Twin Buttes Over 40 ft. Rise

Twin Buttes Reservoir is up over 40 feet since September 2018.  City Public Information Officer Anthony Wilson produced a number of videos showing the massive increase and encouraging people to recreate at the lake.

The City is responsible for managing Twin Buttes Reservoir and its federal lands.  It contracted recreation management to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.  Their agreement calls for an Annual Management Plan.

When asked City staff replied they do not have a copy of the plan mentioned in their May 13, 2016 agreement with TPWD. 

The City did provide a Fire Management Plan for Twin Buttes Land.  That document stated:

Nearly three years after delegating its responsibilities to TPWD the city remains "hands off" at Twin Buttes. We'll see what happens this summer.  Will the "Wild West" return?

City Promotes Twin Buttes with No Plans for Expected Summer Onslaught

 On January 19, 2019 I wrote:

"For decades the City's excuse for poorly maintaining Twin Buttes has been:  "There's no water."  That's changed dramatically.  We'll see if the city does any better now that Twin Buttes holds a huge inventory of untreated water to sell.  I'll check with city officials and post their response." 

On February 27, 2019 I asked the city:

“When asked about maintaining the public areas at Twin Buttes Reservoir city leaders in the past have used the excuse of low water for failing to provide basic standard of cleanliness/safety for lake users. Now that Twin Buttes holds roughly 120,000 acre feet of water what are the city's plans to provide a positive experience for lake users. In the past Mr. White referred to the city's effort at Twin Buttes as "hand's off" and called the area "a No Man's Land or the Wild West." I request documents regarding the city's plans to maintain Twin Buttes now that there is ample water for citizens for recreation.” 

The City of San Angelo provided one document in response to my request, a copy of the contract between the City and Texas Parks and Wildlife.

City Public Information Officer asked TPWD Officers about expected lake use this summer:

"And do you anticipate this summer, not just only local boaters, but an onslaught of boating and fishing here at this lake from the Permian Basin for instance?"  

The officer answered yes, so one might expect the city to make plans to handle this expected onslaught of lake users.   That was not evidenced by the city's response to my Public Information Request. 

The city is expending money on slick videos about Twin Buttes Reservoir, having produced two in the last week.

We'll see if that translates into a safe and clean park area on the North Shore of the North Pool, an area the city is obligated to maintain under its arrangement with the Department of Reclamation.

Update 6-8-19:  The Standard Times ran a story on recreating at area lakes.  Only two of the three are mostly full.  O.C. Fisher awaits its turn. 

Update 6-11-19:  City Recreation Manager Brent Casey wrote a guest column encouraging citizens to utilize Twin Buttes.

City Informs Council of Bountiful Water Supplies

City staff presented several slides showing San Angelo's rainfall blessing which began in September of last year.  As a result the city has 5.5 years of water supply and that's with very conservative assumptions.

Water Utilities Director Allison Strube informed Council that tributaries for Twin Buttes and O.H. Ivie continue adding water to those lakes.  Twin Buttes holds 37.3 billion gallons.  Water is priced in 1,000 gallon increments.  The City has 37.3 million saleable units in Twin Buttes as of January 1.  That's significant inventory. 

Cage at North Pool Nearly Underwater

In 2013 the City of San Angelo had to pump water to the cage at Twin Buttes Reservoir's North Pool.  The picture below shows a dry lake bed in front of the structure.

That changed with Fall 2018's massive runoff.  The top of the cage can be seen below.  Look for the thin white horizontal rectangle slightly above the water's surface.  It's below the gatehouse at the top of the dam.

For decades the City's excuse for poorly maintaining Twin Buttes has been:  "There's no water."  That's changed dramatically.  We'll see if the city does any better now that Twin Buttes holds a huge inventory of untreated water to sell.  I'll check with city officials and post their response.

Happy New Year!

Twin Buttes Reservoir reached 1929.55 ft elevation today.  It's up over 36 feet from early September levels.  That's one mighty blessing!