Austin’s recent rainfall helps area homeowners recover from drought

Lake levels at some of Austin’s area lakes, including Lake Travis and Lake Buchanan, have recovered from the historic low levels experienced during the Summer of 2009, thanks in large part to the series of winter storms impacting Central Texas. Tributaries to the Highland Lakes remain elevated thanks to runoff activity from the Texas Hill Country, and the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) reports that Lake Travis is just 7.4 feet below its average depth for the month of February, having regained nearly 40 feet in the past three months.

On-going water conservation initiatives remain in effect, to hopefully counterbalance the upcoming summer season of high temperatures and low rainfall.  Boaters can enjoy robust water levels, despite current water temperatures in the 50’s making it too chilly for most to be in the water for very long.  Divers report that the recent runoff has left the water cloudier than usual, and visibility will remain impaired until settling takes place.

All of this is good news for area waterfront property owners, who felt the pinch in sales activity and also in selling prices during the drought conditions of 2009. With the economic recovery firmly underway in the greater Austin metro area, the expectation is for waterfront home prices to escalate along with the water levels as 2010 unfolds.