BELL COUNTY, Texas (KXXV) — The Brazos River Authority implemented a Stage one drought watch, the first phase of its Drought Contingency Plan, to raise awareness of dry conditions. The agency, which acts as a wholesale water provider to cities and districts rather than directly to homes, is asking customers to voluntarily reduce their water usage by 5%.
- Nine of 11 Central Texas reservoirs are now under Stage one drought watch due to drier-than-normal conditions, according to the Brazos River Authority.
- Stillhouse Hollow Lake is currently 2.5 feet below its normal full elevation, which is impacting local fishermen.
- If below-average rainfall continues, Lake Proctor could enter a Stage two drought warning this summer.
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Nine of 11 local reservoirs in Central Texas have hit Stage one drought conditions due to drier-than-normal conditions, prompting officials to ask residents to reduce their water usage.
The Brazos River Authority implemented a Stage one drought watch, asking customers to voluntarily reduce their water usage by 5%. Residents can achieve this reduction by limiting lawn watering, avoiding washing vehicles, and repairing leaks.
Drought status is determined by triggers based on lake water storage capacity. While most reservoirs are currently at or above 90% full, Lakes Somerville, Proctor, and Georgetown are at the lowest levels across the system. Lake Somerville is about 73% full, Lake Proctor is around 75% full, and Lake Georgetown is about 76% full.
Cities within Bell, Coryell, Falls, Lampasas, and Williamson counties rely on water from Lake Belton, Stillhouse Hollow, and Georgetown.
At Stillhouse Hollow Lake in Bell County, water levels are dropping. In July, heavy rainfall left many park benches underwater. Nine months later, the lake is currently 2.5 feet lower (619.37') than its normal full elevation (622'), according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The Brazos River Authority noted that two years ago, Lakes Belton and Stillhouse Hollow dropped to their lowest recorded levels, though they fared much better during the severe drought of 2010 to 2015.
The drop is impacting local fishermen like Terrence Diaz, who casts his line at Stillhouse Hollow Lake.
"The rocks that we’re actually sitting on is rocks from the actual lake," Diaz said.
"The fish are going to be farther out in the middle of the lake because of the actual levels and as the summer gets here, the hotter it gets and the deeper the fish are going to want to stay out," Diaz said.
Diaz already conserves water to avoid a high bill, but his main concern is the water usage from data centers coming to the Central Texas area.
"We don’t have millions of gallons of water in these lakes, so I don’t know how we’re going to sustain data centers and our community. You’re going to dry out the community that actually live here in Central Texas," Diaz said.
Other neighbors notice the lower levels but say it does not compare to what they have seen in the past.Last year at this time, lake levels were just over 618 feet according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
"Last year we seen it super low, like right where this island is, you could walk to it, there was no water at all. I’m surprised it’s actually got water on it," local resident Tinamarie Duncan said.
The Brazos River Authority says it would take continued below-average rainfall through the spring and into the fall before transitioning into Stage two drought conditions for most reservoirs. However, it is possible Lake Proctor could enter a Stage two drought warning this summer.
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