As drought persists, water flowing into Highland Lakes drying up

Streams and rivers that feed Lake Travis and Lake Buchanan, which provide drinking water for 1.1 million Texans, have all but dried up. In an average year, about 1.2 million acre-feet of water flows into the Highland Lakes. This year so far, the amount of water has been less than 170,000 acre-feet. The amount of water flowing in 2008 already was less than in any given year in the record-setting 1950s drought. The Lower Colorado River Authority says the area's water supply isn't in danger — the lakes were built to store water from rainier periods to help at times like these — but public boat ramps have closed as lake levels have dropped, and LCRA customers are likely to face mandatory restrictions on outdoor watering starting next month.