Downstream rice farmers may regain access to Lake Travis water if a proposed drought relief order gains approval from the Lower Colorado River Authority board.

LCRA staff presented a proposed emergency relief plan Nov. 13 at a committee meeting in Fredericksburg. The proposed order allows 121,500 acre-feet of water to flow downstream to rice farmers if lakes Travis and Buchanan reach a combined storage of 750,000 acre-feet by either Jan. 1 or March 1—whichever date has the greater amount of water. That is 100,000 acre-feet less than the threshold placed last year in an emergency drought order approved by LCRA and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

Combined storage for lakes Travis and Buchanan is 859,483 acre-feet—or 43 percent of the lakes' capacity—as of Nov. 13, meaning existing conditions would allow rice farmers to receive lake water in 2013. LCRA board members will consider the proposal at its full meeting Nov. 14, although members did not promise a final vote.

LCRA General Manager Becky Motal said the proposed plan is consistent with the 2012 approved water management plan that received preliminary approval from TCEQ and awaits public comment.

"We're trying to make a recommendation somewhat similar to 2012 approved plan in anticipation of a new water management plan soon taking effect," she said.

After presenting the staff-proposed plan, the LCRA board accepted public comment from interested stakeholders, which included politicians, environmental advocates, lake-area business owners and southeastern Texas rice farmers. Speakers included representatives from Austin, Cedar Park, Leander, Volente, Lakeway and the Steiner Ranch subdivision.

The majority of the 200 people in attendance urged the board to ignore LCRA recommendations and instead extend this year's drought relief order, which essentially cuts off downstream rice farmers because combined Highland Lakes storage levels failed to reach 850,000 acre-feet on March 1, 2012.

"Now is not the time to gamble on the weather," Travis County Commissioner Karen Huber said. "The cause-and-effect stakes are too high."

Under the existing 2010 water management plan, which would take effect if no drought relief order is sought for 2013, LCRA staff estimate a 25 percent chance that the lakes surpass the worst drought on record; in 1952, the combined lake storage was 31 percent of the lakes' capacity, or 620,000 acre feet.

But without more water flowing downstream, the long-term future of the southeastern Texas rice farming industry remains in doubt, said Ronald Gertson, a rice farmer and chairman of the Colorado Water Issues Committee, which represents the rice farmers.

"We don't have other water supply options, just like the City of Austin does not have other water supply options," Gertson said, explaining that many farmers received crop insurance protection this year, but that does not go toward aid for the surrounding communities that rely on the rice industry. "And there's no insurance for the community that provides infrastructure for these operations."

No vote was held during the committee meeting and public hearing. The board will reconvene in Fredericksburg starting at 8:30 a.m. Nov. 14 to discuss several agenda items, including the proposed drought relief order.