Lake Austin Is Dropping About 10 Feet This Fall: What Every Waterfront Owner Should Know

For the first time since 2017, the lake is coming down this fall. The City of Austin and the LCRA announced the plan on August 20, and it opens a rare window for anyone who owns waterfront here.

The LCRA will lower Lake Austin between Mansfield Dam and Tom Miller Dam from October 12 through November 30. The lake drops about 10 feet, coming down slowly at no more than roughly a foot a day, and it should take about three weeks to reach the target range. Refilling starts November 24 with water from Lake Travis, and the lake should be back to normal by November 30.

Why it is happening

The drawdown is at the City's request, and it gives shoreline owners much better access to docks, bulkheads, and boat slips while Austin Fire and Parks and Recreation handle planned maintenance. One bit of background that surprises people: Austin used to do this in winter, but after Winter Storm Uri in 2021, LCRA moved drawdowns to fall so the hydroelectric generators stay available for the Texas power grid.

There is a second storyline here. Hydrilla, the invasive aquatic plant, has come back in Lake Austin and now sits near an all-time high. When it overgrows, it can hurt water quality, crowd out native plants, and wrap around boat motors. The city has resumed stocking grass carp to help, this time more slowly than the last round that wiped out the lake's vegetation years ago. 

Why this matters for lakefront owners

If your dock, bulkhead, or boat slip has been on your someday list, this is the someday. Owners can repair structures, dredge slips, clear debris, and tackle nuisance vegetation while everything is easy to reach. The good contractors book up fast, so line yours up now. The City is also hosting a community open house on Wednesday, September 9 from 6 to 8 pm to walk through the process.

And as always, reach out to us if you have any questions, we know this lake inside and out.