Water Use Summary

LCRA compiles water use information for the lower Colorado River basin in the annual Water Use Summary.

For much of 2025, the lower Colorado River basin experienced warmer and drier-than-average conditions. Most of the basin saw below-normal rainfall totals for the year, with deficits of 6 to 12 inches across Central Texas and the middle Texas Coast.

In early July, a significant rainfall event interrupted the persistent dry weather and produced 10 to 20+ inches of rain across much of the Hill Country, resulting in the second wettest July on record for the region. The combined storage of lakes Buchanan and Travis increased by about 865,000 acre-feet, from 51% to 95% full. By the end of July, Lake Buchanan was full, and Lake Travis was 6 feet below the top of its water supply elevation.

Inflows into lakes Buchanan and Travis were nearly nine times the historical average in July, near average in November, and well below average during the rest of the year.

Arbuckle Reservoir in Wharton County, LCRA’s newest reservoir, came online in late 2025 and began providing water to LCRA customers in 2026.

Water use by source – LCRA uses two basic sources of water to meet customer and environmental needs: water stored in lakes Buchanan and Travis and water naturally flowing in the Colorado River. When the natural flow into the Highland Lakes is greater than customer and environmental needs, LCRA stores the excess in lakes Buchanan and Travis for later use.

Highland Lakes water use – Contracts for water stored in lakes Buchanan and Travis can be for firm or interruptible supply. LCRA also supplies water from the Highland Lakes to help maintain environmental flows, as required by the state-approved Water Management Plan. In 2025, the Highland Lakes supplied 270,859 acre-feet of water for all uses.

Firm water contracts – These contracts supply cities, businesses and industries that need a reliable long-term water supply. Firm supply is expected to be available through a repeat of the driest conditions the region has experienced. Firm customers accounted for 178,267 acre-feet, or about 66% of all water used from the Highland Lakes, in 2025.

Interruptible water contracts – These contracts supply agricultural customers. Interruptible water is subject to cutbacks during drought conditions. Interruptible customers used 4,675 acre-feet, about 2% of all water used from the Highland Lakes, in 2025.

Environmental – From time to time, LCRA releases water from the Highland Lakes to meet environmental flow requirements for the Colorado River downstream of Austin and for Matagorda Bay. In 2025, LCRA released 87,917 acre-feet, or about 32% of all water used from the Highland Lakes, for environmental flows.