After a week of no recreational boating on the Highland Lakes, the Lower Colorado River Authority has reported opening four lakes (Lakes Travis, Lake Marble Falls, Inks Lake and Lake LBJ) this past weekend

According to the LCRA, inflows to the Highland Lakes are decreasing. All floodgates are closed at Lake Buchanan.

Water flows continue to be strong across the Highland Lakes, so LCRA officials warn boaters and swimmers to use caution as there could be debris and submerged objects.

Picnic benches, lawn chairs and other debris swept into Central Texas waterways prompted the Lower Colorado River Authority to close Lake Travis and other Highland Lakes to boating until further notice.

At Mansfield Dam Park, some of the benches, barbecue pits and other amenities were submerged, as was part of the concrete boat ramp. Similar objects were washed out of yards along the lakes and its tributaries during additional rains last week. Some are now submerged just below the surface of Lake Travis making boating potentially dangerous.

Lake Travis, a year ago, was about 50 feet lower. So much of its limestone banks were exposed that people were finding objects from as far back as the 1970s. (John) Hofmann, LCRA, said such dramatic changes are part of life in the region.

“To the people who get surprised by what we’ve seen over the past 12 months, welcome to Central Texas,” he said.