Austin officials announced Thursday that Lake Austin will be lowered by about 10 feet beginning October 12, with the drawdown scheduled to continue through November 30.
The Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) will carry out the drawdown at the City of Austin’s request to provide shoreline property owners and city departments access for maintenance.
The plan, announced August 20 by the city, will temporarily close public boat ramps on Lake Austin and prohibit swimming at Emma Long Metropolitan Park. The lake has not undergone a drawdown since 2017, according to city records.
Lake to Fall Roughly 10 Feet
According to the City of Austin’s announcement, the lake will be lowered gradually, at no more than approximately 1 foot per day, beginning October 12.
Officials expect the lake to reach a target elevation between 481.8 and 482.8 feet above mean sea level in roughly three weeks, depending on conditions.
The lower water level will expose portions of the lakebed, allowing shoreline property owners to work on docks, bulkheads, boat slips, and other structures. Property owners also will be able to remove debris, dredge boat slips, and address nuisance vegetation where permitted.
The city said some work will require permits from Austin or the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
Austin Development Services is preparing a dedicated Site Plan Exemption application for certain minor dock and bulkhead repairs during the drawdown. The city said that application is expected to become available in the coming weeks.
Public Access will be Restricted
The drawdown will have immediate consequences for recreational users.
Public boat ramps along Lake Austin will be closed during the drawdown, and swimming will be prohibited at Emma Long Metropolitan Park, according to the city.
The city and LCRA also cautioned that the schedule could change. Flooding or potential power shortages could cause the drawdown to be shortened or canceled.
LCRA may periodically release water from Mansfield Dam, upstream of Lake Austin, to maintain the lowered lake level or meet downstream water demands. As a result, water levels at the upper end of Lake Austin could differ from the target range measured at Tom Miller Dam.
Why Austin is Lowering the Lake
The drawdown follows months of discussion involving city officials, shoreline property owners, businesses, recreational users, and other stakeholders.
The city’s Lake Austin project page says stakeholder meetings this year focused on the potential drawdown, permitting, shoreline maintenance, hydrilla management, navigation, wake surfing, and public safety.
Hydrilla, an invasive aquatic plant, has been a major issue in the lake. However, city officials have previously acknowledged that lowering the lake has not proven effective at controlling hydrilla.
A 2025 Austin Watershed Protection memorandum said historical data indicated that drawdowns were not effective at controlling hydrilla and could potentially facilitate its growth by reducing competition from other vegetation.
The city nevertheless determined that a drawdown could provide an opportunity for shoreline maintenance and localized mechanical vegetation removal.
Drawdown Comes After Years Without One
Lake Austin drawdowns were more common in the early 2000s, but the city says only one has occurred since 2011 — a 2017 drawdown conducted to facilitate dock and bulkhead repairs and maintenance.
The timing of the new drawdown also reflects changes in LCRA’s operating policies.
Following Winter Storm Uri in 2021, LCRA determined that it would no longer conduct planned winter drawdowns on the Highland Lakes because the hydroelectric generators need to remain available to support the Texas power grid during cold-weather periods. Planned drawdowns are now conducted in the fall, according to Austin officials.
LCRA identifies Lake Austin as part of the Highland Lakes system and lists its normal operating range at approximately 491.8 to 492.8 feet above mean sea level.
Refill Scheduled Before December
The drawdown is not expected to last through the end of November.
According to the city, LCRA is scheduled to begin refilling Lake Austin on November 24, with water released from Lake Travis at a rate of up to 2 feet per day. The lake is expected to return to its normal operating range by November 30.
The city will hold a public open house September 9 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Permitting and Development Center, 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Drive, to explain the drawdown process and permitting requirements.
The city and LCRA said they will continue monitoring weather and other conditions and will notify the public if the timetable changes.
