For the first time in years, one of Central Texas’ most treasured lakes is 100% full following last week’s rainstorms. Those storms inundated area waterways like the Pedernales, Llano, Nueces and Guadalupe rivers in Central and South Texas, spurring flash flooding in some regions and filling up lakes to capacity in others.
The Lower Colorado River Authority announced over the weekend it had enacted floodgate operations at Mansfield Dam, supportive infrastructure located at Lake Travis in Austin. Those floodgate operations marked the first of its kind at the dam since 2019, idle after years of drought impacts resulting in lower-than-capacity water levels at the beloved Central Texas lake.
“Lake Travis has risen into its flood pool, and the dam is doing exactly what it was designed to do: store floodwaters until they can be safely released downstream.” LCRA officials wrote in a July 18 social media post…