Drought in Texas, October 1 to 31, 2013

Despite several significant rain events during October, there was little change in the ongoing drought as most of this rain fell in counties where the drought conditions had previously improved. The only counties remaining in severe (Stage D2) or worse category were Val Verde (Stage D3), Bandera, Edwards, Gillespie, Kendall, Kerr, and Real (all in Stage D2). None of these counties saw any change in their drought category during October. Fire danger at the end of the month was low to moderate. None of the counties in D2 or worse drought had outdoor burn bans in effect at the end of the month. The seven day stream flow averages were below normal (10 to 24 percent) across the Upper Nueces and Medina River basins. Area lakes and reservoirs continued well below normal pool elevations. Lake Amistad showed slight improvement from September, but was still near 37 feet below normal. Lake Travis rose nearly five feet, but was still more than 55 feet below normal. Medina Lake saw almost no rain and continued to be the most affected lake at 87 feet below normal which left it at 4 percent of capacity. The Edwards Aquifer rose during the month and was up to 26 feet below normal, and 7 feet below the level at the end of October 2012. This allowed the Edwards Aquifer Authority to ease water restrictions to stage 2 requiring large water users to reduce pumping by 30%. Fredericksburg remained in stage 4 water restrictions and Kerrville was able to improve to stage 1.

Despite several significant rain events during October, there was little change in the ongoing drought as most of this rain fell in counties where the drought conditions had previously improved. The only counties remaining in severe (Stage D2) or worse category were Val Verde (Stage D3), Bandera, Edwards, Gillespie, Kendall, Kerr, and Real (all in Stage D2). None of these counties saw any change in their drought category during October. Fire danger at the end of the month was low to moderate. None of the counties in D2 or worse drought had outdoor burn bans in effect at the end of the month. The seven day stream flow averages were below normal (10 to 24 percent) across the Upper Nueces and Medina River basins. Area lakes and reservoirs continued well below normal pool elevations. Lake Amistad showed slight improvement from September, but was still near 37 feet below normal. Lake Travis rose nearly five feet, but was still more than 55 feet below normal. Medina Lake saw almost no rain and continued to be the most affected lake at 87 feet below normal which left it at 4 percent of capacity. The Edwards Aquifer rose during the month and was up to 26 feet below normal, and 7 feet below the level at the end of October 2012. This allowed the Edwards Aquifer Authority to ease water restrictions to stage 2 requiring large water users to reduce pumping by 30%. Fredericksburg remained in stage 4 water restrictions and Kerrville was able to improve to stage 1.

Despite several significant rain events during October, there was little change in the ongoing drought as most of this rain fell in counties where the drought conditions had previously improved. The only counties remaining in severe (Stage D2) or worse category were Val Verde (Stage D3), Bandera, Edwards, Gillespie, Kendall, Kerr, and Real (all in Stage D2). None of these counties saw any change in their drought category during October. Fire danger at the end of the month was low to moderate. None of the counties in D2 or worse drought had outdoor burn bans in effect at the end of the month. The seven day stream flow averages were below normal (10 to 24 percent) across the Upper Nueces and Medina River basins. Area lakes and reservoirs continued well below normal pool elevations. Lake Amistad showed slight improvement from September, but was still near 37 feet below normal. Lake Travis rose nearly five feet, but was still more than 55 feet below normal. Medina Lake saw almost no rain and continued to be the most affected lake at 87 feet below normal which left it at 4 percent of capacity. The Edwards Aquifer rose during the month and was up to 26 feet below normal, and 7 feet below the level at the end of October 2012. This allowed the Edwards Aquifer Authority to ease water restrictions to stage 2 requiring large water users to reduce pumping by 30%. Fredericksburg remained in stage 4 water restrictions and Kerrville was able to improve to stage 1.

Despite several significant rain events during October, there was little change in the ongoing drought as most of this rain fell in counties where the drought conditions had previously improved. The only counties remaining in severe (Stage D2) or worse category were Val Verde (Stage D3), Bandera, Edwards, Gillespie, Kendall, Kerr, and Real (all in Stage D2). None of these counties saw any change in their drought category during October. Fire danger at the end of the month was low to moderate. None of the counties in D2 or worse drought had outdoor burn bans in effect at the end of the month. The seven day stream flow averages were below normal (10 to 24 percent) across the Upper Nueces and Medina River basins. Area lakes and reservoirs continued well below normal pool elevations. Lake Amistad showed slight improvement from September, but was still near 37 feet below normal. Lake Travis rose nearly five feet, but was still more than 55 feet below normal. Medina Lake saw almost no rain and continued to be the most affected lake at 87 feet below normal which left it at 4 percent of capacity. The Edwards Aquifer rose during the month and was up to 26 feet below normal, and 7 feet below the level at the end of October 2012. This allowed the Edwards Aquifer Authority to ease water restrictions to stage 2 requiring large water users to reduce pumping by 30%. Fredericksburg remained in stage 4 water restrictions and Kerrville was able to improve to stage 1.

Despite several significant rain events during October, there was little change in the ongoing drought as most of this rain fell in counties where the drought conditions had previously improved. The only counties remaining in severe (Stage D2) or worse category were Val Verde (Stage D3), Bandera, Edwards, Gillespie, Kendall, Kerr, and Real (all in Stage D2). None of these counties saw any change in their drought category during October. Fire danger at the end of the month was low to moderate. None of the counties in D2 or worse drought had outdoor burn bans in effect at the end of the month. The seven day stream flow averages were below normal (10 to 24 percent) across the Upper Nueces and Medina River basins. Area lakes and reservoirs continued well below normal pool elevations. Lake Amistad showed slight improvement from September, but was still near 37 feet below normal. Lake Travis rose nearly five feet, but was still more than 55 feet below normal. Medina Lake saw almost no rain and continued to be the most affected lake at 87 feet below normal which left it at 4 percent of capacity. The Edwards Aquifer rose during the month and was up to 26 feet below normal, and 7 feet below the level at the end of October 2012. This allowed the Edwards Aquifer Authority to ease water restrictions to stage 2 requiring large water users to reduce pumping by 30%. Fredericksburg remained in stage 4 water restrictions and Kerrville was able to improve to stage 1.

Despite several significant rain events during October, there was little change in the ongoing drought as most of this rain fell in counties where the drought conditions had previously improved. The only counties remaining in severe (Stage D2) or worse category were Val Verde (Stage D3), Bandera, Edwards, Gillespie, Kendall, Kerr, and Real (all in Stage D2). None of these counties saw any change in their drought category during October. Fire danger at the end of the month was low to moderate. None of the counties in D2 or worse drought had outdoor burn bans in effect at the end of the month. The seven day stream flow averages were below normal (10 to 24 percent) across the Upper Nueces and Medina River basins. Area lakes and reservoirs continued well below normal pool elevations. Lake Amistad showed slight improvement from September, but was still near 37 feet below normal. Lake Travis rose nearly five feet, but was still more than 55 feet below normal. Medina Lake saw almost no rain and continued to be the most affected lake at 87 feet below normal which left it at 4 percent of capacity. The Edwards Aquifer rose during the month and was up to 26 feet below normal, and 7 feet below the level at the end of October 2012. This allowed the Edwards Aquifer Authority to ease water restrictions to stage 2 requiring large water users to reduce pumping by 30%. Fredericksburg remained in stage 4 water restrictions and Kerrville was able to improve to stage 1.

Despite several significant rain events during October, there was little change in the ongoing drought as most of this rain fell in counties where the drought conditions had previously improved. The only counties remaining in severe (Stage D2) or worse category were Val Verde (Stage D3), Bandera, Edwards, Gillespie, Kendall, Kerr, and Real (all in Stage D2). None of these counties saw any change in their drought category during October. Fire danger at the end of the month was low to moderate. None of the counties in D2 or worse drought had outdoor burn bans in effect at the end of the month. The seven day stream flow averages were below normal (10 to 24 percent) across the Upper Nueces and Medina River basins. Area lakes and reservoirs continued well below normal pool elevations. Lake Amistad showed slight improvement from September, but was still near 37 feet below normal. Lake Travis rose nearly five feet, but was still more than 55 feet below normal. Medina Lake saw almost no rain and continued to be the most affected lake at 87 feet below normal which left it at 4 percent of capacity. The Edwards Aquifer rose during the month and was up to 26 feet below normal, and 7 feet below the level at the end of October 2012. This allowed the Edwards Aquifer Authority to ease water restrictions to stage 2 requiring large water users to reduce pumping by 30%. Fredericksburg remained in stage 4 water restrictions and Kerrville was able to improve to stage 1.