Austin remains in a drought
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Much of Central Texas remains in drought. Image: Courtesy of U.S. Drought Monitor
Much of Central Texas — including Travis County — remain parched, despite downpours last month.
Why it matters: The persistence of this drought might be a window into our new normal as the climate changes.
- Climatologists tell us to expect longer spells of hot, dry weather, broken up now and then by bursts of rainfall, like the intense storm in late May that led to widespread power outages and flooding.
Zoom in: Nearly all of Travis County is experiencing severe drought, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor map, out Thursday — and areas to the southwest, including parts of San Antonio, are parched with exceptional drought, the worst level.
Yes, but: Areas to Austin's northwest, home to the region's major reservoirs, are suffering mild drought, or none at all.
Reality check: Those reservoirs — Lakes Buchanan and Travis — remain contracted, wracked by years of brutal heat and below-normal rainfall.
- The last time the lakes were full was in July 2019. They are currently 52% full.
Stunning fact: In 2024, the Highland Lakes lost about 45 billion gallons of water to evaporation — or enough water to fill about 70,000 Olympic-size swimming pools.
Zoom in: The Lower Colorado River Authority, which manages the river and its dams, moved into Stage 2 of its drought response in March, requiring utilities, industries and retail water providers to ratchet down water use.
- In Austin, automatic lawn watering is limited to once per week.
What they're saying: "We're still in the midst of a serious drought," Kelly Payne, senior vice president for water operations at the LCRA, told board members last week.
- "Rain really needs to fall upstream of the Highland Lakes — ideally a widespread rain over Junction, Fredericksburg or San Saba — to have a chance of making its way into Lakes Travis and Buchanan."
What's next: Lots of haze — but no rain — is in the Austin-area forecast through the weekend.