AUSTIN -- The Lower Colorado River Authority voted on a new water management plan for the Highland Lakes. The board took public input Wednesday morning ahead of its vote. The plan passed with a 10 to five vote.
The LCRA manages Lake Travis and Lake Buchanan as a water source for 35 counties including Travis County. However, the drought in Central Texas has put a strain on the system.
The board room packed with people eager to hear the final vote Wednesday. Thirty people spoke before the board on Tuesday; another 20 signed up to speak on Wednesday.
The new water mangement plan under consideration spells out how the agency will control water usage outside the lakes. One option includes cutting off the supply to South Texas rice farmers when lakes fall to dangerous levels. Many farmers oppose the idea, saying it will hurt their livelihood. Others say it's only fair.
"I understand that farmers need to grow a crop but there are other crops that can be grown besides rice. I mean it takes a lot of water. There are more people here now. We need water to use for human consumption. So we need to start guarding that water more cautiously," said Wayne Nehring.
Also within the plan, the LCRA says it will monitor lake levels more often and cap water irrigation even during wet years. The new policies are meant to maintain the reservoirs at both Lake Travis and Lake Buchanan.
Since it was approved, the plan will now go to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, TCEQ, which has the final say.
