Mansfield Dam

Lake Travis Update: A Surprisingly Soggy End to Summer

Written by Cathy Hale | August 17, 2016

Triple-digit temperatures in the Lake Travis area rolled out as quickly as they arrived back in July. Blazing heat and crunchy yellow grass has been exchanged for unusually cool and rainy days this week.

Austin just had the coolest August 15th on record since the 1800s. If you were wearing a long sleeve jacket in your home yesterday and watching the Olympics tucked under a blanket, you weren’t alone.

Thanks to all of the rain, Lake Travis is back up to 95% full. Waking up to your smartphone honking and buzzing at you is part of the process as the lake refills and you deal with flash flooding. And flash flooding in this area is serious business.

Tom Hughes Park on Lake Travis: A Hidden Gem

Written by Todd Hower | May 8, 2014

Here’s a secluded spot with beautiful views of Lake Travis that not many people know about. Tom Hughes is a Travis County Park tucked away between The Oasis and Mansfield Dam in the main basin of Lake Travis.

When you decide to go check out this hidden gem, head over to Marshall Ford Road located right across from the Randalls at Steiner Ranch. Shortly after turning off Ranch Road 620 is when you’ll notice a sign for Tom Hughes Park that will point you in the right direction. You’ll be on the same road that leads to the Marshall Ford Marina.

Lake Travis Area History: Mansfield Dam and Lake Travis

Written by Todd Hower | February 11, 2014

An afternoon spent boating with your family, riding the blue waters on a wake board, scuba diving down to the depths, sailing and watching the sun go down — these are all favorite pastimes of our beloved Lake Travis.

As the biggest water reservoir of the Highland Lakes, Lake Travis boasts activities for people of all lifestyles, and has served as home to thousands of Texans for the last century.

Residents are drawn to the open waters and the quieter pace of life that West Austin has to offer, but it’s easy to forget just how much our landscape has changed over the years … and just how much work went into creating our beloved Lake Travis.

The time was the turn of the century.

Austin was on the cusp of certain anticipated technological progress, and this included the use of dams to harness the area’s flooding rain waters for the purpose of hydroelectric power.

At the time, the land and lake that we call Lake Travis was but a big dream of big men. Senator Lyndon B. Johnson was at the forefront of the fight for hydroelectric power and the building of the seven dams that would eventually create the Highland Lakes of Central Texas.

Beat the Heat – Low Water Crossing on Lake Austin

Written by Todd Hower | July 17, 2013

It’s no secret — the peak of summer is hot in the Lake Travis area!

When temperatures start to climb and reach the triple digits, you might find it difficult to go outside. But after a few days spent indoors with your kids watching movies and playing video games in the comfort of air conditioning, you all start to get the cabin fever.

Trying to find relief at the neighborhood pool is tough when the water temperature is like that of a hot tub. Even the swimming holes at Lake Travis can feel like you’re jumping into a warm bath this time of year.

There are still a few places where the water is cold and refreshing.

Mansfield Dam

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