As the region moves into the warmer months and lake levels continue to drop, the water crisis remains at the forefront for the county and surrounding communities. Lake levels at Choke Canyon Reservoir, Lake Corpus Christi are at historic lows, and Lake Texana is showing a serious decline. Adding to the dismal outlook, meteorologists predict no significant rainfall over the next three months.
While George West and Tilden obtain their drinking water from wells, the City of Three Rivers once relied on Choke Canyon Reservoir but can no longer obtain water directly from the lake. Other communities, including Beeville, Mathis, San Patricio, and Port Aransas, depend on water supplied by the City of Corpus Christi.
According to Water Data for Texas, Choke Canyon Reservoir dropped to 8% capacity on March 19, compared to 9.4% at the beginning of the year and 15.3% at this time last year. Over the past year, the lake has fallen more than seven feet and now holds 53,119 acre-feet of water, compared to 101,637 acre-feet a year ago. Predictions indicate the reservoir could be empty in less than a year…