That IS awful.....how long has it been going on???

I doubt that's why they quit boating. 15ft is nothing. Travis is 40% full and just under 50' from full pool.

We were full in 09, so the lake has been dropping to this level the past 2yrs.

That's lake Travis. I live about 15 minutes from where those photos were taken. The one with the islands and the damn in the background- we call those the "sometimes islands" because they start to pop up when the lake is getting low. Well, we used to call them that. The last several years they've been the all-the-time islands.

Growth in Austin and surrounding areas is increasing water demands. Combine that with the droughts we often have and you get a lake with all of the ramps closed.

It happens every couple of years or so. It rains in the winter and spring and that brings the lake level up. Then during the summer we go through our dry season. If we get good rains during the wet season, and some rain during summer, no big deal. But we did not have a good wet season (our winter was dry) and it hasn't rained here in three months.

But I've lived in Austin for 30 years and I've seen the lake like that many times -- worse in fact. It's definitely been lower before.

Those are some crazy pics. That real has to suck. I hope you guys get alot of rain soon.

Yeah I do....

Lake Nacimineto photo courtesy Tank.

This is California's fastest filling and draining lake.

It can go from completely dry to completely full in a matter of months.

Im hoping my Texan friends get some relief soon.

Uncle Dave

Been doing rain dances nearly every day -- and washing my cars regularly. Will try anything to get some water to fall from the sky.

Feast or famine. We were at lake Travis in '02 when it was rising 6" an hour.

Lake Norman is about 5' down right now. I guess things could be worse.

All summer

poor lake travis :(