Stage 1 Drought Contingency Plan Activated for City of Brenham

Posted 03-31-2026 - Due to the static water level at Lake Somerville reaching 234.8 feet or below, the City of Brenham has officially implemented Stage 1 of the City’s Drought Contingency Plan. This action also aligns with the Brazos River Authority (BRA) implementing Stage 1 – Drought Watch Condition for Lake Somerville.

Residents and businesses are strongly encouraged to help conserve water by following these guidelines:

Voluntary Outdoor Watering Schedule:

Even-numbered addresses (0, 2, 4, 6, 8): Sundays & Thursdays
Odd-numbered addresses (1, 3, 5, 7, 9): Saturdays & Wednesdays

Watering hours:

Midnight – 10:00 a.m.
8:00 p.m. – Midnight

The City will follow stricter internal conservation measures aligned with Stage 2 requirements. The Splash Pad will operate on reduced hours. Hohlt Park will remain under Stage 1 conditions.

While these restrictions are voluntary, your participation is critical in protecting our shared water supply. Taking action now helps prevent more severe restrictions in the future.

For more information, please contact the City of Brenham Public Utilities Department.

This page will be updated as more information is available.

Conservation tips and techniques:

Run the dishwasher only when full. This practice will save water, energy, detergent, and money. If your machine has a quick wash or light duty setting, use it! *Be sure to add detergent to the pre-wash section of the dispenser.

Turn off the water while you are shaving. Fill the sink with an inch of hot water instead of letting the water run continuously.

Prevent evaporation of water. Water lawns early in the morning. Never water on windy days. Use drip irrigation systems for bedded plants, trees, or shrubs and use low-angle sprinklers for lawns. Cover pools and spas. This can save the equivalent of your pool volume each year!

Drought Data: Texas Water Development Board

BRA Drought Severity Triggers for Lake Somerville¹

Status	Surface Elevation	Water Storage	Reservoir Drawdown
	(ft msl)	(acre-feet)	(ft)
Top of Conservation (full)	238	150,293	0
Stage 1 Drought Watch	234.9	117,229	3.1
Stage 2 Drought Warning	231.8	88,673	6.2
Stage 3 Drought Emergency	228.2	60,117	9.8
Stage 4 Pro-rata Curtailment	223.9	30,059	14.8

¹Triggers were derived using a water availability tool specifically developed to simulate the BRA water supply system. Assumptions for developing the triggers include:

Estimated year 2030 sedimentation conditions and 2030 demands;
Previous 3 year (2015 through 2017) average return flows;
Operation of Lake Whitney hydropower;
Excluded water rights above Possum Kingdom Lake; and
included required environmental flow releases and assumed leakage through the dams

Table from the BRA Drought Contingency Plan

Current Somerville Lake Level