Lake Corpus Christi has fallen below 10% capacity, marking an historic low at the Wesley Seale Dam.
The combined lake levels are down to 9.9%.
The last time levels came this close was in 2012, when the lake dropped to 12.9%. The current decline comes after five years of drought.
Shortly after the report was released Thursday morning, city officials called for a press conference to address the latest statistics and what projects are underway to bring water to Corpus Christi.
Standing at the shore Thursday, City Manager Peter Zanoni addressed the milestone.
"This is not a panic moment. It's not an emergency. We're not changing how we deliver water," Zanoni said.
The city is moving to bring more water into the system, with city council approving $1 billion in new projects aimed at adding another 76 million gallons per day.
"We know we need more water and those are the targets we've been working toward…bringing in another 76 million gallons a day," Zanoni said.
That additional water would come from several sources:
- 17 million gallons from the city's western well field, expected by the end of April
- 10 million gallons already coming from the eastern field
- 9 million gallons from wells on private land
- 24 million gallons potentially from the Evangeline Aquifer Project, though permits are currently tied up in protests
- 16 million gallons from effluent reuse projects
As the lake continues to drop, city officials say they are now modeling how soon the region could reach a Level 1 water emergency.
"Worst case scenario would be late spring or early summer," Zanoni said.
WATCH THE CITY'S THURSDAY MORNING NEWS CONFERENCE ON THE LAKE'S HISTORIC LOWS:
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