Tuesday, July 28, 2009 2:00 PM
Sam Chapman
How Low is Lake Travis?
The water level of Lake Travis when full is at 681 feet above sea level. I went to the Lakeway City Park Sunday and took some photos of the Hurst Creek arm of the lake. That is where Hurst Harbor Marina and Johnny Fins usually are. The lake level on that day was around 638 feet.

See the red markers? They are there to keep people away from the marina, which has been moved.

Look at the house on stilts. The lot is in the floodplain and the level of the first occupied floor of the house has to be one foot higher than the floodplain.

You can see some of the concrete blocks that normally keeps the marina in place.

More orange markers and concrete blocks.
The drought at this point may be worse than the drought in the 1950s, which was the worst drought on record. Should we panic and think this will happen? I don't think so. The lake will be low at times and will be flooded at other times. That is all just part of Lake Travis being made for both flood control and to release water for water contracts down stream.