FLOOD FACTSImagine the world's largest swimming pool, one big enough to cover the entire City of Austin to a depth of four feet. That's how much water has flowed into and through Lake Travis between June 27 and this afternoon (July 3). Learn more flood facts.

FAQ — answers to frequent questions.

Interactive graphic — how LCRA's dam system works.

Logs and other debris on Lake Travis. Click for larger image.

PARK AND LAKE ALTERNATIVES While most LCRA-owned and Travis County-operated parks on Lake Travis are closed, there are alternatives for people wanting to get on a lake. See Central Texas options for recreational boating on July 4th.

Situation Report: Dam operations and lake and river forecasts.

VIDEOS of flooded river and lakes.

SLIDESHOW: Working the flood.

CRA officials announced this afternoon that Lake Travis and the smaller pass-through lakes of the Highland Lakes chain — LBJ, Marble Falls and Inks — will remain closed to recreational boating through July 4th. Debris and high water from floodwaters make the lakes unsafe. LCRA will continue to enforce the ban on recreational boating until conditions improve to allow the public to use the lakes safely.

Recreational boating is allowed on Lake Buchanan. Read the full story on boating bans. (Also see: City of Austin site for details on its closure of Lake Austin, Town Lake and the Colorado River below city-operated Longhorn Dam.)

Meanwhile, Lake Travis has topped 700 feet above mean sea level (msl) and is expected to remain between 700 and 701 feet msl based on rain that has already fallen. After the Hill Country received only scatterd showers overnight, LCRA this morning closed another floodgate at Buchanan Dam; two remain open.

LCRA continues to closely monitor weather conditions that could cause more rain that eventually would eventually feed into Lake Travis — the primary flood control reservoir in the Highland Lakes chain. Forecasted lake levels and operational plans are based on rain that has already fallen. Additional rain could change forecasts and operational plans.

Details on dam operations
LCRA continues floodgate operations, including operating four floodgates at Mansfield Dam, which forms Lake Travis.

LCRA officials estimate that floodgate operations may continue for a number of weeks, particularly at Mansfield Dam and at Tom Miller Dam, which forms Lake Austin.

LCRA would not open any more than the current four floodgates at Mansfield Dam without significant additional rainfall. LCRA operates Lake Travis under U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' rules that consider both forecasted lake levels and river levels at locations downstream of Austin. (The record elevation of Lake Travis is 710.4 feet msl set on Dec. 25, 1991; the record number of floodgates opened was six in 1957.)

LCRA is managing its series of dams to funnel storm runoff from roughly 15,000 square miles of West and Central Texas into Lake Travis, which is designed to contain floodwaters until they can be safely released downstream. Releases from the two remaining floodgates open at Buchanan Dam — the northernmost dam along the chain of Highland Lakes — are resulting in about 3 feet of water going over the spillway of Inks Dam, which has no floodgates. Floodgate operations will fluctuate at the next two dams, Wirtz and Starcke, as runoff flows downstream to Lake Travis.

See situation report for the latest details on floodgate and dam operations.

Weather update
Wet weather is expected to continue throughout the lower Colorado River basin through at least Wednesday, with the development of widespread showers possible throughout the basin. Rainfall totals could range between 2 to 3 inches with isolated higher totals according to LCRA meteorologist Bob Rose. Wet weather was expected to continue throughout the lower Colorado River basin through Wednesday, with the development of widespread showers possible today and tonight throughout the basin, according to LCRA meteorologist Bob Rose. See weather summary.

Conditions downstream of Austin
The lower Colorado River and its tributaries are below flood stage at all locations, and no locations are expected to exceed flood stage. As of this morning, six locations downstream of downtown Austin remain above bank-full stage: the Colorado River at Austin below Longhorn Dam, Bastrop, Smithville, La Grange, Wharton and Bay City. Read more about downstream conditions.

Effect on water utility service
Floods can affect water utilities, so people throughout the Hill Country are advised to check with their water service provider for information about any possible disruptions to their water service. Information for LCRA retail water utility customers.

Safety first
Residents who live along who live along Hill Country rivers and creeks should closely monitor weather conditions and be prepared to take any necessary precautions such as securing boat docks and other property that may be in the floodplain. Drivers should not attempt to drive through water that is causing flooding at low-water crossings through the Central Texas area. Turn Around Don't Drown™.