AUSTIN, Texas — The City of Austin is considering lowering Lake Austin by about 10 feet this fall in what would be the lake’s first drawdown since 2017.
City staff told Austin’s Climate, Water, Environment and Parks Committee on Wednesday they hope to make a final decision by late summer, with a drawdown tentatively planned for October and November if the city reaches an agreement with the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA).
The proposed six-week drawdown was requested by shoreline stakeholders to allow for maintenance along the lake’s banks and to help combat hydrilla, an invasive aquatic plant that can clog waterways, block sunlight and harm aquatic ecosystems…