City of Houston Issues Call for Water from Lake Conroe

Today the City of Houston issued an official notice to the San Jacinto River Authority ordering a measured release of water from the City’s two-thirds share of the water rights in Lake Conroe.  The City has ordered an initial release of 50 million gallons per day beginning on Tuesday, August 16, at noon.  The release will be gradually increased to an amount of 150 million gallons per day, which equates to about one half of an inch per day of lake level.Engineering staff for the City of Houston have indicated that the purpose of the release is not to raise the level of Lake Houston but simply to stabilize the lake level for operational
needs at the City’s Northeast Water Purification Plant.  The amount of water released from Lake Conroe will be monitored and adjusted daily based on weather conditions.  In terms of impact to the level of Lake Conroe, the estimated release of up to half an inch per day would equate to three or four inches per week. During the hot summer months, this is slightly more than the amount of water that evaporates from the reservoir each week, so the overall decline in lake level could be approximately 5 to 6 inches per week.  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.
For more details, 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