Lake Austin business owners concerned about economic impact of lake drawdown in the fall
Some businesses upset with Lake Austin draw down
Next month, Lake Austin will be lowered about a dozen feet for maintenance, but business owners on the lake say they're going to take a big economic hit with the timing of it.
AUSTIN, Texas - Next month, Lake Austin will be lowered about a dozen feet for maintenance, but business owners on the lake say they're going to take a big economic hit with the timing of it.
What is happening at Lake Austin?
The backstory:
Between Oct. 12 and Nov. 30, the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) will draw down Lake Austin at the request of the City of Austin.
A city memo says this is so property owners can clean boat docks, and for crews to do maintenance and to temporarily manage hydrilla.
During this time, public boat ramps on Lake Austin will be closed, swimming at Emma Long Metro Park won't be allowed and water will be released downstream through Tom Miller Dam.
Dig deeper:
Lake drawdowns are historically done in the winter months. The last one was in 2017. In the future, drawdowns aren't supposed to happen more than once every four years.
According to the city memo, the lake will drop about one foot a day, so it'll take three weeks to reach the lowest target level. Then there will be four weeks for maintenance. On Nov. 24, crews will start refilling it with water from Lake Travis, at a rate of two feet per day.
Lake Austin business owners voice frustrations
What they're saying:
David Callejas owns Float On Boat Rentals. He says October is one of his highest-earning months. With UT football, ACL, and F1 happening in the city, visitors and locals alike go out to the lake during slightly cooler weather.
He estimates losing hundreds of thousands of dollars with the lake drawdown, and about 20 employees will be out of work.
"For the city to make a decision to close that during that time and close public access to it just seems unfair," Callejas said.
Tara Carr manages Lake Austin Marina and is part of the Lake Austin stakeholder group.
"There are people who had weddings scheduled on this lake. There are businesses that were fully booked out for rentals during those big events in Austin, and the economic impact is going to be significant," she said. "We sell seven to nine times more fuel in the October-November time frame than we do in the traditional January and February time frame."
Big picture view:
Business owners say they feel the decision was rushed and that they weren't involved. They would prefer a winter drawdown or even one from mid-November to December.
"I would like to see them actually consult the stakeholders. We did ask for a drawdown. We did not ask for it in that timeframe and when it was presented as possibly being in that timeframe we all disagreed with it," Carr said.
They also say those along the lake have to rush to get permits to do maintenance at short notice. If there were to be a flood event, the lake would fill back up, and businesses would've canceled bookings.
They also think hydrilla will be worse when the lake is refilled.
"From the standpoint of hydrilla management, which does need a broader management plan, multiple things, it's hard to assume that that will in any way be helpful," Carr said.
"Doing it in mid-October, there's no data that shows that it's really helping that, so it seems like they're making this decision primarily to help private dock owners and marinas make repairs to their docks," Callejas said.
City of Austin and LCRA's response
What they're saying:
FOX 7 asked LCRA why the drawdown has to happen in the fall instead of the winter.
LCRA said, "After Winter Storm Uri, LCRA determined it would no longer plan lake drawdowns in the winter to help ensure the hydroelectric generators at dams along the Highland Lakes remain fully available to support the Texas power grid during the cold winter months. LCRA now conducts planned drawdowns in the fall."
The City of Austin says, "The lake drawdown is not being used as a method for lake-wide hydrilla management. The short duration of the lowering and absence of a long, sustained freeze during a winter drawdown would have no beneficial impact on hydrilla than fall. While the water levels are lowered, property owners may use the opportunity to remove nuisance vegetation, which may include hydrilla."
FOX 7 asked what can be done to help business owners.
The city says, "The City of Austin will be hosting a Community Open House for residents and businesses to answer questions about the drawdown process, provide information about the permitting process for maintenance and repairs, and address concerns."
The open house will take place Wednesday, Sept. 9, from 6-8 p.m. at the City of Austin Permitting and Development Center at 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Dr. | Meeting Room 1407.
The Source: Information from the City of Austin, the LCRA, and from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin's Angela Shen