Lake Austin Real Estate

Lake Austin is the sixth lake down in the chain of Highland Lakes on the Colorado River in central Texas. The lake starts at the Mansfield Dam and ends at the Tom Miller Dam in the city of Austin.

Lake Austin is a 1600 acre lake that is approximately 22 miles long. The lake stays at a constant level with an operating level of 492.8 feet above sea level. The primary inflow to Lake Austin comes from deep water releases from Lake Travis. Flow is controlled by the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA), which uses the water to produce electricity and provide irrigation for rice farmers downstream.

Lake Austin is the sixth in a chain of seven lakes known as the Highland Lakes. First dam (Austin Dam) was built in 1893 and destroyed in a major flood in 1900. A second partially constructed dam was destroyed by flooding in 1935. The present dam, Tom Miller Dam, was completed in 1939, with a hydroelectric power plant coming on line in 1940.

Lake Austin is used for public and private drinking water, flood and irrigation water conveyance, hydropower generation, as well as recreation The last major flood occurred in July 2002. Lake temperatures range from 52 °F to 80 °F with an average of 65°F. Clear, clean water and proximity to the City of Austin makes this lake a popular recreation destination for water skiing, fishing and swimming.