Although Wednesday’s heavy downpours ended a nearly month long dry spell, it did not end the drought. The 2011 rainfall deficit at Camp Mabry is 7.16”, and there is a deficit of 9.12” at ABIA.
 
The latest drought monitor was released Thursday morning, and it shows 70 percent of the state under exceptional drought conditions. That is the worst of the 4 drought levels.
 
Exceptional drought conditions include every county in the KVUE viewing area, nearly all of the panhandle & Southeast Texas, and much of West Texas.
 
The only region in the state not under drought status includes a few counties north and northeast of Dallas/Fort Worth.
 
According to State Climatologist Dr. John Nielsen-Gammon, the current drought ranks as the third worst in state history.  The 1951 to 1956 drought ranks at number one, and the 1917 to 1918 drought comes in second. Climate records date back to 1895.
 
Wednesday’s rainfall added up to 2” in Austin and between .50” to 1.50” over the Highland Lakes.  Despite the healthy totals, the rain will have no impact on lake levels. Both Lake Travis and Lake Buchanan are forecast to continue to drop at a rate of just over a foot a week.
 
As of Thursday morning, Lake Travis’ elevation is at 647.2’ or about 24 feet below average. Lake Buchanan’s current elevation is 1003.7, or about 11 feet below average. Lake Travis’ volume is now 55 percent full and Buchanan is 63 percent full.