Water Use Summary

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

In 2020, the Highland Lakes watershed saw near- to above-average rainfall through September, before a drier fall and winter. Much of the rain in the early part of the year was sporadic and soaked into parched soil, resulting in little runoff to the Highland Lakes. The lower-than-average amount of water flowing into the Highland Lakes continued a pattern that began in the summer of 2019.

Inflows were below the historical monthly averages every month but March, and 2020 inflows to the Highland Lakes ranked as the sixth lowest on record since 1942.

In 2020, reduced river flows contributed to decreases in water use from the Colorado River and increases in water use from the Highland Lakes across all water use types.

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 needs and environmental obligations, 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 2020, the Highland Lakes supplied 370,595 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 170,537 acre-feet, including 175 acre-feet to meet emergency needs for electricity, or about 46% of all water used from the Highland Lakes, in 2020.

Interruptible water contracts – These contracts supply agricultural customers. Interruptible water is subject to cutbacks during drought conditions. Interruptible customers used 84,472 acre-feet, or about 23% of all water used from the Highland Lakes, in 2020.

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 2020, LCRA released 115,586 acre-feet, or about 31% of water released from the Highland Lakes, for environmental flows.