Posted: Mon, 11 Jul 2011 06:26 PM - 13,138 Readers

By: Betsy Blaney

One of Texas' most popular lakes is sitting half-full, thanks to ongoing drought rivaling the state's worst on record, searing triple-digit temperatures and unusually windy conditions.

Those conditions are driving down more than just the water level of Lake Travis. Business is plummeting as well along the lake outside of Austin, where only two of 11 public boat ramps are available and many rely on strong summer business.

"It's the nature of doing business here," said Laura Mitchell, president of the Lake Travis Chamber of Commerce. "You're at Mother Nature's mercy. There's not much you can do."

The lake is among the 109 monitored across the state and the ongoing drought has taken a toll on lake levels statewide.

A June water report found levels in 109 lakes dropped by 4 percent, or more than 358 billion gallons, from late May to late June.

Three lakes — all in West Texas — are effectively empty. But all have been low for years.

Only one reservoir, Lake Livingston north of Houston, was full. That's six fewer than in May, according to the Texas Water Development Board report.

The 109 lakes are 73 percent full, down 13 percent from a year ago, the report indicates. Of the 109 lakes monitored for the report, just 41 were at 85 percent capacity or fuller.

Statewide, this past June was the hottest on record. The average temperature was 85.2 degrees, besting the 1953 record of 84.9 degrees.

Three states — Louisiana, New Mexico and Texas — recorded their driest first six months on record, according to officials with the National Weather Service.

La Nina conditions, a cooling of sea surface temperature across the equatorial Eastern Central Pacific Ocean — are being blamed for the current drought, which officials have objectively called the third worst since 1895. The influence of the La Nina pattern has diminished but indications show the likelihood of its re-emergence is increasing, weather officials said.

The water level at Lake Travis on Monday was 644.58 feet, about 30 feet above its all-time low of 614.2 feet in August 1951.

The historic high came in December 1991 at 710.4 feet.

*  Story Contributed by: Betsy Blaney