North Texas Water

Texas is home to 14 major rivers, over 100 lakes, and 23 aquifers that underlie about three-fourths of the state. Texas also borders the Gulf of Mexico. These bodies of water supply much of the state’s drinking water. Some lakes and rivers are also used for energy production, though hydroelectric power is still a limited resource in the state.Lake Travis and Lake Buchanan are the main water sources for many cities, farmers and power plants in Central Texas. Droughts are a major concern in this part of the state where cities, like Austin, use lake water for drinking and recreation. Texas saw some of its driest months on record since 1895 during the eight-month period from October 2010 to May 2011. The water level in both Lake Travis and Lake Buchanan fell to 1.4 million acre-feet, 28 percent less than the average, causing the Central Texas region to begin stage 1 drought restrictions. As lake levels continued to fall, several Central Texas cities entered stage 2 drought restrictions, including Austin. As of June 20, 2011, nearly two-thirds of the state had entered into “exceptional drought,” the Lower Colorado River Authority’s (LCRA) most severe category. The LCRA is a powerful state organization that controls the water in the two lakes and much of the Colorado River. A way to help stop the drought is to try to conserve water.