San Patricio County shifts to stage 2 water restrictions as lake levels rise

County Judge David Krebs said Monday that reservoir inflows have improved enough to ease local restrictions. "As of this morning, the Lake Corpus Christi is at 55.2% of capacity," Krebs said, adding that Choke Canyon sits at about 29.1% and that the combined supply crossed the court’s 30% threshold.

The change moves San Patricio County from stage 3 to stage 2 water rationing, which restores limited outdoor watering for residents. Krebs said county and state stakeholders met recently to discuss downstream release issues and that officials will monitor flows from the Nueces River and the Frio River as they continue to change over the coming week. He said agencies have projected sufficient supply to avoid an emergency through September 2028 if inflows continue at current rates.

Why it matters: The adjustment affects household and commercial outdoor water use and signals improving reservoir conditions for the county service area. The court said it would keep citizens informed if operators for Lake Corpus Christi or Choke Canyon change release schedules that could alter local supply conditions.