TEXAS, USA — As drought conditions linger, lake levels around Central Texas are reaching historic lows.
If dry conditions continue, water restrictions are likely to ramp up to Stage 3 for cities like Waco in mid-October.
"We've been at like historic lows this year," Jessica Emmett Sellers, Senior Public Information Officer Specialist for the City of Waco, said. "A big part of that is just the combination of last year and this year, because last year, spring was particularly dry and it got hot really early in May and June. We didn't get the amount of rain that we normally get in the fall to kind of replenish it."
Brazos River Authority Water Services Manager, Aaron Abel, says water levels across the board are continuing to decline.
"Stillhouse Hollow has now reached the lowest lake level that it has ever experienced," Abel said. "The previous lake level that was the record was in late January of 2012, and that was at 604.8 feet above mean sea level, so about 17.2 feet below the top of conservation. We reached that today."
Lake Belton is also the lowest it's been in decades.
"The lake level at Belton is the lowest it's been since the early 70's," Abel added.
As the population continues to grow, authorities believe the issue will only get worse.
"The more people that move into this area, the more troubles we're going to have providing enough water in that lake even in a good year," Texas A&M University-Central Texas Facilities, Safety and Support Services Manager, Shawn Kelley said.
While lake levels continue to reach historic lows, concerns are now rising from the general public.
One common concern 6 News has heard is why the lake's water supply goes to neighboring communities like Williamson County.
Abel says there is a pipeline connecting Stillhouse Hollow Lake to Lake Georgetown. It transfers over 40 million gallons per day to supplement the water in Lake Georgetown.
The Brazos River Authority told 6 News it's important to understand Texas owns the water in the reservoirs and in the rivers.
"Water is permitted to other entities such as the Brazos River Authority for the beneficial use of municipal use, industrial use, agricultural use," Abel said. "The general public thinks low lake levels equal, you know, major concern, and while it is concerning, the reservoirs are doing exactly what they were designed to do, and that is to capture water during wet times for use during dry times."
What we need is rain, but not just a season of it or a heavy downpour.
"If we have continuous rain that's heavy, but not so heavy that we're getting a lot of runoff so that water can actually soak back into our ground table and fill the lake back up," Kelley said. "That's what we need."
Until that comes, there are steps you can take to monitor your usage and protect your home in the conditions we are facing.
"Concentrate more on keeping your foundation from damage, and don't worry so much about the yard," Kelley said.
"Repair leaks, that's a huge one," Sellers added. "Even small leaks can use water. If nothing changes and conditions continue to be the way they are, we're looking at about mid-October, hitting that level. We'll start definitely preparing people before that, making sure that they understand what Stage 3 looks like."
Click here for City of Waco restrictions.
Click here for City of Temple restrictions.
Click here for City of Killeen restrictions.
Click here for City of Belton restrictions.
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