Time To Celebrate: Lake Travis Is Full And The Current Drought Is Officially Over

Yesterday, the water level of Lake Travis rose above 681 feet above mean sea level (msl) for the first time since the fall of 2007, after dropping below 630 feet msl in late September of last year. The El Nino weather pattern is what normally brings Texas out of its recurring historical droughts, and the El Nino of the last 6 months was no exception, raising the level of Lake Travis over 51 feet since its lowest water level during the current drought.

The full pool of the lake, and the end of the drought, is great news and certainly cause for celebration in the Texas Hill Country. Last summer, the low lake level closed most, if not all, of the lake’s public boat ramps. This had a negative financial impact on businesses along the lake, including marinas, waterfront restaurants, music venues, hotels, and tourist rental properties. Equally bad, “sometimes islands” appeared on the lake, causing accidents and injuries, especially among boaters unfamiliar with the lake. And, residents across the hill country, dealt with the watering restrictions common in times of drought.

This year will be much different. Currently, the lake level is 10 feet above what the level would normally be during a typical March. Businesses along all of the Highland Lakes, including Lake Travis, will no doubt thrive this year, but, then again, this is Texas, the land of feast or famine. Texans in the hill country have learned how to adapt to fast changing weather and climate over the years. One year’s prosperity might bring something quite different the next year. We’ve seen it all before, and, many times.

But, given the current conditions, it is time to celebrate the “feast” of a full lake and the end of the current drought. I will enjoy it while I can, because Texas weather history tells me, it won’t last forever.

Hill Country Residents Live In A Destination Site

Everyone says that that the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is the busiest travel day of the year. While the actual “destination” where family and friends are gathered is the part everyone looks forward to, getting there and then returning home is the part everyone dreads.

There are two types of people during the Thanksgiving holiday, those who travel and those who don’t. Those who travel have to endure the unpleasantness of heavy highway traffic, airport delays, long layovers, and stuffing luggage into the overhead bins of jam-packed airplanes. Those who don’t travel, well, they enjoy the benefits of living in a destination site. The Texas Hill Country is not only a destination site; it is an inviting one at that.

Of course, any place someone travels to is a destination site. But some destinations are just a lot more agreeable than others. Let’s face it, if I’m going to go through the packing of bags, long hours on the road, and numerous travel hassles, I’d like to think that at the end of my journey there is something a little more to be enjoyed than huddling around a space heater on some chilly windswept prairie or frozen tundra talking with Grandma and eating a turkey sandwich. If that describes your situation, you should tell Grandma to move to a destination site that people wish to visit. You might incent her to do so by telling her that you would visit more often if she did.

There are many attractive destination sites around the country, but, of course I’m partial to the Texas Hill Country. We’ve got lots of Grandmas down here, and I can tell you, the ones I know weren’t standing in a long line today waiting to pass through the security checkpoint at some airport. They were waiting for their family members to arrive in the hill country to visit them. And many, while they were waiting, played golf or were out on a boat on one of the Highland Lakes.

There were no travels for me today, other than to run into town to grab a coffee and a bacon and cheese croissant. I was not fumbling around trying to find my electronic ticket number, or, waiting for my boarding zone to be called. After my croissant, I rode around on my golf cart, and took the dog for a walk. Boats were plentiful today on Lake Travis, people were walking out on the sand, others were playing tennis, and golfers were improving their game on the local course. But then, I live in the Texas Hill Country, a darn good destination site at that.

Tomorrow’s high (Thanksgiving Day) according to the National Weather Service, will be 38 degrees in a major Midwest City up north. Friday’s high in that same city will be 45 degrees and then 43 degrees on Saturday. Here in the hill country, the respective high temperatures are 68 degrees on Thanksgiving Day, 70 degrees on Friday, and 72 degrees on Saturday. What’s not to like? If your Grandmother lives up in that cold anonymous Midwest City, tell her to get that “For Sale” sign up in her yard and move south to the hill country of Texas. She’ll probably see you a lot more often. Why? Because you will take the time to visit her more as she lives in a pleasant, and most agreeable, destination site, and you’ll be golfing and boating once you get here (with Grandma tagging along, of course).

The Rising Water Of Lake Travis

The water level of Lake Travis, seriously reduced due to abnormally high heat this past summer, and the effects of a two-year drought, appears to be making a rebound.

Significant weather systems in October brought heavy rain as they made their way across the hill country. As a result, things look much better today than they did a month ago. At first, the rain did little to help the situation, as the parched soil absorbed all of the water and released very little into the creeks and rivers which feed the lake. Eventually, however, as the soil became saturated with water, the runoff started filling the lake.

On September 28th and 29th of this year, the water level stood at 629.8 feet above mean sea level. Today, on November 1, 2009, the level of the lake stands at 647 feet. That’s over a 17 foot rise in just a little over a month. It’s impressive, and important, but there is still a long way to go. Full pool for the lake is 681 feet. So the drought, and its impact on the lake, is still present.

Nevertheless, the positive effects of the rising water is noticeable. My wife and I take a swim every evening in the lake, and during those days when the water level was at its lowest, we had to venture far out into the lake just to reach water above our heads. That’s no longer a problem during our swims. Most recently, we only have to go out a short distance before the lake bottom disappears under our feet. Additionally, many boat docks, which not long ago were landlocked, are now once again connected with the lake.

There are a great many more boats on the water as well. For the most part, the public boat ramps were closed for the summer. This greatly reduced the boat traffic, and by late September, watercraft on the lake almost exclusively consisted of small boats and jet skis. Today, there were yachts, speed boats, sail boats, and fishing boats all over the lake.

And, with respect to those fishing boats, the fishing has picked up considerably with the cooler water temperatures. The fishermen are reporting success catching Black, Striped, and White bass. Crappie and catfish are also being caught.

All in all, it’s nice to see the lake bouncing back. And while things are not yet where they need to be, things are definitely looking better.

Getting To The North Shore Of Lake Travis Has Never Been Easier

The north shore of Lake Travis has always gotten a bad rap it seems. For years some people have complained about the time it takes to get to the north shore of the lake from Austin. This explains, in part, why there is more residential and commercial development on the south shore in places like Lakeway.

With the relatively recent opening of the 183A Toll Road, the straightening of RM 1431’s dangerous curves between Cedar Park and Jonestown, and the resurfacing of all four 1431 lanes through Lago Vista, some of the old complaints should begin to subside. Hopefully, this is good news to the communities on the north shore like Jonestown, Lago Vista, and Point Venture.

There is a lot to offer on the north shore in the way of lifestyle, recreation, and potential new development. Once the economy gets a little better, this is an area sure to experience a boom.

New homes in the village of Point Venture, across the lake from Lakeway, are always under construction it seems. There are also new residential and condo developments underway as you travel up the peninsula on Lohman Ford Road toward Lago Vista’s city center. The north shore communities provide wonderful hill country and lake views, lake access, great golf, good local food and live music. The communities are also minutes away from Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge, Flat Creek Estate Vineyard and Winery, and Marble Falls. Vacation lodging is plentiful in Jonestown, Lago Vista, and Point Venture all year around, whether it be for summer weekend vacationers or "winter Texans" coming down to stay during the cold months up north.

Now that the road access to the north shore has improved greatly, there is no reason not to give the area a closer look.

The End Of A Long Hot And Dry Summer?

Summer 2009 was particularly hot in the hill country. Austin recorded 68 days with temperatures at or above 100 degrees fahrenheit. This is one day short of the record set back in the 1920's.

With the rains last week, temperatures have cooled off considerably back into the mid 80's. The hill country, in the midst of a two-year drought, needed the rain. Everyone was excited when the dark clouds rolled in and the skies opened up. But we need so much more. Lake Travis is currently just a tad over 631 feet above mean sea level, which is nearly 50 feet below a full lake pool. The "old-timers" who have experienced many droughts over the years say when the rains finally come, the lake will fill quickly. With the coming El Nino, the hill country is expected to experience a wet fall and winter.

Despite the drought, and the lower lake level, there is still a lot of recreation on the lake. Boats, although fewer than normal, are still plying the waters. And my evening swims in the lake attest to the fact that there is still plenty of water for whatever activity one enjoys. So, despite some of the rumors, the lake is not "gone" and it hasn't been closed. It's still here, albeit smaller, providing lots of fun and enjoyment.