LCRA Passes Compromise Plan to Release Water to Farmers
In a decision fraught with controversy, the board of the Lower Colorado River Authority voted Wednesday to release water to rice farmers near the Gulf of Mexico next spring if Central Texas' Highland Lakes, already diminished by drought, do not drop below 38.5 percent full.
If Lakes Travis and Buchanan are above 775,000 acre-feet on either Jan. 1 or March 1, the rice farmers would receive 121,000 acre-feet of water. Currently the lakes hold 860,000 acre-feet of water, just 43 percent of their total capacity and well below normal.
The plan, approved by the board in ...
Comments (1)
Mary McAllister
More Water for Rice Farmers?
It is unbelievable that LCRA would vote to sell rice farmers another 121,500 AcFt of water (plus 20% losses) from lakes only 43% full! Everyone has warned LCRA against this action: Senator Fraser, Senator Watson, numerous Travis, Burnet, Blanco and Llano County officials. Lake Interests presented petitions with thousands of signatures. Greg Meszaros warned of a drought worse than the 1950’s. Mayor Leffingwell has cited the rates: $161/AcFt for firm customers and $6.50/AcFt for “interruptible.”
Is it possible that this is about selling hydroelectricity while pushing water downstream? LCRA’s 2011 hydroelectric sales peaked over $400/AcFt. But that was 2011, when electric prices were capped at $1,500/MWhr. Energy prices are on the rise: $5,000/MWhr for 2013, $7,000/MWhr for 2014 and $9,000/MWhr for 2015. In October, 2011, Staff reported that hydroelectric revenues would no longer be reported as a line item, but would still benefit LCRA’s electric customers, not the firm water customers who subsidize “interruptible.”