{"id":21316,"date":"2012-11-23T07:00:50","date_gmt":"2012-11-23T13:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/?p=21316"},"modified":"2013-11-15T14:52:34","modified_gmt":"2013-11-15T20:52:34","slug":"lcra-vote-resonates-in-spicewood-beach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2012\/11\/23\/lcra-vote-resonates-in-spicewood-beach\/","title":{"rendered":"LCRA Vote Resonates in Spicewood Beach"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 33%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-21316 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2012\/11\/23\/lcra-vote-resonates-in-spicewood-beach\/1signs\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/1signs-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-21317\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/1signs-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/1signs-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/1signs-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-21317'>\n\t\t\t\t\u2018For Rent\u2019 and \u2018For Sale\u2019 signs are a common sight Spicewood Beach. The community had been without its own source of water since January 2012.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2012\/11\/23\/lcra-vote-resonates-in-spicewood-beach\/2wanda-and-jim-watson\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/2Wanda-and-Jim-Watson-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-21318\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/2Wanda-and-Jim-Watson-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/2Wanda-and-Jim-Watson-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/2Wanda-and-Jim-Watson-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-21318'>\n\t\t\t\tWanda and Jim Watson retired to Spicewood Beach. They worry what lower lake levels will mean for the community\u2019s future.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2012\/11\/23\/lcra-vote-resonates-in-spicewood-beach\/3pump-project\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/3Pump-Project-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-21319\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/3Pump-Project-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/3Pump-Project-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/3Pump-Project-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-21319'>\n\t\t\t\tThe LCRA trucks water into Spicewood Beach. The Agency came under fire for selling Spicewood Beaches water in the runup to the well failure early this year.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2012\/11\/23\/lcra-vote-resonates-in-spicewood-beach\/4lcra-truck\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/4LCRA-TRUCK-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-21320\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/4LCRA-TRUCK-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/4LCRA-TRUCK-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/4LCRA-TRUCK-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-21320'>\n\t\t\t\tNow residents worry what will happen if the Agency sends water to rice farmers downstream, further lowering the lake levels.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2012\/11\/23\/lcra-vote-resonates-in-spicewood-beach\/5glass-on-the-road\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/5glass-on-the-road-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-21321\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/5glass-on-the-road-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/5glass-on-the-road-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/5glass-on-the-road-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-21321'>\n\t\t\t\tOne of the LCRA\u2019s tanker trucks got into an accident recently on the road into town.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2012\/11\/23\/lcra-vote-resonates-in-spicewood-beach\/6glass\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/6glass-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-21322\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/6glass-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/6glass-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/6glass-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-21322'>\n\t\t\t\tGlass is still visible from the accident.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2012\/11\/23\/lcra-vote-resonates-in-spicewood-beach\/7swimming-sign\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/7swimming-sign-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-21323\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/7swimming-sign-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/7swimming-sign-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/7swimming-sign-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-21323'>\n\t\t\t\tLakes in Spicewood Beach a sign reminds residents of wetter times.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2012\/11\/23\/lcra-vote-resonates-in-spicewood-beach\/8water-to-rocks\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/8water-to-rocks-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-21324\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/8water-to-rocks-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/8water-to-rocks-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/8water-to-rocks-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-21324'>\n\t\t\t\tLow reservoir levels, like here at the North end of Lake Travis, have some advocating for storing more water underground, where it won&#8217;t evaporate.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2012\/11\/23\/lcra-vote-resonates-in-spicewood-beach\/9no-diving\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/9no-diving-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-21325\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/9no-diving-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/9no-diving-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/9no-diving-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-21325'>\n\t\t\t\tLake levels are related to the levels of the water table in the area. If the lake goes down, more wells could go dry.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2012\/11\/23\/lcra-vote-resonates-in-spicewood-beach\/10for-sale\/'><img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/10for-sale-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-21326\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/10for-sale-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/10for-sale-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/11\/10for-sale-60x60.jpg 60w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-21326'>\n\t\t\t\t\u2018For Rent\u2019 and \u2018For Sale\u2019 signs are a common sight Spicewood Beach. The community had been without its own source of water since January 2012.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl>\n\t\t\t<br style='clear: both' \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p><em>Slide show compiled by Filipa Rodrigues<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The first indication that things are still not right in Spicewood Beach comes as you reach town. You&#8217;re greeted with a welcome sign and a notice that stage four water restrictions remain in effect.\u00a0 It&#8217;s been nearly a year since the small Highland Lakes community\u00a0earned the distinction of being the first town in Texas to run dry during the great drought. The situation remains much the same. In some ways it&#8217;s gotten worse.<\/p>\n<p>For one thing, there are a lot more &#8216;For Sale&#8217; signs in front of a lot more houses.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s vacancies all through here and unbelievably low prices, but there\u2019s not takers. Who wants a house with no water?&#8221; asks Jim Watson<strong>, <\/strong>sitting next to his wife Wanda in their two story home.<strong><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><!--more-->The Watsons are like a lot of people in Spicewood Beach. When they retired, they put their savings into land and a home next to the lake. But the lake also serves as a reservoir for those downstream, including Austin and agricultural interests. The drought ravaged lake levels in 2011. Then more water drained out when the Lower Colorado River Authority [LCRA], the agency that controls the Lakes -and owns the Spicewood Beach water system- sent more water downstream to rice farmers.<\/p>\n<p>Sitting in their living room the Watsons said that ever since lake levels dropped and the well failed, they\u2019ve watched trees die, people move away, and property values plummet.\u00a0 But they didn\u2019t expect the LCRA Board to vote on a plan that could send about 15 percent of the water that remains in Lake Travis downstream.<\/p>\n<p><div class=\"related-content alignleft\"><h4 class=\"related-header\">Related<\/h4><div class=\"links\"><h5>Posts<\/h5><ul><li class=\"link\"><a href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2012\/04\/16\/rice-farmers-used-more-than-three-times-as-much-water-as-austin-last-year\/\">Rice Farmers Used More Than Three Times as Much Water as Austin Last Year<\/a><\/li><li class=\"link\"><a href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2012\/02\/14\/video-how-spicewood-beach-became-the-first-texas-town-to-run-dry\/\">Video: How Spicewood Beach Became the First Texas Town to Run Out of Water<\/a><\/li><li class=\"link\"><a href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/2012\/02\/14\/could-there-be-another-spicewood-beach\/\">Could Other Texas Towns Run Dry Like Spicewood Beach?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"topics\"><h5>Topics<\/h5><p class=\"topic\"><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/files\/2012\/01\/pipe-worker-60x60.jpg\" height=\"60\" width=\"60\" \/><a href=\"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/topic\/spicewood-beach\/\">What is Spicewood Beach?<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div>&#8220;There\u2019s very little water there now. They release, we have none. We were hoping our wells would recover because they are affected by the lake level. If the lakes come up, we get our wells back. If they don\u2019t come up we have no water,&#8221; Wanda Watson told StateImpact Texas.<strong><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The LCRA won\u2019t comment on the plan. But a spokesperson did forward along a copy of it. Under the plan, water will be released if the Highland Lakes are filled to 39 percent or higher on January first.\u00a0 The Lakes currently sit around 42 percent full. The LCRA has also acknowledged that Wanda Watson is right. Lower lake levels will make is even harder for the well here to recover anytime soon. Meaning water will be trucked in for the foreseeable future.<\/p>\n<p>A couple blocks from the Watsons an LCRA tanker truck is pumping water into the community\u2019s water system just like is has been for months. \u00a0The LCRA had two trucks to bring water in, but one of them had an accident, likely due to speeding says the LCRA, on its way into Spicewood a couple weeks ago. \u00a0The driver was fine, but the truck was destroyed.<\/p>\n<p>Now one truck is making the handful of required daily trips.\u00a0 But that, too, might end soon. \u00a0The LCRA is in the process of selling the water system here to a Canadian Utility company called Corix. The deal still needs regulatory approval, but if it goes through, Corix may either dig a new well, or build a pipeline directly to the lake to suck water up and treat it for the residents here. The company isn\u2019t sure which option it will take.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;There\u2019s tradeoffs in both cases,&#8221; Jack Tuehey, Corix VP Public Affairs, told StateImpact Texas when reached by phone in Vancouver.<\/p>\n<p>Tuehey said his company is also watching to see if more water goes downstream.\u00a0 A new well could fail just like the old one did if water levels keep dropping. \u00a0But pumping directly from the lake is also costly, and requires additional water treatment.\u00a0 And down at what used to be the shoreline of Spicewood Beach it looks like it would take a lot of pipe to reach a place deep enough to pump the water out.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou can barely get your ankles wet. Great fishing when it\u2019s got water,&#8221; said Wanda Watson.<strong><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>But one thing is sure, says\u00a0 Watson. If a long term solution to the community\u2019s water crisis isn\u2019t found, she doesn\u2019t see how she and her husband can stay. That could mean one more \u201cfor sale\u201d sign on one more lawn in Spicewood Beach.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Uncertainty remains the only constant in the first Texas town to run out of water. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":51,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[60],"tags":[61,31,107],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21316"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/51"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21316"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21316\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21316"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21316"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/texas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21316"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}