The overview
All publicly maintained boat ramps listed by the Lower Colorado River Authority on its website are closed apart from Pace Bend-Tournament Point, located at 2805 Pace Bend Road N., Spicewood.
Lake Travis’ current level is 635.6 feet above sea level, which is about 32 feet below average for April, according to data collected April 23 by the LCRA.
“Most of the public boat ramps on Lake Travis are closed because of lower lake levels caused by the ongoing drought,” LCRA Public Information Officer Clara Tuma said. “Lake Travis, one of two water supply reservoirs in the Highland Lakes, is now about 43% full.”
Some context
The LCRA announced in March that the region is in Stage 2 drought response. This announcement came after a dry winter, in which inflows into the lake were 25% lower than the historical average, according to a news release.
LCRA will return to Stage 1 if the combined storage of both Lake Travis and Lake Buchanan rise from their current 48% capacity to 55%, according to the organization’s website. If the lake storage drops to 37.5% capacity, LCRA will enter Stage 3 drought restrictions.
What else?
As boating season approaches, the LCRA is urging visitors to stay safe while out on the lake.
“The lakes aren’t swimming pools, so keep an eye out for objects like trees and rocks below the water surface,” said John Hofmann, LCRA Executive Vice President of Water. “The lakes are uneven and can have sudden drop-offs, so you could be wading in knee-deep water and suddenly find yourself in 8 feet—or 100 feet—of water.”
LCRA officials recommend that visitors not swim or boat alone, wear a life jacket, and take care to drink enough water.
