Austin - the Drought in Pictures

I just got back from the Lakeway City Park, which is usually waterfront, to take some photos showing how low Lake Travis is. The lake is about 43 feet below its full level and these Lake Travis photographs tell it all.

Lake Travis should be about 10-15 feet below the cliffs this time of year.

This shot shows a sailboat and several docks on dry groung. Notice the house on stilts? The lowest level of heated and cooled living space needs to be one foot above the floodplain. That elevation is 723 feet above sea level. The full level of Lake Travis is 681 feet and today the lake is at 638 feet.

What we would usually see from here is Murst Harbor Marina and the floating restaurant, Johnny Fins.

One thing you can see here is a boat ramp from Sail and Ski Marina. Perhaps they should take advantage of the drought and extend the ramp farther into Lake Travis. You can also see the concrete blocks the marina uses to anchor to.

Here is another house on stilts on the Hurst Creek Arm of Lake Travis. There is an 85 foot difference between the first floor of living space of this Lake Travis home and the level of the water today.