LCRA board authorizes filing with TCEQ to amend water management plan for Lakes Buchanan and Travis

The Lower Colorado River Authority board on Feb. 18 authorized staff to file an application with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to amend LCRA’s water management plan for Lakes Buchanan and Travis.

Staff described the proposed revision as an operational plan to ensure LCRA can meet firm demands through a repeat of the drought of record. The proposed changes are based on updated hydrologic data (modeling through 2023), projections to 2032, and six iterations of stakeholder engagement beginning March 2025. Staff said the revised plan maintains a minimum combined storage threshold above 600,000 acre-feet and lays out conditions for interruptible stored water while protecting firm customers and environmental flow needs, including Matagorda Bay.

Staff explained the next step is an application to TCEQ. If no parties protest, TCEQ could move the amendment relatively quickly and new provisions might be in place before next year; if protests occur, the process could become a contested hearing before the State Office of Administrative Hearings and take years to resolve. The presenter emphasized that the current water management plan remains effective until replaced.

During public comment, Carol Lisonbee urged LCRA to provide guidance and education to local decision-makers on the water needs of data centers and to oversee approvals to avoid negative consequences for residents and businesses. Lisonbee said many local councils approve data centers without fully understanding their resource demands.

The board approved staff’s recommended resolution authorizing the general manager or designee to file with TCEQ. One director voiced opposition during the vote but the motion passed.

What’s next: staff will submit the application to TCEQ and follow the agency’s administrative process; if protests arise, the application could proceed to contested hearings.