Posted: Thu, 19 May 2011 08:09 AM - 12,770 Readers

By: Andrew Chung

Officials with the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) are telling the public the drought is in no way over.

To show just how dramatically the drought has affected Lake Travis, abundant rains in the fall of 2009 and winter of 2010 allowed the lake to all but swallow up Sometimes Island.



However, video recorded Monday by the LCRA shows just how far the lake levels have dropped, exposing multiple islands. These "sometimes islands" have been exposed for so long that on some of them, you can see grass and weeds growing.
 
In addition, there is more graphic evidence of the drought's tightening grip on Central Texas. Each day more of the limestone rock shoreline is exposed – shoreline that would normally be under water.
 
"The drought that we're in right now is a fairly short-term drought," said LCRA meteorologist Bob Rose. "It's only been in place for about seven to eight months, so it's still relatively short term. But the intensity of this drought matches almost any of the really intense droughts - this is probably ranking up there among the top five of the most intense droughts."

Even if we were to get several bouts of soaking rains, Rose says there would be a delayed effect on the lakes.
 
"In the fall of 2009, we first started seeing our rains right after Labor Day," said Rose. "We were seeing periodic rains and each one was like two, three, four inches. And it was really interesting that yes, things did start changing for the better as we got to late September, October.”

Rose added that the water levels at lake Travis did not start rising until mid to late October of that year.
 
Suzanne Zarling is executive manager of water services for the LCRA. She says her organization is confident there is enough water to withstand the drought, but she adds people must do their part.
 
"It requires the efforts of citizens and all of our customers to minimize their water use as well, and just to pay attention by doing simple things around the home, or simple things around their business, to reduce their water use," said Zarling.
 
Saving that water may be just what the drought-stricken lakes need.

*  Story Contributed by: Andrew Chung