LCRA Lane City Reservoir Project breaks ground

DENVER — The Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) broke ground on a new water supply reservoir near Lane City, Texas, on December 10. When completed in 2017, the about 40,000 acre-foot (13 billion-gallon) reservoir being constructed off the main channel of the Colorado River will help secure water sources for the drought-prone Texas region.

LCRA in April 2013 awarded CH2M HILL a contract for the design of the reservoir and pump station, as well as the rehabilitation and upgrade of the intakes, along with associated conveyance to and from the reservoir. The contract also includes assessment and rehabilitation of a low-head dam on the river, downstream from the project.

The Lane City Reservoir Project is the region’s first significant new water supply reservoir in decades. With capacity greater than lakes Marble Falls, Austin, and Lady Bird on the Colorado River combined, the reservoir will enable LCRA to store significant amounts of water near the Texas Gulf Coast and add an estimated 90,000 acre-feet to LCRA’s annual water supply even during periods of drought. The reservoir will reduce the need to release water from the region’s main water storage reservoirs upstream, Lakes Travis and Buchanan, which currently provide water for more than 1 million people in Central Texas, as well as businesses, industries, and agricultural users.

“CH2M HILL has served LCRA for years including helping to develop an important Water Supply Resources Plan in 2010 that identified potential strategies to meet the region’s water demands through 2100,” said Ken Hall, CH2M HILL Project Manager. “We are excited to help deliver this important project for LCRA and help secure the region’s water supply for many years to come.”