Utility staff warns of drought pressure while noting strong El Niño prospects

Rick Schafer provided the board a water system update that highlighted recent dry conditions, increased demand during heat waves and a seasonal forecast that could bring wetter-than-normal conditions later this year.

Schafer said Weatherford enacted Stage 1 drought restrictions Aug. 10 and is currently pumping "approximately 5,000,000 gallons per day" from Lake Benbrook to take advantage of tier-1 free water under existing contracts. He described projections showing a strong El Niño and said models indicate the potential for lake-level increases later in the fall and winter, but emphasized the need to conserve now and to be prepared for short-term operations: "At that point, my intent would be to turn on a 2nd pump, to maintain those lake levels," he said, describing operational triggers tied to lake elevation thresholds.

Schafer recommended continued monitoring and said staff will adjust pumping and operations as lake elevations and forecast conditions evolve. No action was required of the board beyond receipt of the report.