The effects of the megadrought in the American Southwest are reaching into Texas.

Lake Travis at low water level. | Vineyard Perspective / Shutterstock

Audrey McGlinchy reports for KUT that water levels have fallen enough to trigger water restrictions for the first time in three years.

“Austin gets its water from Lake Travis and Lake Buchanan,” reports McGlinchy. “Officials said Friday they expect water levels in these lakes to drop below 1.4 million acre-feet in the next several days. When that happens, the city enters what it calls ‘Stage 1’ of its Drought Contingency Plan.”

Restrictions include limiting the use of automatic irrigation systems to once a week, using hose-end sprinklers twice a week, and restaurant workers only serving water upon request.

Although Texas is neither one of the Colorado River Compact (1922) states, nor the Colorado River Drought Contingency Plan (2019), drought conditions on the Upper Colorado River watershed are impacting the city’s reservoirs, according to the article.