| Lake Austin | |
|---|---|
 Seen fromMount Bonnell | |
  Lake Austin Location of Lake Austin inTexas | |
| Location | Austin, Texas |
| Coordinates | 30°17.66′N97°47.18′W / 30.29433°N 97.78633°W /30.29433; -97.78633 |
| Lake type | Hydroelectricreservoir |
| Part of | TheTexas Highland Lakes |
| Primary inflows | Colorado River (fromLake Travis) |
| Primary outflows | Colorado River (intoLady Bird Lake) |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Managing agency | Lower Colorado River Authority |
| Built | 1939 (1939) |
| Surface area | 1,599 acres (647 ha) |
| Max. depth | 75 ft (23 m) |
| Surface elevation | 492 ft (150 m) above sea level |
Lake Austin, formerlyLake McDonald, is a waterreservoir on theColorado River inAustin, Texas. The reservoir was formed in 1939 by the construction ofTom Miller Dam by theLower Colorado River Authority. Lake Austin is one of the sevenHighland Lakes created by the LCRA, and is used forflood control,electrical power generation, and recreation.
Lake Austin is a part of Texas'Colorado River; it begins belowMansfield Dam and is principally fed by the outflow ofLake Travis. The lakemeanders generally from northwest to southeast, with few significanttributaries; the largest areBull Creek, entering from the north near whereLoop 360 spans the lake at thePennybacker Bridge, and Bee Creek, entering from the west just above Tom Miller Dam, where the lake ends. Its outflow through Tom Miller Dam then becomes the principal inflow forLady Bird Lake.
Lake Austin is maintained as aconstant-level lake by releases of water from Lake Travis upstream. The otherHighland Lake reservoirs on the Colorado River areLake Buchanan,Inks Lake,Lake LBJ,Lake Marble Falls, and Lake Travis upstream, and Lady Bird Lake downstream.
The first lake on the same site was named Lake McDonald, a reservoir formed by the construction of Austin Dam between 1890 and 1893. In 1900 a heavy rainstormoverwhelmed and destroyed the first Austin Dam, causing extensive flooding. The dam began to be rebuilt in 1915, but repairs were abandoned because of a contract dispute, and the unfinished dam was again destroyed in a heavy storm later that year. In 1938 the Lower Colorado River Authority began building the Tom Miller Dam; the dam was completed and the lake filled in 1939.[1]
Lake Austin is a popular fishing and boating destination. Boaters often engage in activities such aswakesurfing,waterskiing, and gathering in the designated no-wake zones.
Numerous companies rent out sailboats, motorboats, jet skis/waverunners, canoes, pontoon boats, and large party boats in the Austin area.[2]
The Austin Parks and Recreation Department offers classes in canoeing, kayaking, and sailing.[2]
Lake Austin has been stocked with several species of fish intended to improve the utility of the reservoir for recreational fishing. The lake is considered to have an excellent stock oflargemouth bass.[3] Other fish present includecatfish andsunfish.
Lake Austin is one of the Texas Highland Lakes infested withhydrilla, a non-native aquatic plant species. The Lower Colorado River Authority has intentionally lowered the water levels in the lake in the months of January and February so that freezing air temperatures might destroy substantial portions of thehydrilla in the lake each winter. As of March 2014, hydrilla has been completely eliminated from the lake through the stocking of Asiangrass carp by the City of Austin.[4] As of September 2016 the grass carp released into Lake Austin have begun to devastate the lake’s natural resources. This has led to a decline in the wildlife native to this section of the Colorado River.[5]
| Central city |  | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Satellite cities | |||||
| Other communities | |||||
| Counties |
| ||||
| Parks and preserves | |||||
| Geography | |||||
| Bodies of water | |||||
| Transportation | |||||
