# the future of LCRA, rice, water, and waterfowl?



## LightsOut (Sep 14, 2010)

Saw in the January issue of TF&G there was an article *Waterfowl without Water: Drought Damage Control, *talked about the drought, LCRA, DU, and how it's all affected the ducks and geese of the area (specifically Matagorda, Wharton and Colorado Counties). Being how almost all of this area is dependent on LCRA water and LCRA made major cutbacks on water in 2011. I encourage you to read the article to give you an idea of the impact we will be getting on the waterfowl. 
My family and I are farmers in the Collegeport area of Matagorda County, and we are at a critical point with LCRA right now and fighting for our lively hood. I figured I could shed some light on this subject for you guys and give you some facts as to what the next few years are looking like for not just us farmers, but ever one, including water fowlers, in our area.
The Lakes are about 40% below normal right now, and about 737,000 acre feet. We have been told by LCRA that for our area to get 50% of the water that we would get on a normal year from them (half the acreage) the lakes need to have 850,000 acre feet by March 2012. If they are not at that level by March we get nothing, which means NO rice gets planted in this area. You can imagine what this would do to the local economy. I believe we have right at 14,000 acres of rice in Matagorda County alone and in the article it said LCRA supplies water for 60,000 acres of rice annually, which is about 1/3 of all Texas' rice acres. Some more numbers from the article: 2 million waterfowl visit our region annually, of which 75% of dabbling ducks and 90% of geese rely on those very rice acres&#8230;to say the least the future is not looking very good for our local water fowling and economy. I could sit here and give you plenty more numbers, figures, and explain how badly LCRA has mismanaged their water the last few years but this is enough typing for now. Pray for rain guys&#8230;lots of rain&#8230;


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## grand poobah (Nov 6, 2007)

*RAIN*

Thanks for the update, I sure hope we get the downpours they are forecasting this week. It's just a start.


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## DuckMendenhall (Nov 5, 2007)

Praying for rain brother, but I would wonder if the farmers could adapt to the changing of the tides and plant something that is not so reliable on water. Now I do not know if that is possible in low lying areas, just a suggestion. I know all crops take water to germinate and for growth, maybe stockpiling some of the water in hold tanks could be very beneficial. It is a bad deal all around becuase of **** poor management on certain levels...

With our northern competitors planting crops to hold birds through migration and freezes, I would not be surprised if we see fewer and fewer each year. Weather and food manage a migration, without the two working cohesively, it fails to push birds down.


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## Swampstomper (Apr 19, 2010)

Bad situation for sure.Anyone heard anything about new wells being put in?I,d think that Ricetec would have enough at stake to be active in that area.Talked to a DU guy this weekend who said he knew of at least two deep water wells going in an area for irrigation.


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## LightsOut (Sep 14, 2010)

a person with money could drill wells, but to supply enough water for a rice feild it would have to be at least an 10-12 inch well, those arent cheap. It's just not feesible for the smaller farmers, or if your fields are spred out. 

to go with what DM said, we have seen a pretty steady decline with geese in the area for the last 5-6 years, it seems inevitable that one day (besides maybe the early teal) birds will be few and far between in the area...


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## specks&ducks (Nov 9, 2010)

Tough situation and could get worse. There are three major competitors for water in this area: 1. Rice Farmers 2. Property Owners on the Highland Lakes and 3. the Towns and Cities on the Colorado River. Not to mention the huge impact on the the estuaries on the coast and waterfowlers like us. Personally I think the property owners on Lake Travis and other lakes on the Colorado take a back seat, I don't care if they get to water ski while rice farmers go out of business, but they very vocal up here. Towns have to get water from the river, wells can't cover the requirement. There is talk of building a series of resevoirs along the Colorado Basin south of Columbus, this would help, but will enough water reach the bays? Huge population expansion in Central Texas in the last 10 years and record droughts have put us in a real problem. Wish La Nina would have taken a siesta last summer and we could have gotten some tropical storms into Texas. Pray for rain!!


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## SpottedAg (Jun 16, 2010)

specks&ducks said:


> ...There is talk of building a series of resevoirs along the Colorado Basin south of Columbus, this would help, but will enough water reach the bays? Pray for rain!!


Better question is, will enough water reach the reservoirs? The river is running very very low and until the lakes in Austin fill up, locks will not open; thus, a lack of water to the reservoirs.

"Where I come from, rain is a good thing!"


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

I have a lot of friends who are rice farmers. What bothers me about this is that the country clubs in Austin and SA still get their water to keep the courses looking nice.

TH


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## surf addict (Aug 18, 2005)

trout hunter what bothers me is your total lack of water knowledge. First off San Antonio draws no water from LCRA. Just how many country clubs are draining the lakes up here in Austin? I would guess rice farmers waste more water in one day than the county clubs use in a year. Way more people depend on water from the lakes. If your drinking water was in jeopardy you would have a different outlook


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## marshhunter (Mar 20, 2008)

surf addict said:


> trout hunter what bothers me is your total lack of water knowledge. First off San Antonio draws no water from LCRA. Just how many country clubs are draining the lakes up here in Austin? I would guess rice farmers waste more water in one day than the county clubs use in a year. Way more people depend on water from the lakes. If your drinking water was in jeopardy you would have a different outlook


wait so now rice farmers are wasting water by growing the rice you put in front of your family at nights?? and country clubs who water hundreds of acres every night waste hardly any??

first you talk about farmers wasting water... then country clubs aparently not wasting water by watering grass and then you change to drinking water... im a lil confused about the drinking water thing..


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## wtc3 (Aug 16, 2005)

surf addict said:


> I would guess rice farmers *waste* more water in one day than the county clubs use in a year.


While we're on the topic of "a total lack of water knowledge"......... :headknock:headknock


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## surf addict (Aug 18, 2005)

Lots of people in central Texas depend on the highland lakes for thier drinking water. You guys need to educate yourself about the use of the water.


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## LightsOut (Sep 14, 2010)

someone needs to look up why those lakes were built and LCRA were formed in the first place, I'll give you a hint, it was for the farmers of south east Texas.
There have been no improvments to the dams, lakes, pumps or any thing scince the 70's, but yet the farmers get more cut backs, rules and regulations every year. The towns of Austin and San Antonio are growing, and they get more water every year to comppensate for higher populations with no cut backs or regs, so LCRA is trying to disperse the same amount of water to more people.


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## surf addict (Aug 18, 2005)

The lakes were built for flood control. The water that San Antonio uses is pumped from the Edwards Aquifer and has no bearing on the LCRA water basin.


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## EBHunter (Jul 23, 2004)

surf addict said:


> Lots of people in central Texas depend on the highland lakes for thier drinking water. You guys need to educate yourself about the use of the water.


You might want to read up on water rights yourself. Farmers were using river water 40 years before the lakes were built. Part of the reason the lakes were built were to reduce flooding and to hold back water for farmers. Texas water law gives the farmers superior rights to other uses. Maybe the state should start charging those that choose to live in a semi arid area (the hill country) a water tax to help pay for new infrastructure and to increase the capacity of the lakes.

By the way, San Antonio has been trying to get their hands on the Colorado River water for a while.

Everyone is suffering due to the drought. The people in the lower Colorado River basin are going to suffer from the reduction in crop acreage this year.

We need rain in all of the Highland Lakes watershed. A couple of really big rains would help all of us.


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## LightsOut (Sep 14, 2010)

SAWS: San Antonio Water System...San Antonio got 1.2 BILLION dollars from LCRA for that mess...


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## surf addict (Aug 18, 2005)

the law suit was settled for 30mil.............dude...........use google to verify your facts and quit posting stupid BS. Yeah the SAWS deal was BS and I dont know how LCRA could ever supply that kind of water.

There is a huge movement occurring in the highland lakes to hold LCRA accountable and be subjected to state audits. Yes the farmers have some rights to purchase water from LCRA but they don't automatically own the water. The contracts were established a long time ago when there wasnt as much municipal use of the water. 
They just built a 72" pipe line and intake to move water from Lake Travis into Cedar Park, Round Rock, and Leander. Austin is building a huge water plant and intake in Lake Travis. The farmers pay $5 acre foot for water, the municipal users pay 4 times that much. With all this infrastructure being built right now, who do you think LCRA is going to be selling as much water as they can to? the $20 dollar customer or the $5 customer? Go read the LCRA website and inform yourself.


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## LightsOut (Sep 14, 2010)

*FROM LCRA WEBSITE...*
*LCRA Board votes to settle SAWS suit*
The LCRA Board of Directors voted Oct. 19 to settle a $1.2 billion lawsuit with the San Antonio Water System (SAWS) over a proposed water supply project dating back nearly a decade. "The greatest benefit of this settlement is that it allows both LCRA and SAWS to focus on the most important part of our jobs - finding and developing new water supplies for Texas," said LCRA Board Chair Tim Timmerman. "If this state is to continue flourishing, we must work together to develop new supplies of water."

ALSO FROM LCRA WEBSITE...
Rates
LCRA's rate for firm water actually used is currently $151 an acre-foot per year. LCRA's rate for firm water reserved for future use is $75.50 an acre-foot per year. The reservation fee helps pay LCRA's cost of storing and managing the reserved water supplies. The total amount of water under contract with LCRA sets the Maximum Annual Quantity (MAQ). LCRA's rate for firm water inverted block fee for use in excess of the Maximum Annual Quantity is $302 an acre-foot per year.

facts...lol...


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## surf addict (Aug 18, 2005)

http://www.statesman.com/news/local...power-plants-would-2123492.html..........here ya go just like I described LCRA is finding a way to sell to the higher paying customers


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## surf addict (Aug 18, 2005)

From the LCRA website...................In addition to ongoing cooperation in the water development arena, LCRA agrees to reimburse SAWS $18.8 million right away, and then $1.4 million a year for eight years. The agreement will officially terminate the contract and end the lawsuit.


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## Jbahr (Nov 18, 2006)

Torrential Rain you requested? Happening now I-35 corridor, focus on Austin and surrounding area... Of course just a small dent in our problem here.


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## grand poobah (Nov 6, 2007)

*Am i in a bar*

This thread is starting to sound like I'm in bar betwwen several drunks trying to solve the worlds problem. RELAX EVERYONE.
I did talk to a farmer from Eagle Lake who said Ricetex was finding contracts out of the Eagle lake Area in anticipation of the water shortage.

Life is hard, after all it kills you!!!


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## DuckMendenhall (Nov 5, 2007)

grand poobah said:


> This thread is starting to sound like I'm in bar betwwen several drunks trying to solve the worlds problem. RELAX EVERYONE.
> I did talk to a farmer from Eagle Lake who said Ricetex was finding contracts out of the Eagle lake Area in anticipation of the water shortage.
> 
> Life is hard, after all it kills you!!!


Amen, there is a lack of water everywhere. What else is new? Adapt or get eaten is what I say.


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## Hipboots (Jan 25, 2012)

grand poobah said:


> This thread is starting to sound like I'm in bar betwwen several drunks trying to solve the worlds problem. RELAX EVERYONE.
> I did talk to a farmer from Eagle Lake who said Ricetex was finding contracts out of the Eagle lake Area in anticipation of the water shortage.
> 
> Life is hard, after all it kills you!!!


RiceTec is moving a few thousand acres of their production east of Houston in the Winnie/Anahuac area. The farmers there aren't adding any additional rice, just replacing their regular acres with RT seed production.


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

surf addict lol...doesn't matter where SA gets their water, food and drinking water is far more important than grass on greens and fairways at country clubs.

You think that the Edward's Aquifer is going to hold out forever? 

What bothers me more than anything is your total lack of knowledge of rice farming. Do you know how many days a year the fields are flooded? Let's not include second crop just the first crop, come on do some research. Compare the acreage that is flooded per year with the acreage of the golf courses, turf farms, landscaping etc., none of which you can eat and let me know what you come up with.

In any case you have 9 posts and a really bad attitude...are you a golf pro or something?

TH


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## kweber (Sep 20, 2005)

not looking good for rice or geese...


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## Croaker slinger (Feb 10, 2011)

Crooked politics , and a lot of money , what else is to be expected , it's all about $ , nothing else, greed through and through, watching it play out here in Uvalde and Kinney counties over pipelines !


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## Croaker slinger (Feb 10, 2011)

No farms, no food!


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## Samson (Aug 21, 2007)

LCRA is cutting the rice farmers also because flooding the rice fields is not mandatory for growing rice. It is used as a natural herbicide and makes rice farmers' lives easier. Without the water they have to pay for other herbicides and pest controls. Some cultures grow the stuff on the sides of mountains so it can be done without a rice paddy. But that's not how it's done in Texas.


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## LightsOut (Sep 14, 2010)

rice HAS TO HAVE water


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## Navi (Jun 2, 2009)

I read it after searching Google, I am an expert, the rest of you are ignorant.


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## BPitcher (Aug 23, 2004)

Samson said:


> Some cultures grow the stuff on the sides of mountains so it can be done without a rice paddy. But that's not how it's done in Texas.


Yeah, but you're talking about different climates all together. Go look at a Texas rice field where the farmer was late putting a flood or a flush on it. Not a good looking picture.

Rice farming is a way of life down here. I understand folks up in Austin need drinking water, I just don't think they should be so hasty in trying to cut off water to farmers and ranchers who count on it to make a living.

Pray for rain.


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## HBR (Aug 6, 2007)

Been around rice farming for 29 years and I'm not sure where u get it doesn't need water !


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## rlw (May 21, 2004)

Samson said:


> LCRA is cutting the rice farmers also because flooding the rice fields is not mandatory for growing rice. It is used as a natural herbicide and makes rice farmers' lives easier. Without the water they have to pay for other herbicides and pest controls. Some cultures grow the stuff on the sides of mountains so it can be done without a rice paddy. But that's not how it's done in Texas.


And if you look the mountains are terraced off to hold WATER!!


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## Swampstomper (Apr 19, 2010)

Not looking good so far,lakes are at 766,000.Hate to hear it for you farmers.


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

the river authorities are incredibly powerful, they don't answer to the GLO , just the legislature, they pretty much do as they please.


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## DuckMendenhall (Nov 5, 2007)

Spoke to a gentlemen of the TPWD yesterday, he is in the coastal wetlands division, he states, no rain = no water for farmers...good luck to all the farmers in the area, like I stated before, you might want to venture into something else besides rice.


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## Benny (May 21, 2004)

From talking to some rice farmers out here, they are only planting what they can irrigate themselves, which will equal to 30%-40% of what was planted last year.


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## drathe3112 (May 30, 2008)

Benny said:


> From talking to some rice farmers out here, they are only planting what they can irrigate themselves, which will equal to 30%-40% of what was planted last year.


Spoke with our farmer the other day, and he's still debating whether or not he's planting as well. Not looking good...


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## TAMUGfisher12 (Mar 31, 2009)

Pray for rain. 


Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk


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## dalaka (Jun 25, 2009)

Spoke to some farmers who don't mind if it doesnt rain so they get a summer off for a change. I don't pretend to know all of the ins and outs, but if they covered their bases with insurance, etc., then they can make it just fine and not lift a finger. Again, I don't know if that is true....but that is what they tell me.


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## AvianQuest (Feb 7, 2006)

Samson said:


> LCRA is cutting the rice farmers also because flooding the rice fields is not mandatory for growing rice. It is used as a natural herbicide and makes rice farmers' lives easier. Without the water they have to pay for other herbicides and pest controls. Some cultures grow the stuff on the sides of mountains so it can be done without a rice paddy. But that's not how it's done in Texas.


Rice farming on the sides of mountains is always done in flooded paddies...

http://www.environmentalgraffiti.co...ctures-rice-terraces-from-above/9489?image=15

You are correct, however, that rice can be grown without flooding with the use of herbicides as you said. BUT it still has to be watered regularly. At great cost, it can be grown in round privets getting watered from a well, or even in large fields using rolling irrigation devices like you see in grass farms. However, this would drive costs up to the point that we would be importing all of our rice, and the ducks be damned.


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## AvianQuest (Feb 7, 2006)

BPitcher said:


> I understand folks up in Austin need drinking water, I just don't think they should be so hasty in trying to cut off water to farmers and ranchers who count on it to make a living.


They don't need to be going thirsty, but they sure don't need to watering their lawns everyday. I'd rather drive past homes with bare dirt out front knowing that at least they have food.


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## polecat (Jan 21, 2005)

Golf courses are peoples livlihood the same as a rice farmers, sure rice feeds people but we also ahve to pay for that rice, its not free, those lakes are many communities water supply as that is way they are managing the water on the lakes.


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## polecat (Jan 21, 2005)

ALso we are in a record drought, every farmer is suffering, no rain farmers will suffer, don't blame the LCRA, they are manging for communities water supplies. If drought gets worse more desperate measures will occur, including no watering grass of any type.


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## mapman (Nov 8, 2005)

*Urbanites*

Some of my neighbors are/looking at putting in sprinkler systems in their yards. I tell them to hold up and make sure the drought does not continue into this summer. I think if it does, all yards will have just a little or no watering in the Houston area. They said they do not like the dead grass or moving hoses. The urbanites have no idea of the consequence of a prolonged drought.


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## AvianQuest (Feb 7, 2006)

mapman said:


> The urbanites have no idea of the consequence of a prolonged drought.


Or much of anything else should they venture past that last shopping mall.


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## Tealman (Sep 20, 2005)

Hey polecat i just hope it rains plenty so our pond is full for MONGO next season, may be his last year. Tell your lady here uncle said hi!!!!!!


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## goosekillr (Jul 11, 2007)

As of this morning lakes contained 830,000 acre feet and still slowly rising. Just need one more rain to at least get a first crop.


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## kweber (Sep 20, 2005)

when it comes to politics, ag users get whats leftover... simple matter of votes/or potential votes.
our right of capture over the edwards aquifer was blasted away by the Ledge many years ago.
we HAD the water but SA HAS the votes.


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## AvianQuest (Feb 7, 2006)

Headline in today's Houston Chronicle...*

River Authority could leave rice farms dry*

 









Rice growers have come to expect certain things from the coastal plain near Matagorda Bay: Sun, rich soil and abundant water.

After Texas' driest year on record, however, they may be without water for the first time.

The Lower Colorado River Authority, which manages the river from just above Austin to the bay, will decide March 1 whether to withhold water from one of the most fertile granaries in the nation. The decision would affect Colorado, Matagorda and Wharton counties, which produce 5 percent of the U.S. rice crop.

Despite recent rainfall, the river authority may have no choice but to cut off the farmers. The Highland Lakes, two large reservoirs near Austin, must hold a combined 850,000 acre-feet of water by next week before the growers' share can be released, under a drought emergency plan now in effect.

As of Wednesday, the lakes had 830,000 acre-feet, 41 percent of capacity.

L.G. Raun, a third-generation rice farmer in Wharton County, said he does not expect a release from the river authority even if the levels at Lakes Buchanan and Travis are near the key marker.

"It really does not matter," Raun said of the rain and rising lake levels. "It will be zero water released for irrigation."

Rest of story...

http://www.chron.com/default/article/River-Authority-could-leave-rice-farms-dry-3354240.php


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## GunDog (Jun 6, 2006)

From the article above, 
"The LCRA now must deal with several straws in the river, including thirsty cities, power plants, *recreation-related businesses* along the lakes and commercial coastal fisheries. The state projects the population of the lower basin to double to 2.8 million people by 2060, and it is becoming clear that there is not enough water to meet everyone's needs.​
*Those who live and work along the Highland Lakes have criticized the LCRA for releasing too much water from the reservoirs for farmers*."​
I love how recreation-related businesses are more important than our food supply and the economics associated with that. Oh, I also love how people who live and work along the lakes think the farmers need to much water. I guess they hate seeing their floating docks get lower. Messes with their view and weekend plans. ​
Geez!​


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## lone wolf (Oct 2, 2011)

well just want people to know the rice farmers are not the only one hurting i started my business when lake travis was full and now no water = no work its bad for everyone to me its growth and poor management also lcra need other holding lakes to help rice farmers it was bound to happen over time


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## 3rdcst (Jun 16, 2009)

Aint looking good. Lakes at 841000 acre feet need 850000. 1000 acre feet per day flowing in Lake Buchanan. Only 3 days left . Do the math.


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## goosekillr (Jul 11, 2007)

At least some of the farmers down your way have wells. The eagle lake area is flat out out of luck. Very few wells in the area. Saw it was at 842,000 this morning. Think they will change there minds if we have a couple of big rains in march that put another 50,000 acre feet or more in the lakes. I know the farmers dont need the water untill april and they can get the land ready in a hurry. Just the last rain put over 50,000 acre feet in the lakes.


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## 3rdcst (Jun 16, 2009)

you would hope so. but politics are involved so common sense is out the window.


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## Goose Lover (Jan 23, 2012)

*Rice farming on the LCRA system*

Without rice farming and the associated water delivery system we will lose a bunch of the best remaining habitat we have. But what it all boils down to is that about 200 plus farmers are using around 300,000 acre feet or more a year of water. That is precious few people using an ocean of freshwater when we have all of the other interests such as industry and cities willing many times the price per acre foot than the farmers.

That is how the arguement will be shaped against rice farming. And the hunters, environemental groups. farmers, and conservation groups need to make everyone know that the LCRA and the rice farming it supports is the single most important entity to wildlife on the entire Texas coast and probably in the Central Flyway. Millions of ducks, geese, shorebirds and wading birds use the rice fields the LCRA supplies water to.


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## GunDog (Jun 6, 2006)

Well, it looks like LCRA cut the farmers off downstream to a trickle. As the LCRA puts it, ""Last year was hard for the businesses around lakes Buchanan and Travis, and this year will be hard on the farmers and the downstream agricultural economy."

Gotta love their priorties. Below is the press release.

Most downstream farmers will go without Highland Lakes water this year

*March 02, 2012 10:35 PM*







With the combined storage of lakes Buchanan and Travis remaining significantly low, LCRA will not provide Highland Lakes water to most downstream farmers this year.
The historic decision became official at 11:59 p.m. Thursday, March 1, when the combined storage of the lakes failed to reach 850,000 acre-feet. That was the level agreed upon last September by LCRA and stakeholders throughout the basin, including downstream farmers, when they negotiated the emergency drought relief measures that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality approved in December. The highest combined storage on March 1 was 847,324 acre-feet at 11:59 p.m.
"This is the first time in history that downstream farmers will not receive all the water they need from LCRA," General Manager Becky Motal said. "This was a difficult decision by LCRA and the stakeholders, but one that was made with the best interest of the entire basin in mind. This current drought is one of the most severe on record, and the responses to the drought need to be on the same level."
Even with the recent rains, lakes Buchanan and Travis are only 42 percent full. The combined storage of the lakes Friday was about 847,000 acre-feet. Because storage was less than 850,000 acre-feet on March 1, farmers in the Lakeside, Gulf Coast and Pierce Ranch irrigation operations will not receive any water from the Highland Lakes this year. Farmers in the Garwood irrigation operation will still receive some water from the Highland Lakes this year, up to 19,000 or 20,000 acre-feet, because of their contract with LCRA. For comparison, downstream farmers diverted about 368,000 acre-feet of Highland Lakes water last year for a first and second crop.
Lakes Buchanan and Travis are the region's water supply reservoirs. They provide water for more than a million people in Central Texas, as well as industries throughout the Colorado River basin and farmers in Matagorda, Wharton and Colorado counties. Downstream farmers and some other customers can also pull water directly from the river when the flow is high enough. However, during dry years when the river is low, like last year, they depend more on water from the Highland Lakes.
LCRA operates lakes Buchanan and Travis under a state-approved Water Management Plan that determines how the water is allocated. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality granted LCRA's request for emergency relief on Dec. 7. Had TCEQ not approved the drought relief, downstream farmers would have been entitled to as much as 178,000 acre-feet of water from the Highland Lakes this year.
A diverse group of stakeholders negotiated the drought relief measures in September 2011 and LCRA's Board of Directors adopted the measures on Sept. 21. The negotiating group included farmers, lake area residents and business owners, and representatives from LCRA's municipal customers, including the City of Austin. Many of these same customers served for more than a year on an advisory committee that helped LCRA update the Water Management Plan for lakes Travis and Buchanan.
The group judged that the 850,000 acre-foot level offered reasonable protection to cities and industries that must curtail their water use by 20 percent if combined storage falls to 600,000 acre-feet and the LCRA Board of Directors declares a drought worse than the Drought of Record, the 10-year drought of the 1940s and 50s that is considered the worst drought in state history. The group also agreed that the level was sufficient to ensure that water would not be released for a crop in 2012 and then cut off mid-crop if the combined storage fell to 600,000 acre-feet and the Board declared a drought worse than the Drought of Record. That would waste the water and ruin the crop. Farmers pay considerably less for water than cities and industry and, therefore, their water is considered "interruptible" during a severe drought.
In response to the ongoing drought, LCRA's Board of Directors has recently set a goal of securing 100,000 acre-feet of new water supply in the next five years.
"Last year was hard for the businesses around lakes Buchanan and Travis, and this year will be hard on the farmers and the downstream agricultural economy," Motal said. "Everyone in the basin agrees that the best solution is finding new water supplies, and that's what LCRA is working to do."


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## 3rdcst (Jun 16, 2009)

A hard pill to swallow ,but it is what it is .


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