Texas Lake Sees Lowest Water Level in Years

Water levels have plunged so severely at the Twin Buttes Reservoir in San Angelo, Texas, that the lake is at its lowest point in at least five years.

Texas has recently been struck by a wave of severe weather, including a deluge of rain that prompted a surge of flood warnings. In Houston, the city received up to 6 inches of rain in the first week of May, more than an inch above the area's average rainfall for the month.

However, most of the rain fell in eastern Texas and didn't benefit the San Angelo region, where Twin Buttes Reservoir is located. The lake is only 13.5 percent full, with water levels at 1,906 feet above sea level. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor map, the entirety of Tom Green County, where the reservoir is located, is considered "abnormally dry" but isn't struggling with moderate, severe or extreme drought.

Low water levels aren't a rare occurrence at Twin Buttes Reservoir. The lake was created in 1963 and didn't fill past 10 percent capacity until 1971, when heavy rains pummeled the region, according to a report by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

"From 1974 to 1977 Twin Buttes was at or near full pool, after which it never reached full pool again," the department's webpage said. "Throughout its history, the reservoir has experienced sharp water level rises of greater than 20 vertical feet on five different occasions (1971, 1974, 1986, 2004, and 2018). Conversely the reservoir has also experienced extended periods of very low water levels; Twin Buttes was below 15% capacity from 1963 to 1974, 1999 to 2004 and again from 2011 to 2018."

The lake has experienced a steady decline this year, dropping roughly 2 feet since January 1. It is now nearly 30 feet below 2019 levels.

"The lower levels are due to the drought and lack of any appreciable runoff," San Angelo Public Works Director Shane Kelton told Newsweek.

"Based on future weather predictions, it does not appear that water levels will improve this year unless we see some tropical weather move into our area this fall. City staff is concerned from an overall drinking water supply standpoint, as Twin Buttes is a part of our overall municipal water supply," Kelton said.

Many reservoirs in the eastern part of the state are performing well, according to a report on the Water Data for Texas website. Heavy rains have replenished many of the reservoirs that were affected by drought last year, such as Lake Buchanan, which has risen by 11 feet this month alone.

However, the Water Data for Texas report shows a stark contrast when eastern Texas reservoirs are compared with lakes in other parts of the state. For example, Palo Duro Reservoir in northern Texas is only 2.9 percent full. South of Palo Duro, Mackenzie Reservoir is only 9.1 percent full.

Central Texas lakes also are drastically low, including Lake Abilene, at only 12.8 percent full, and O.C. Fisher Lake, at only 1.5 percent full. Further south, near San Antonio, Medina Lake has almost disappeared. Its water levels have fallen to only 2.6 percent full.