LCRA to lower Lake Marble Falls for three months to allow needed work at Starcke Dam

Lake to be lowered 7 feet from Oct. 1 – Dec. 29

Aug. 25, 2022

BURNET COUNTY, Texas – The Lower Colorado River Authority plans to lower Lake Marble Falls for about 12 weeks beginning Oct. 1 to allow for important work on Starcke Dam.
 
During this time, lakeside property owners will be able to perform limited work on existing docks, retaining walls and other infrastructure under LCRA’s lakewide permit from the Army Corps of Engineers.
 
The drawdown is needed for upgrades to the water intake structure at Starcke Dam to enable the hydroelectric generators to continue operating efficiently and reliably during the peak winter months. The hydroelectric generators at the dam can produce 41 megawatts of electricity.
 
“In the past, we have scheduled lake drawdowns during the January-February timeframe, but the upgrade project at Starcke Dam needs to be completed before the winter season so the hydroelectric generators can continue to reliably provide electricity to the Texas power grid,” said John Hofmann, LCRA executive vice president of Water.
 
During the October 2018 floods, debris damaged the center portion of the water intake structure at the dam. LCRA performed emergency repairs in early 2019 to keep the hydroelectric generators operating, but it is now time to replace the remaining intake screens and structure not repaired in 2019. The intake structure prevents large objects in the river from entering the hydroelectric generators and damaging the turbines.
 
The lake is scheduled to be lowered about 1 foot a day for seven days beginning Saturday, Oct. 1. The lake is expected to be at its full lowered level by Friday, Oct. 7. The lake will be lowered by releasing water through the hydroelectric generators at Starcke Dam into Lake Travis. The water released from Lake Marble Falls will total about 3,000 acre-feet, which will cause Lake Travis to rise by a couple of inches. (One acre-foot equals about 326,000 gallons.)
 
The lake refill is scheduled to begin Monday, Dec. 26, and the lake is expected to be raised about 2 feet a day until it is back in its normal operating range by Thursday, Dec. 29.
 
Lake Marble Falls will be refilled with a combination of water released from Lake Buchanan and sent downstream through Inks Lake and Lake LBJ, and water flowing into the Colorado River from tributaries into or upstream of Lake Marble Falls. The refill could cause Lake Buchanan to fall a maximum of a couple of inches.
 
For a list of projects allowed during the drawdown and to register projects with LCRA, visit www.lcra.org/lakelowerings. Registration for dock repairs is not required, but all work must comply with the Safety Standards for Residential Docks on the Highland Lakes. Activities not allowed during the drawdown include burning in the lakebed, replacing or building new retaining walls, shoreline work of more than 500 feet, and dredging more than 2,000 cubic yards.

About LCRA
The Lower Colorado River Authority serves customers and communities throughout Texas by managing the lower Colorado River; generating and transmitting electric power; providing a clean, reliable water supply; and offering outdoor adventures at more than 40 parks along the Colorado River from the Texas Hill Country to the Gulf Coast. LCRA and its employees are committed to fulfilling our mission to enhance the quality of life of the Texans we serve through water stewardship, energy and community service. LCRA was created by the Texas Legislature in 1934 and receives no state appropriations. For more information, visit lcra.org.

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