Watershed Facts

• Lake Austin is a 1600 acre lake formed by Tom Miller Dam on the Colorado River. The lake stays at a constant level with an operating level of 492.8 feet above sea level.
• The primary inflow to Lake Austin comes from deep water releases from Lake Travis.
• Flow is controlled by the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA), which uses the water to produce electricity and provide irrigation for rice farmers downstream.
• Lake Austin is the sixth in a chain of seven lakes known as the Highland Lakes. First dam (Austin Dam) was built in 1893 and destroyed in a major flood in 1900. A second partially constructed dam was destroyed by flooding in 1935. The present dam, Tom Miller Dam, was completed in 1939, with a hydroelectric power plant coming on line in 1940.
• Lake Austin is used for public and private drinking water, flood and irrigation water conveyance, hydropower generation, as well as recreation
• The last major flood occurred in July 2002.
• Lake temperatures range from 52 °F to 80 °F with an average of 65°F
• Clear, clean water and proximity to the City of Austin makes this lake a popular recreation destination for water skiing, fishing and swimming.
• In response to citizen complaints, investigators find an average of 22 pollution spills each year in Lake Austin; the most common spill type is sediment, followed by petroleum, then sewage.
• Lake Austin is an excellent large-mouth bass fishery due to the substantial coverage of aquatic vegetation (including the invasive exotic plant Hydrilla; see www.cityofaustin.org/watershed/hydrilla.htm).
• Efforts such as lake drawdowns and recent introduction of sterile Asian grass carp have shown some promise in controlling the hydrilla infestation.
• The City of Austin monitors six tributaries within the immediate Lake Austin watershed (below Mansfield Dam) to keep track of local influences on this reservoir.
  

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Creek Assessments
Environmental

• The Lake Austin tributaries are characterized by high gradient Hill Country streams common on the Edwards Plateau with varying levels of development but generally healthy riparian corridors.
  

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Photo Gallery
Lake Austin at 360 bridge	Lake Austin
Lake Austin at Mt Bonnell	Lake Austin at FM 2222

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