Inks Lake Lowering - 2025
- traylongoolsby
- Sep 9
- 2 min read
What Our Community Needs to Know:
The Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) has announced that Inks Lake will be lowered this fall, and as your POA, we want to make sure everyone is prepared and knows what this means for our neighborhood.
📅 Key Dates
Lowering begins: October 1, 2025
Target level reached: October 9, 2025 (about 879–879.5 feet msl)
Lake refill: November 24–28, 2025
🤔 Why Is the Lake Being Lowered?
LCRA lowers the lakes periodically to give shoreline property owners a safe opportunity to:
Clean up and remove debris,
Dredge or clear shallow areas, and
Make repairs to docks, retaining walls, or boat ramps.
This practice also helps LCRA manage water levels strategically during different times of year. After Winter Storm Uri, these drawdowns were shifted from winter to fall so hydroelectric plants can keep up with higher winter energy demand.
🛠 What You Can Do During the Drawdown
If you’ve been waiting for the right time to take care of shoreline projects, this is it.
Registration is required for:
Dredging or excavation (up to 2,000 cubic yards),
Shoreline debris removal,
Repairing retaining walls or boat ramps.
No registration needed for:
Dock repairs (though they still must meet LCRA’s safety standards).
👉 You can register projects directly through LCRA’s website.
🚫 What’s Not Allowed
To stay compliant with LCRA’s lakewide permit, please remember:
No adding new fill below the normal lake level (888 ft msl),
No replacing retaining walls with fresh fill,
No dredging beyond the 2,000 cubic yard limit,
No dumping dredge material back into the lake, on islands, or sandbars.
⚠️ A Few Friendly Reminders
The drawdown could change or be canceled if flooding or emergencies occur.
Don’t leave tools or equipment in the lakebed unattended.
Protect any exposed soil with erosion control methods until the water comes back up.
✅ Take Advantage of This Window
Lake lowerings don’t happen often—typically once every four years or so—so this is a rare opportunity. If you need to schedule contractors or plan projects, now is the time to get moving.
Let’s Be Good Stewards of Our Shoreline
This lowering is a great chance to maintain and protect our part of Inks Lake. By following LCRA’s guidelines, we ensure our community stays safe, compliant, and beautiful for years to come.
If you have any questions about what you can or can’t do, check the LCRA Lake Lowerings page or reach out to a board member—we’re happy to help.
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