Satellite photos show how S.A.-area lakes refilled after July rain and flooding

Heavy rainfall in July brought devastating flooding to Central and South Texas but also provided much-needed relief to several long-struggling reservoirs that serve the region. Canyon Lake, which had fallen to record lows and was last full in June 2021, filled completely for the first time in five years and is now slightly above its conservation pool level, prompting controlled releases. Medina Lake, which had dropped as low as 3% full in recent years, rose nearly 28 feet in a week and now sits at almost 30% capacity—its highest level since September 2021—though it remains more than 42 feet below full. Boerne Lake, fed by the flooding Cibolo Creek, rose about 20 feet in July, temporarily reaching depths well above full and flooding the adjacent city park before it reopened.

Further afield, Lake Travis in the Austin area reached 100% full for the first time since 2019, while Choke Canyon Reservoir, a key water source for Corpus Christi that had been only about 7% full months earlier, climbed to roughly one-quarter capacity. Downstream Lake Corpus Christi also recovered to more than 80% full. The combined improvement allowed Corpus Christi to ease drought restrictions for the first time since late 2024. Satellite imagery from before and after the rains clearly shows the dramatic refilling of these drought-stressed lakes across the Hill Country and beyond.