Buchanan Dam Floodgates Open For First Time Since 2019 As Central Texas Lakes Swell
The LCRA opened up the gates as scheduled, after lakes across the Highland Lakes chain have surged toward capacity, forcing officials to manage rising water levels and inflows from ongoing storms.
In an X post published on Monday afternoon, photos from the LCRA show the opened floodgates at Buchanan Dam, allowing excess water to be sent downstream into Inks Lake.
Meanwhile, the Wirtz Dam currently has one floodgate open, with another set to follow soon, and the Starcke Dam already has multiple gates open. Because Inks Dam doesn't have floodgates, water there was spilling directly over its concrete lip before flowing into Lake LBJ, Marble Falls, and eventually Lake Travis.
Lake Buchanan is now nearly full at 97% capacity, while Lake Travis has climbed more than 29 feet in recent days to reach about 78% capacity. Projections from the LCRA show that both lakes could continue to rise by several feet over the next day if rain persists.
'We Texans love being on the lakes during the summer, but this is not the time and not the place,' said John Hofmann, LCRA executive vice president. 'There continue to be significant flood flows throughout the Highland Lakes, and we strongly advise everyone to stay off the lakes for the next few days.'
Alongside powerful currents, debris from recent flooding and higher-than-normal bacteria levels have made conditions even more hazardous for boaters and swimmers in the area.
In response, local authorities have closed certain lake areas to recreational use. The City of Marble Falls has temporarily shut down Lake Marble Falls, and Travis County has prohibited recreation on parts of Lake Travis upstream of Mile Marker 36, near Sandy Creek Park.
Officials are also now urging residents to monitor lake level updates and floodgate operations in the days ahead, as more gates may be opened if rain continues to pour into the watershed. Real-time lake information and flood updates are available at www.LCRA.org, where the public can also sign up for direct alerts on changing water conditions.
For now, officials say patience is key.
'The best and safest course of action is to avoid being in the lakes until things settle down in a few days,' Hofmann added.
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