Water Conservation (Austin, West, Barton Creek: real estate, renting, big house) - Texas (TX) - City-Data Forum

lindaluck · 02-12-2007, 10:01 AM

Did anybody see the LCRA announcement about the lake levels this weekend on the news? They said that Lake Travis was the lowest they had seen it since 1942. WOW! I hope that means people will start conserving water and especilly those big houses on Barton Creek that water so much that their St. Augustine never goes dormant; thats just unnatural.

I knew that some folks out in Hays co were having problems with their water supply, mainly the wells on the Edwards Aquafer, but I had no idea Lake Travis was that low.

Conserve water everybody!

southaustingal · 02-12-2007, 10:08 AM

Yeah, I saw an LCRA rep on the news last week stating that if conditions continue there would be NO water. I expected that bit to be a major headline, broadcast round-the-clock, but instead it was covered by the nonstop Valentine's gift-buying segments.

And according to the LCRA rep, even if we have good rain, Lake Travis will remain low because the Highland Lakes aren't getting the rain they need.

I drove down 620 last week, which I don't do very often, and the lake looks frightening to me. I've never seen it that low, and I've been here more than 20 years.

So, yeah, forget the lush landscapes of your native states and opt for native plants that can survive these dry conditions.

lindaluck · 02-12-2007, 10:13 AM

Thats right-on southaustingal. It is really scarry out there. I have been here over 30 years and never seen those islands before. There are some lakes just north and northeast of us that are completly dry. I am sure that LCRA will not publish it much since it effects so many businesses, including real estate, water sports and general perception. But we better wise up! Mandatory water restriction probobly should have started a couple of years ago!

traceyr13 · 02-12-2007, 10:30 AM

I'm really surprised, given the water levels, that mandatory water restrictions haven't gone into place. Is that something that is not common here? We used to get water restrictions at some point every summer in Rhode Island.

Trainwreck20 · 02-12-2007, 12:07 PM

Quote:

I have been here over 30 years and never seen those islands before.

Are you talking about the 'sometimes', 'seldom', and 'almost never' islands? That is what they are called on maps that show them, and the 'Almost Never' islands were showing this past fall....

gigi927 · 02-12-2007, 01:41 PM

We were shocked when we moved here and went out to look at some "lakefront property" just to see what Lake Travis waterfront property was all about...and the properties were all backed to nothing but dirt and an empty boat dock....someone in our neighborhood said it was down 20-30 feet. I hope it keeps raining!

brattpowered · 02-13-2007, 10:23 AM

I'm sure glad I'm renting here and not owning. Soon Austin, Las Vegas, Phoenix and other unsustainable boom towns will dry up and the residents will move back up north and out West, to places where nature can compensate for large populations.

Trainwreck20 · 02-13-2007, 10:58 AM

I am not disagreeing about drying up here...but out west? Where nature can compensate? I thought all the water was being syphoned off from other places and water was just as big an issue. I guess that is CA I am thinking about, not OR or WA. I suppose water is not as much an issue as destruction of environment while using the water in WA and OR.

southaustingal · 02-13-2007, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

I am not disagreeing about drying up here...but out west? Where nature can compensate? I thought all the water was being syphoned off from other places and water was just as big an issue. I guess that is CA I am thinking about, not OR or WA. I suppose water is not as much an issue as destruction of environment while using the water in WA and OR.

PBS ran a program a couple years ago about the Colorado River. According to scientists who study the river, it's significantly lower up river, not just here in the Hill Country. The scientists also said that overdevelopment coupled with lack of rain may eventually render the river dry. I don't recall the time frame for that, though. I wish I could remember more detail about the show; I just remember being scared.

Ellen K · 02-13-2007, 07:05 PM

I remember that show about the Colorado River. I don't think that anyone can argue the need for water conservation. I wish that we could come up with a way to relieve the flooding in areas like the Missouri River to the draught areas like Texas. It seems to me that since we send robots to Saturn we should be able to divert water where it is needed from areas that are flooding. In Central Texas I believe that water conservation is going to be a matter of survival. We must find a better way in order to provide clean drinking water for everyone.