Lake Travis read 677.76 feet above mean sea level late on October 4, 2026, according to the Lower Colorado River Authority. That makes the lake 95% full. LCRA's historical average for October is 663.70 feet, so the lake is 14.06 feet above its usual level for this time of year. Rough Hollow's shoreline usually heads into fall with a lower lake. This year the water came back up just as the October calendar started.
The lake took two climbs to get here. It filled in July, slipped through September, and then rose again during the first days of October. Because of that rebound, the lake is a real part of Rough Hollow's fall this year, sitting right next to the concerts, the pumpkin patch and the new park under construction on Tomichi Trail.
The First Fill, in July
Heavy rain across the Hill Country in mid-July brought Lake Travis to 681 feet at 9:40 p.m. on Friday, July 17, 2026. KXAN reported that the lake had not been full since July 2019. Axios reported that the lake rose 10 feet from Thursday to Friday before it reached that mark. LCRA opened two floodgates at Mansfield Dam the next morning, one at 6 a.m. and a second at 1 p.m.
"Full" at 681 feet is a water-supply term. The dam has more room above it, and LCRA's John Hofmann told KXAN how much:
"It's 33 vertical feet at Lake Travis of dedicated flood storage which equates to roughly 767,000 acre feet almost as much as what we store in Lake Buchanan."
LCRA lets water down out of that upper band in controlled releases. The 681-foot line is the number to watch for everyday lake use.
The Rebound, This Week
The lake dropped after summer. LCRA's October 4 report shows Lake Travis at 677.97 feet thirty days earlier and 674.86 feet seven days earlier. None of the reporting explains that late-September dip, and this post won't guess at a cause.
The rebound has a clear cause. On October 2, LCRA's John Hofmann told CBS Austin that parts of the Hill Country had received more than seven inches of rain over the previous few days. LCRA said Lake Travis would likely rise another one to two feet as that water moved downstream. Llano River floodwater moved through the upper Highland Lakes, and LCRA opened one floodgate each at Wirtz and Starcke dams on October 2. Both were closed again by the evening of October 3.
Here is how the year looks in LCRA and KXAN figures:
| Reading | Lake Travis level |
|---|---|
| July 17, 2026, 9:40 p.m. | 681 feet, full |
| 30 days before Oct. 4 | 677.97 feet |
| 7 days before Oct. 4 | 674.86 feet |
| Oct. 4, 2026 | 677.76 feet, 95% full |
| Historical October average | 663.70 feet |
The water is still coming in. LCRA's October 4 report recorded 25,053 acre-feet of gauged inflow the day before, while only 823 acre-feet left through Mansfield Dam on October 3, released for customer or environmental needs. As of midday October 5, LCRA did not expect any floodgate operations at Mansfield and projected Lake Travis at 678 to 678.5 feet over the next 24 to 48 hours. All of these readings are provisional snapshots, and LCRA notes they can be revised.
What a High October Lake Changes Before You Launch
A high lake shifts the practical details. On October 5, LCRA's boat ramp table listed Lake Travis at 677.81 feet and showed the Tournament Point ramp at Pace Bend as closed because it is underwater. Every other ramp on the list with a posted minimum elevation sits below the current lake level, and the table leaves the minimum for Bob Wentz blank. Travis County's own Pace Bend ramp notice is dated July 27, so the LCRA table is the more recent of the two. Calling the county before you tow a boat out is still the safer plan.
Debris is the other issue. In July, KXAN reported floating wood, muddy water and shoreline debris near the Pedernales. That report covers summer conditions, and none of the sources reviewed for this post shows a lakewide no-wake order or boating ban in place this fall. LCRA's general safety guidance still warns about submerged trees, debris and strong currents. It also says slow or no-wake rules apply in marked controlled areas. When fresh runoff is still arriving, an early-evening run deserves a slower pace and a careful eye on the water.
A lake gauge also can't tell you how any particular private dock or slip is doing. That depends on the structure, so ask your marina or HOA directly.
Three Lakeside Tables Within Reach
A high lake gives a waterfront dinner a better view. Three spots near Rough Hollow sit right on the water:
- Canyon Grille describes itself as a waterfront restaurant perched above the Rough Hollow Yacht Club. It has indoor and outdoor seating and takes reservations.
- Sundancer Grill at Sail & Ski Yacht Club serves lakeside lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch year-round and has a courtesy boat dock.
- The Lighthouse on the Lake in Briarcliff has a seven-slip dock. Its site lists weekday service from 10:30 a.m. and weekend brunch from 9 a.m.
The Rough Hollow Yacht Club's public events page shows August community listings and a September fitness calendar. It doesn't yet show any dated October events, so check with the club directly about plans for the rest of the fall.
The Dry-Land Calendar, Week by Week
The rest of October happens away from the shoreline, and much of it is free. In date order:
- Through October 15: the City of Lakeway's StoryWalk has 28 Hispanic-heritage exhibits along the trails behind City Hall.
- Monday, October 12, 7 to 9 p.m.: the Big Band Bash at the Rough Hollow Event Center features the 17-piece Republic of Texas Big Band with David Cummings on vocals. The Lakeway Arts Committee presents it. It's free and open to all ages, guests bring their own drinks and snacks, and the band takes donations after the show.
- Wednesday, October 14, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: a household hazardous-waste drop-off at 3207 Neidhardt Drive.
- Saturday, October 17, 9 to 10 a.m.: the free Floating Pumpkin Patch at the Lakeway Swim Center, 3103 Lakeway Blvd.
- Saturday, October 17, 6 to 9 p.m.: the free Witches Ride leaves from the Live Oak Golf Course driving range at 510 Lakeway Drive and ends at a carnival at City Hall, 1102 Lohmans Crossing Road.
- Saturday, October 24, 7 to 9 p.m.: a ticketed screening of Nosferatu with live accompaniment by the Lake Travis Chamber Orchestra at the Activity Center, 105 Cross Creek.
Two newer spots on Lohmans Crossing fill out the weeknights. SAF Wine Bar & Nosh at 2127 Lohmans Crossing Road, Suite 304, reopened in May after a remodel. It now focuses on community gatherings, with live music five nights a week and salsa classes every other week from October through June. The list runs 35 wines by the glass and 90 by the bottle, with flatbreads, steak filets and truffle fries on the menu. Studio84 Hot Yoga opened in August at 2300 Lohmans Spur, Suite 186, and teaches hot yoga and Pilates.
Next Fall's Stage Is Already Under Construction
Rough Hollow's own events will have a bigger outdoor venue soon. Lakeway broke ground on Butler Rough Hollow Park at 708 Tomichi Trail on July 6, 2026. It is the second of five projects in the voter-approved 2024 Parks Bond and is expected to open to the public in summer 2027. Community Impact put the estimated cost at $2.6 million. The plans center on a hillside amphitheater with limestone-block seating and a concrete stage. They also include a mountain-bike course, a bank-shot play court, a multisports field, a ninja course, a playground with roller slides and multilevel play, a pavilion, and restrooms. On September 21, the City Council approved a $50,000 contribution from RH Lakeway Development toward the park's improvements.
If the summer 2027 opening holds, next October's concerts in Rough Hollow could have an outdoor stage of their own. LCRA's next readings will show whether the lake below it is still close to 681 feet.
If you own waterfront in Rough Hollow, or you're thinking about it, a high lake makes this a good season to look closely at docks, slips and shoreline details while the water is close to full. Megan DiBartolo can walk you through what this year's lake levels mean for a specific property. Start a Confidential Consultation.
