In May of 2010, Lake Travis was 100% full. 38 months later it is at 36%. And during one-half of that time period, we have been operating under emergency orders prohibiting agricultural releases. This shows clearly why we have to stop using Austin’s water supply to grow rice downstream – forever. Even when the lakes […]
Update on water supply – scary numbers you won’t see anywhere else
Based on numbers from LCRA, the total non-agricultural water use + evaporation in 2012 was 529,137 (just barely lower than the 540,000 acre-feet in 2011). Evaporation was lower (due to the relatively less severe weather in 2012), municipal use was down only slightly (probably because of less lawn watering – again weather related) but non-agricultural […]
Solve our water supply problem? Yes We Can – San Diego has already done it – why not Austin?
San Diego has already taken a huge step toward solving their water supply problem; construction is already underway on a seawater desalination plant that will be operational in 2016. Despite all those naysayers who refuse to educate themselves on the cost of water and who claim desalination is just too darn expensive, San Diego has […]
Affordability in Austin
For my July 2013 newsletter, including an article on affordability in Austin, just click here.
Update: water supply dropping even faster
As of this morning, there are 728,000 acre-feet left in Austin’s water supply (or more accurately, 691,000 acre-feet after allowing for the 37,000 acre-feet that are likely unreachable). Based on data over the most recent 14 days, that supply is now dropping at more than 75,000 acre-feet per month. That depletion rate will slow down […]