[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6669682,"mediaKeyId","2173525-50b79faf2159eca3450345a9c8d9292f","parentId",2173525,"title","LCRA to propose modest interruptible rate increases; funds available to cover curtailment losses","audioSeconds",823,"startMs",912000,"endMs",1735000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2173525-50b79faf2159eca3450345a9c8d9292f&start=912&end=1735","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2173525-50b79faf2159eca3450345a9c8d9292f/thumbnail_912000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6669682/Texas/LCRA-to-propose-modest-interruptible-rate-increases-funds-available-to-cover-curtailment-losses","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6669682-3567a8f86c71bb750c3d8d71c21ba99b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154469&Signature=EbCz8tIk1msM4GeBTCQ6zO0A74mioZLE7VyQWlx0ZIrJyI2FUdsBc3SD7CxIa8jv7PNqYMHm7rpac1BlGkQjiJtHh6IKZTL2TMNMd7F9MpWf1CRszoPn6PV9GyAzz-C~1gIp9lF6NAIUfzdGCiaIP0RoT7vWe3oRR~c8T0tT8H8ZgMWrZquWiUghSvYJsVs7hG9X8XqkmjpE3uqvmU8c2hAoJeK9jix1eqBKPWAfFoLPQ-MHWkL8gBRPOofKU3fPn4M4edt3LYfxbrSKBvWCwvHc7PS2rOTCuaReTe7JORi0FuFAmWDFgvQboraP6-cy0HGpF3eG24SoLWkFrAQhVw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA)","date","2025-01-25T06:17:49.987Z","article","Kelly, LCRA water operations staff, presented proposed interruptible agricultural water rates for calendar year 2025 to the Water Operations Committee on Jan. 21 and summarized public comments and funds available to mitigate revenue losses if curtailment continues.

For curtailed divisions Gulf Coast and Lakeside the staff recommendation follows earlier incremental rate moves: a 2.3% increase is proposed and the recommended 2025 interruptible stored water rate for Gulf Coast and Lakeside would be $77.79 per acre‑foot (an increase of $1.75). Kelly said the rate design assumed full availability for modeling but acknowledged curtailment for those divisions in 2025 is likely.

\"In the event that curtailment is seen in Gulf Coast and Lakeside in 2025, we will use the rate stabilization fund to offset the lost revenue as we've done during calendar year 2023–24 curtailment periods,\" Kelly said. The presentation listed a current rate stabilization fund balance of $14,600,000 and projected use of $9,800,000 in 2025 under continued curtailment, leaving a projected balance of $4,800,000 by the end of calendar year 2025.

For Garwood the recommended weighted average 2025 rate is $44.98 per acre‑foot (an increase of $1.19). Kelly said Garwood's contract language and the 1999 water management plan guidelines determine interruptible stored water availability there; for 2025 Garwood would be limited to 18,100 acre‑feet of interruptible stored water while still having access to about 100,000 acre‑feet from other sources.

Staff also proposed eliminating the $100 application fee for rice and turf contracts on the basis that those contracts carry a minimum charge that already covers application processing costs; the fee would remain for supplemental contracts that typically do not carry a minimum charge. The slides showed excessive use charges that increase charges by 40%, 80% or 150% of the interruptible stored water rate for customers who exceed allotted volumes on a field.

Kelly summarized public comment received online and at farmer meetings held in the lower basin; one commenter argued the proposed rates do not cover dam maintenance and capital costs and accused the authority of improper conduct. Attorney Sebastian responded to the comment during the meeting: \"I do not agree with that assertion,\" and said under Board Policy 106 a board member recusal was not required for the vote on the proposed rates because the rates apply broadly to agricultural water users rather than to a particular board member.

Kelly reviewed the Ag Reserve Fund (original balance $13,000,000) and said its current balance is $6,700,000 with a projected use of $2,500,000 in 2025 assuming full operations; on that trajectory the Ag Reserve Fund would be depleted by calendar year 2028 if measures remain unchanged. Kelly noted there are no proposed changes to rules or the drought contingency plan in the 2025 recommendations.

The committee did not vote on the rates on Jan. 21; staff said the recommended rates would be presented for adoption at the LCRA board meeting the following day.

No board votes were recorded on the rate proposals during the committee meeting; the minutes show the committee approved the prior meeting minutes and then recessed to the subsequent agenda item.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","LCRA Water Operations Committee meeting Jan. 21, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","LCRA staff recommended 2025 interruptible agricultural water rates with a 2–3% increase, outlined use of rate‑stabilization and ag‑reserve funds if Gulf Coast and Lakeside remain curtailed, and recommended removing a $100 application fee for rice and turf contracts.","taxTitle","Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA), Departments and Agencies, Executive, Texas","taxId",17433,"location","Texas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6669688,"LCRA reports drier-than-normal basin conditions, Arbuckle reservoir nears 75%",615,108000,723000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2173525-50b79faf2159eca3450345a9c8d9292f&start=108&end=723","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2173525-50b79faf2159eca3450345a9c8d9292f/thumbnail_108000.jpg","/articles/6669688/Texas/LCRA-reports-drier-than-normal-basin-conditions-Arbuckle-reservoir-nears-75","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6669688-2f968bd2ffc88ede9f709221a3608196/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154469&Signature=Qb1IVYPftfXx83inorQS7ZLBGDCIwOx6Cfw3s0pQS8GM-ScRuGAtALSRvBijr8A32mwQFusKpRoQSHDilUpnNCg21ry5CJdKm4DjZdM-nsuUUPnbRQXmKmkavVbQ3R1QADFqZeDTqGA2dO1A0wLu0Ppfjvd00wP1sX8aXna~T6Mka4t2G2-0Rx0lhuJgJwkIWwyvIPEV4~fjNw2knLTzvWKvn3~RCpKdThBSoNel16f-Ygg62fAn6PvRmdBG4cou5H-rj3IErYyRN9WYt-34fnTchUeB~t~40htZzT18jzcqcdie2GdmXg55X9s7D7-pexclRCOIjilshpI8kOXm8g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kelly, LCRA water operations staff, told the Lower Colorado River Authority Water Operations Committee on Jan. 21 that statewide drought coverage is comparable to January 2024 but the most extreme categories are more widespread and basin inflows remain below long‑term medians.

\"We're gonna start with a look at the US Drought Monitor,\" Kelly said, and summarized that about 53% of the state is in some level of drought compared with about 59% a year earlier, while D3 (severe) and D4 (exceptional) drought area is roughly 10% higher this year.

The presentation said December inflows to the Highland Lakes were 8,711 acre‑feet, about one quarter of the long‑term median for December, and that combined inflow for the previous water year was about 576,160 acre‑feet (roughly 49.5% of the long‑term annual average). Kelly reported combined storage in Lakes Travis and Buchanan was 1,045,045 acre‑feet (about 52% full) on Jan. 1 and had fallen to just over 1,028,581 acre‑feet as of the morning of the meeting.

The committee heard that, despite the basin still holding more water than during the 2008–2015 drought of record (about 281,641 acre‑feet more on the chart shown), recent months have been the fourth consecutive month of drier and warmer‑than‑normal conditions across the basin. The Climate Prediction Center outlook cited in the presentation shows elevated odds of below‑normal precipitation for January–March 2025 and above‑normal temperatures for January–May.

Committee members discussed the practical implications for municipal and agricultural customers. Kelly said March 1, 2025 is the next decision date under the water management plan for whether interruptible stored water will be made available in the Gulf Coast, Lakeside and Pierce Ranch divisions. The presentation stated interruptible stored water access requires combined storage above 1,300,000 acre‑feet; current projections give less than a 5% chance of reaching that threshold. Garwood operates under the 1999 water management plan language and, for 2025, will be limited to 18,100 acre‑feet of interruptible stored water while retaining access to roughly 100,000 acre‑feet of other supplies; Kelly noted Garwood used a little over 500 acre‑feet of interruptible stored water last year.

Kelly also described firm‑customer actions that could follow a declaration of Stage 2 of the Drought Contingency Plan — including limits such as once‑weekly landscape watering — and explained the numeric triggers: a Stage 2 decision could follow if combined storage drops below 900,000 acre‑feet, or if on March 1 storage is below 1,100,000 acre‑feet and December–February inflows to the Highland Lakes total less than the 25th percentile (about 62,690 acre‑feet). As of the meeting, December inflows were 8,711 acre‑feet and January to date were about 6,000 acre‑feet; Kelly calculated the system would need roughly 48,000 acre‑feet in the remainder of January and February to avoid moving to Stage 2.

The committee received an update on the Arbuckle off‑channel reservoir: Kelly said Arbuckle had reached about 103.94 feet mean sea level the morning of the meeting and was expected to hit the 104.0‑foot \"hole point\" that will move the project into an observation phase; that storage corresponds to roughly 39,890 acre‑feet and about 75% full.

Chair Martin and board members praised the LCRA staff effort in bringing Arbuckle online and noted the value of added storage in the agency portfolio amid continued regional growth.

The presentation included time‑series charts of Lake Travis (about 637.5 ft msl at the meeting, roughly 29.18 feet below the January average) and Lake Buchanan (about 1,002.72 ft msl, roughly 7.86 feet below the January average), and a table showing the system entered the calendar year with about 210,000 acre‑feet more combined storage than on Jan. 1, 2024.

No formal actions were taken on the basin conditions update; Kelly concluded by asking for questions and the committee moved on to the next agenda topic.","LCRA staff told the Water Operations Committee on Jan. 21 that basin inflows and reservoir levels remain below long-term medians, interruptible supplies are likely to be curtailed in 2025, and the Arbuckle off‑channel reservoir is approaching a key storage threshold.","actionData","errors"]

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LCRA to propose modest interruptible rate increases; funds available to cover curtailment losses

LCRA reports drier-than-normal basin conditions, Arbuckle reservoir nears 75%