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City of Houston Orders 10% Increase in Water Release from Lake ConroE

PRESS RELEASE FROM SAN JACINTO RIVER AUTHOIRITY

10/14/11-Today the City of Houston issued an official notice to the San Jacinto River Authority ordering a 10 percent increase in the amount of water being released from the City’s two-thirds share of the water rights in Lake Conroe.  The release rate to the City has been 150 million gallons per day since Thursday, August 18.  The release will be increased to 165 million gallons per day on
Saturday, October 15.

Engineering staff for the City of Houston have indicated that the purpose of the increase is
so that the City can fully utilize its 66,667 acre-feet of permitted water rights by the permit deadline of December 31, 2011.  The amount of water released from Lake Conroe will be monitored daily and adjusted based on weather conditions and the City’s storage requirements. 

In terms of impact to the level of Lake Conroe, SJRA staff had estimated that the previous
release rate of 150 MGD would result in approximately half an inch of drawdown per day.  The 10 percent increase to 165 MGD would increase that estimate by approximately 1/20 of an inch per day.  The actual measured lake level drawdown for each of the past two months has been approximately 17 inches per month, which is slightly less than what was estimated with evaporation included.  Assuming no rainfall at all, staff estimate that the lake level will decline at a rate of 1 to 1 ½ feet per month.

Lakefront property owners with boat slips should monitor water levels and take appropriate
action as needed to trailer their boats or store them in marinas until normal rainfall patterns return and lake levels begin to rise.  There continues to be significant recreational use of the lake, and boaters are encouraged to use caution and be alert for shallow areas and stumps.

For more details and a list of available boat ramps, please visit the SJRA’s website at www.sjra.net.  To receive updates via the internet or email, you can link to our Facebook page from our website or register your email address using the field in the lower right corner of our home page

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