The Gazette
The Gazette A Newsletter for the Residents of Westminster Glen October 2009
Volume 1, Issue 8
Intensity of Drought Surpasses Previous Droughts AUSTIN – Despite scattered rainfall, the Colorado River basin remains in a severe drought that is affecting water supply, LCRA staff told the Board of Directors this week. As a result, LCRA is considering whether to take additional drought management actions. Within the past several weeks, LCRA has asked its wholesale water customers to implement mandatory watering restrictions, with the goal of a 25 percent reduction in water use. LCRA staff has already been talking to agricultural customers in the lower Colorado River basin to advise them of the possibility that water releases for irrigation could be sharply curtailed next year. Taking additional steps may require LCRA to seek additional flexibility in how it manages its water supplies from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The flexibility may be needed, for example, if LCRA were to determine that the current drought is worse than the most severe drought the region has ever known, the 1947-1957 drought. “Despite the recent rains, our region remains in a serious drought. LCRA experts are analyzing the unprecedented drought conditions of the past two years and the effects on water supply,” said LCRA General Manager Tom Mason. “We are evaluating whether we need to take different actions than would be allowed under the state-approved Water Management Plan.” Mason said staff would be ready to come back to the LCRA Board of Directors with their recommendations in October. If the current drought ultimately is worse than the drought of record, then all water users in the lower Colorado River basin will be affected, Mason said, including those who use water today and plan to use water in the future, as well as LCRA’s agricultural, municipal, and industrial customers. Staff analysis, presented to LCRA’s Board of Directors at its Sept. 23 meeting, show that, at least in its intensity, the current drought is more intense than the drought of the 1950s. This record drought is the basis of LCRA’s state-approved Water Management Plan, which mandates LCRA take specific actions at various milestones over the course of a Copyright © 2009 Peel, Inc.
drought t o s t re t c h w a t e r supplies. These actions are designed to cope with a repeat of the drought of record. Current conditions include record low volumes of water, or inflows, flowing from tributaries into the Highland Lakes, the region’s water supply reservoirs. In addition, the region has received below-normal rainfall for the past two years, the third driest such period on record, with only 35.25 inches of rain in Austin compared to 67 inches on average. Record high temperatures in 2008 and 2009 have also contributed to the intensity of the drought. “When you look at how little water flowed into the Highland Lakes over the past two years, it shows that the intensity of this drought surpasses the worst drought our region has experienced,” Karen Bondy, manager of River Services, told the Board on Wednesday. A two-year comparison of inflows, or the amount of water flowing into the Highland Lakes, shows a deficit of almost 400,000 acre-feet below the average inflows recorded during the 1950s drought. By comparison, the City of Austin draws for its municipal use about 160,000 acre-feet of water per year. This significant deficit in inflows is the primary indicator of the intensity of the drought. What is different, so far, is the duration of the current drought, which has lasted almost three years compared to the 10 years of the drought of record. (Continued on page 3) The Gazette - October 2009
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The Gazette Outdoor Water Conservation Tips
Drought - (Continued from Cover Page)
Even though we use water every day, it’s easy to take it for granted. Just imagine how you would function without clean water. It’s everyone’s responsibility to conserve and protect water resources. The decisions and actions you make today truly affect our water resources for the future. The following suggestions will help you get in the habit of saving water in the great outdoors: • Use mulch around landscape plantings. Mulch will help eliminate weeds and hold moisture in the soil. • Select hardy plants that don’t need much water. Native plants that are well adapted to your climate and soils will survive well without supplemental watering. A copy of the Steiner Ranch Approved Plant list is available on the website at www.steinerranchhoa. org. • Water during the cool part of the day to avoid rapid evaporation. • When watering is necessary, water slowly and thoroughly. If you notice puddles or runoff, turn water off and wait for water to soak in. Also be sure your sprinkler puts water where you need it—not on driveways or sidewalks. • Wash cars efficiently. First give the car a quick rinse, and then turn the water off. Wash one section of the car at a time and rinse that section quickly. Turn the water off each time. Visit www.auduboninternational.org for more conservation tips.
River Place Country Club 4207 River Place Boulevard Austin, Texas 78730
“What we don’t know is how long the drought will continue,” Bondy said. LCRA urges residents to continue following mandatory watering restrictions and taking steps to save water. Consider turning off automatic irrigation systems during the fall and winter months and install a rain sensor so that irrigation water is not wasted when it is raining. For updates about drought conditions in the lower Colorado River basin visit www.lcra. org/droughtupdate.
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Yuletide Treasures Shopping Extrvaganza
Thursday, November 12 from 5-9pm Friday November 13 from 10am - 4pm Come prepared to shop with over 30 local vendors. This year’s shopping event will kick-off on Thursday evening with a cocktail party, door prizes, and live music. This is the Perfect Way to begin the holiday season and to get started on
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your Holiday shopping! Please call 346.1114 x220 with any questions.
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Please call Raquel Hebben, the Membership Director if you would like to receive information regarding Membership, Fall Junior Programs, or to learn about our Yuletide Treasures Event! The Dominion Copyright © 2009 Peel, Inc.
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River Place • The Dominion • Onion Creek • Twin Creeks The Gazette - October 2009
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DISCLAIMER: Articles and ads in this newsletter express the opinions of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Peel, Inc. or its employees. Peel, Inc. is not responsible for the accuracy of any facts stated in articles submitted by others. The publisher also assumes no responsibility for the advertising content with this publication. All warranties and representations made in the advertising content are solely that of the advertiser and any such claims regarding its content should be taken up with the advertiser. * The publisher assumes no liability with regard to its advertisers for misprints or failure to place advertising in this publication except for the actual cost of such advertising. * Although every effort is taken to avoid mistakes and/or misprints, the publisher assumes no responsibility for any errors of information or typographical mistakes, except as limited to the cost of advertising as stated above or in the case of misinformation, a printed retraction/correction. * Under no circumstances shall the publisher be held liable for incidental or consequential damages, inconvenience, loss of business or services, or any other liabilities from failure to publish, or from failure to publish in a timely manner, except as limited to liabilities stated above.
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