Why We Support the Lake Drawdown—and You Should Too.
PRESERVE YOUR LAKE. PRESERVE YOUR INVESTMENT.
As Lake Austin’s longest-standing waterfront experts, we want to share an urgent issue affecting our shoreline: invasive hydrilla is returning, and it’s spreading fast.
A seasonal winter lake drawdown is one of the most effective tools to help restore the health of the lake, slow hydrilla’s growth, and protect the long-term value of lakefront properties like yours. A drawdown isn’t just good for the environment—it’s good for your investment. It also provides a valuable opportunity to inspect, clean, and maintain your dock, bulkhead, and shoreline.
We invite you to learn how this drawdown works, what you can do during it, and how to join the growing community of homeowners supporting this important initiative.
What’s Happening?
Lake Austin is facing a quiet but serious threat beneath the surface: hydrilla, an aggressive invasive plant that thrives in calm coves and shallow shorelines.
Hydrilla grows quickly in protected areas, crowding out native vegetation, clogging boat slips, and degrading water quality. Once established, it becomes difficult to control. Without timely action, hydrilla could harm both the lake’s ecosystem and the value of your property.
How Has Hyrdilla Been Mitigated In The Past?
Historically, the City of Austin and LCRA helped maintain the lake’s ecological balance through biennial lake drawdowns, a practice established in the 1950s, paired with the release of sterile grass carp that feed selectively on hydrilla without harming beneficial native species like Eurasian watermilfoil and pondweed.
Lake drawdowns were paused in recent years due to drought and low lake levels, the last Lake Austin drawdown occurred in 2017.
Temporarily lowering the lake in winter exposes hydrilla to cold air and freezing temperatures, disrupting its lifecycle. While cold weather may not kill the plant outright, it can dehydrate and damage exposed hydrilla, with similar results. Winter drawdowns are also less stressful for aquatic life, as cooler water holds more dissolved oxygen.
Does Refilling Lake Austin After a Drawdown Strain Lake Travis Storage?
No, refilling Lake Austin has minimal impact on Lake Travis.
In 2017, when Lake Austin was lowered by 10 feet, refilling it required less than 8 inches of water from Lake Travis. (souce CBS Austin)
Lake Travis is the region’s primary water supply reservoir, managed under LCRA’s Water Management Plan, which accounts for inflows, drought conditions, and system-wide demands. Refilling Lake Austin is a routine part of system operations and does not significantly reduce Lake Travis storage.
What’s the Current Status For Lake Austin and an Upcoming Drawdown?
In July 2025, the City of Austin introduced approximately 350 sterile grass carp into areas with dense hydrilla growth, particularly downstream of Loop 360. These fish are part of an ongoing, environmentally safe strategy to manage the hydrilla population.
Hydrilla currently affects around 74 acres of Lake Austin (less than 5%). However, proactive action is being taken before it spreads further, especially given that hydrilla once overtook more than 500 acres of the lake in 2012–2013.
With Lake Travis at approximately 90% capacity as of July 24, 2025 (source) and the new LCRA Arbuckle Downstream Reservoir coming online this year, conditions are ideal for a winter drawdown of Lake Austin.
In coordination with other local lakefront businesses and community leaders, we are formally supporting a request for the City of Austin to petition LCRA for a seasonal drawdown from January through mid-February 2026, an overdue action, as it has now been eight years since the last drawdown. With recent rainfall and an easing of drought conditions, the timing is ideal to resume this long-standing lake management practice.
What Does This Mean for You as a Homeowner?
Whether you've lived on Lake Austin for decades or just closed on your dream lakefront property, this matters to you. A drawdown isn’t just about the environment, it offers a unique opportunity for homeowners to:
- Maintain or repair your dock, bulkhead, or shoreline
- Clean out sediment from your boat slip
- Improve dock access and prevent hydrilla from blocking slips
- Clearer, safer water – improve water quality for swimming, fishing, and boating
- Protect your property value – invasive growth hurts aesthetics and functionality
- Support a healthier, more sustainable lake – for your family and the next generation of lake lovers
What Can you do?
Join the growing community of Lake Austin homeowners committed to preserving the lake we love. Here’s how:
- Sign up to receive updates and drawdown alerts for Lake Austin from the Eric Moreland Group [SIGN UP HERE]
- Download our Dock Maintenance & Permitting Checklist for shoreline projects. [DOWNLOAD HERE]
- Review City of Austin’s recommendations on permitting during the 2016 Lake drawdown to be prepared [PAST GUIDELINES HERE]
- Schedule consultations with permitters or contractors if your project requires one
About Eric Moreland Group
We’re more than just real estate professionals—we’re long-time Lake Austin residents and advocates. Since 2003, the Eric Moreland Group has been the leading voice in Lake Austin waterfront real estate, advising our clients on everything from property investment to shoreline management. With deep knowledge of the lake, permitting process, and city initiatives, we help our clients make informed decisions—before, during, and after a drawdown.
