578-3292
[email protected]
After hours: 512-944-6719