Blaming drought, LCRA mulls freeze on water sales

"Wishful thinking is not good water planning," said Mason, noting that one massive storm in 1952 raised the level of Lake Travis more than 50 feet in one day, but the rainfall was merely a blip in a long and devastating drought.

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Austin American-Statesman

By Chuck Lindell
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Spurred by lake levels that remain distressingly low despite recent heavy rains, the Lower Colorado River Authority will consider temporarily halting new water sales until drought conditions ease.

The moratorium, the first of its kind to be considered by the agency's board of directors, is designed to protect water supplies already promised to cities and industrial users along the Colorado River, General Manager Tom Mason said Monday.

"We really do want to protect those folks we've already committed to. We want to deliver that water," Mason said.

The proposal, which will be considered Nov. 10, would not affect cities or industrial users with existing water contracts, including Austin.

"If you have purchased water, that's fine. If you want new water contracts, we will recommend to the board of directors that we temporarily put those on hold until the lakes significantly (rise)," LCRA spokesman Robert Cullick said. "We're trying to not increase demand on the river and lakes."

Three pending contracts would be frozen under the proposed moratorium, including increases in water supplies sought by Horseshoe Bay and Kingsland — both of which pumped more water last year than allowed under their LCRA contracts.

clindell@statesman.com