‘We’re Still in a Drought’ GBRA Says as Floodwaters Fill Canyon Lake, Lowering Restrictions

Recent flooding along the Upper Guadalupe River added around 70,000-acre-feet of water to Canyon Reservoir, moving Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA) wholesale and retail customers from Stage 4 into Stage 2 drought conditions, GBRA’s Charles Hickman, executive manager of Engineering, said today.

Speaking to GBRA board members at their monthly meeting, he said if Canyon Lake levels remained above the Stage 1 trigger for more than 30 days, GBRA customers could move back into Stage 1 under terms outlined in its Drought Contingency Plan.

Under Stage 2 moderate water conditions, GBRA wholesale customers are asked to reduce their water usage by 10% voluntarily, and retail customers are asked to limit landscape watering using automated irrigation systems or hose-end sprinklers to twice a week.

However, the goal is to refill Canyon Reservoir to its full conservation pool of 909 feet, which would require an additional 130,000 acre-feet of water.

Hickman said until the lake is full, GBRA will make minimum releases of 90 cubic feet-per-second (cfs) from Canyon Lake dam into the Lower Guadalupe River.

The weather forecast isn’t promising. Forecasters say there’s a 50/50 chance of staying in current La Nina conditions and the rest of the month looks hot and dry for south central Texas.

“It’s clear that while we always need to stay focused on water conservation and diversifying our portfolio, we’re still in a drought and we need to remain focused on those items,” he said.

Canyon Lake’s current elevation is 891.2 feet. The lake is 65.6% full. The lake was at 877.9 feet on Saturday, July 5.

GBRA works with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), which owns and operates Canyon Lake, to provide utility services and operations to communities and wholesale water customers throughout the Guadalupe River Basin.

Its 10-county statutory district begins near the headwaters of the Guadalupe and Blanco Rivers, ends at San Antonio Bay, and includes Kendall, Comal, Hays, Caldwell, Guadalupe, Gonzales, DeWitt, Victoria, Calhoun and Refugio counties.