The Brown County Water Improvement District voted to initiate the first stage of its Drought Contingency Plan on Tuesday due to the current low levels of Lake Brownwood and the long range forecast for rain over the next year.

The district’s General Manager Dennis Spinks said that the lake is currently over 8 feet below spillway at a level of 1416.7 feet above sea level.   Spinks said that once the level drops below 1418, it is considered a mild drought condition according to the contingency plan.

“We need to initiate our drought contingency plan, the first stage of it, which is notification of our customers and of the public that we are at this level of the lake and that there is a possibility that the lake may go lower,” Spinks said.

Spinks told the district’s board of directors that long range weather forecasts over the next twelve months indicate that lower than average rainfall is expected for Texas.

Spinks said that if the lake does go lower, the district might take further action according to the plan.   If the lake goes below 1413, stage two could ask for voluntary restrictions of water consumption.  If the lake level goes below 1410, mandatory restrictions could take effect.

Spinks pointed out that these further measures are unlikely, but the public needs to be aware of the possibility.

“There could be voluntary restrictions on it, but that’s not likely to occur,” Spinks said.  “We have a sufficient supply of water at this time for a two year time frame if it didn’t rain.”

The lake has a full capacity of 83,000 acre feet of water with 10,000 acre feet used each year not counting evaporation which could be as much as 50%.

“I don’t anticipate any rationing,” Spinks said.  “We have sufficient water for all municipal customers, and we have sufficient water for irrigation customers at this time.  I want to assure the public that Lake Brownwood is not going dry.”

In other items addressed by the Brownwood Water Improvement District:

-The board increased irrigation water rates and 2” water taps by 2%.  Fees for docks, and 3” water taps remain unchanged.

-The board also received a report that the new microfiltration water treatment plant was up and running as of Monday.  Cleaning of the older plant is scheduled to take place later this week.