Most LCRA Agriculture Customers to go Without Highland Lakes Water in 2024

As the region continues to deal with the effects of a severe drought, the Lower Colorado River Authority has determined no water from the Highland Lakes will be available for most LCRA agricultural customers in Colorado, Wharton and Matagorda counties in 2024.

This marks the second straight full year that no water from the lakes has been available for customers in the Gulf Coast, Lakeside and Pierce Ranch agricultural operations.

LCRA made the determination on March 2 based on the intensity and duration of the drought and the amount of water in lakes Buchanan and Travis on March 1, as required by its state-approved Water Management Plan. Under the plan, the current water supply condition is “extraordinary drought.” Combined storage in lakes Buchanan and Travis, the two water supply reservoirs in the Highland Lakes, on March 1 was 845,086 acre-feet, or about 42% of capacity.