A recent stretch of rain in Austin, Texas, has been good news for two lakes.
Both Lake Travis and Lake Buchanan have risen multiple feet in the last 30 days, CBS Austin reported.
This comes as the central region of Texas is currently experiencing a drought. Despite the rainfall, most of the region is still experiencing severe drought conditions or worse, based on the National Weather Service's metrics.
According to Vinny Martorano on X, Lake Travis rose nearly two feet, and Lake Buchanan rose nearly four.
Scientists anticipate that forecasted rain will raise the lakes more. Gregory Waller, a service coordination hydrologist with the National Weather Service's West Gulf River Forecast Center, said, "We're expecting Lake Travis to go up maybe another two to three feet."
Overall, Lake Travis is 44.5% full as of June 17, 2025, compared to 40.9% full one year prior. Lake Buchanan is sitting at 61.5% full compared to 77.4% a year prior.
With meteorologists warning about extreme heat in the summer months, any water that the rainfall can replenish can be crucial. Communities may have to continue to conserve water despite these gains.
Seasonal variation can be expected, but extended periods of drought can be dangerous to the biodiversity of the region and to the communities who rely on the water.
Areas around the United States have been experiencing increased drought severity over the past few years. As the effects of the changing climate continue to worsen, the U.S. Geological Survey notes that droughts will be more frequent, last longer, and be more severe.
In spite of these drought conditions, it's worth celebrating small victories when possible. Rising levels in Lake Travis and Lake Buchanan are a win for the Austin community.
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"It's great for the people who live here, the people who use it for recreation, and I mean, the restaurants hopefully are going to start booming again," Brian Gardner, a manager at South Austin Marine, told CBS Austin.
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