Weekend regulars at Medina Lake are watching their favorite Hill Country reservoir shrivel, as water managers tighten the screws on use while the lake creeps back toward the dreaded "dead pool" mark. What was once a go-to spot for boaters and irrigators is now running on fumes, and the next few months are likely to feel it.
Where the levels stand
Current readings put Medina Lake at about 978.57 feet above sea level, only around 4.4 percent of its conservation storage, and roughly 86 feet below full pool. At that razor-thin margin, routine diversions and downstream flow hang in the balance without a solid shot of rainfall, according to the Texas Water Development Board.
Districts tighten the taps
The Bexar-Medina-Atascosa Counties Water Control and Improvement District No. 1 has flipped to a "Stage 4 Water Shortage" and, in a February 3 public notice, outlined deep cuts to irrigation and municipal deliveries. The district stresses that diversion gates and delivery schedules are now tightly limited to prioritize essential uses, per BMA WCID No. 1.
Upstream, Bandera County's River Authority & Groundwater District followed suit with "Severe Drought Restrictions" on February 5, urging residents to pull back on well pumping and nonessential outdoor watering. Those rules are part of a broader set of drought responses across the watershed, according to the Bandera County River Authority & Groundwater District.
What hitting 'dead pool' looks like
Medina Lake briefly dropped to "dead pool" in April 2025, the point where the reservoir can no longer send water downstream. Officials warn it could slide back toward that threshold again if the dry pattern holds. As MySA reported, Bandera County River Authority general manager Dave Mauck put it bluntly: "it's just been so dry for so long," a grim summary of the prolonged strain that dragged the lake to record lows last year.
High local stakes, thorny politics
Beyond weekend recreation, irrigators and some municipal customers depend on what little water still moves through the system. The crunch has also revived long-standing political and legal headaches, including the San Antonio Water System's contract with the district that requires payments even when no water can be delivered. Reporting by the Express-News details how those financial and legal tangles complicate an already stark supply problem.
For now, local leaders say conservation and cautious pumping are the only tools on the table until meaningful runoff or storms show up. With Stage 4 restrictions in place, residents and businesses around Medina Lake should brace for tight water limits into the spring, unless the Hill Country finally gets a soaking.
