City lowers Lake Houston water level 18 inches below full pool

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- As Texans continue to prepare ahead of Hurricane Laura's landfall, the City of Houston is also making its own preparations and is working to lower the water level of Lake Houston.

In a release from the city, Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin made residents aware that Houston Public Works will initiate the temporary lowering of the lake.

According to Martin, the decision was made in precaution with the fast changing nature of Hurricane Laura. Lake Houston will be lowered to 41 feet, which is 18 inches below full pool.

Ahead of Laura's landfall, it is predicted that the storm will bring two to four inches of rain to the Lake Houston area over a six day period, with isolated incidents of six inches of rainfall possible. These rainfall amounts exceed the three inch trigger to lower Lake Houston.

Once the inclement weather threat has moved out of our area, the lake will be allowed to naturally refill due to runoff from the rain event. Some fluctuations in the lake level while lowering can be attributed to high winds.

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The video above is from a previous story.