Austin starts new water limits on irrigation as summer heat intensifies to dangerous levels

Austin began new water restrictions Monday, the same day the National Weather Service issued a heat advisory for the region to warn residents about an increased risk of heat-related illnesses because of triple-digit temperatures.

With the volume of water stored in lakes Travis and Buchanan on Monday at about 1.38 million acre-feet and dropping, the city of Austin initiated new water usage rules for residents.

"Austin’s Drought Contingency Plan sets a trigger at this storage level at which the city manager may order the implementation of Stage 1 conservation measures," the city said in a statement May 27, when water storage levels neared the 1.4 million acre-feet threshold.

More: Want your garden to survive Texas freezes, floods, heat, droughts? What to plant and when

Under Stage 1 restrictions, watering via automatic irrigation systems is reduced to 13 hours, from midnight to 8 a.m. and from 7 p.m. to midnight.

Previous watering restrictions under Conservation Stage, the lowest stage of the Water Conservation Code, remain unchanged, including:

• A once-a-week automatic irrigation watering schedule for residents and businesses: Wednesday for odd-numbered home addresses, Thursday for even home addresses, Tuesday for even business addresses, Friday for odd business addresses.

• A twice-a-week hose-end irrigation watering schedule for residents: Thursday and Sunday for homes with even addresses, Wednesday and Saturday for homes with odd addresses.

• Once-a-week hose-end sprinklers for businesses: Tuesday for even addresses and Friday for odd addresses.

• Businesses limiting the use of patio misters to between 4 p.m. and midnight.

Commercial car washes may operate normally, and residents may wash their vehicles with a bucket and/or an automatic shut-off nozzle, the city said.

"The only change between Conservation Stage and Stage 1 is the reduction of automatic irrigation watering hours," interim Water Director Robert Goode said. "Watering only in the early morning or late evening hours, when temperatures are coolest, will help reduce unnecessary water loss through evaporation, and that continues to support Austin’s water conservation efforts.”

Heat safety: Use hydration, common sense to protect yourself from Central Texas heat

What's the latest drought status?

Data last week from the U.S. Drought Monitor, a consortium of academic and government researchers, show the Austin metro area's five counties — Travis, Williamson, Hays, Bastrop and Caldwell — experiencing conditions from abnormally dry to extreme drought.

Although the portion of the state affected by drought decreased slightly from 87.1% the previous week to about 85.9%, the area of exceptional drought — the most severe level of drought — sits just outside the western borders of Williamson, Travis and Hays counties.

Exceptional drought — typified by crop loss and extreme sensitivity to fire danger — eased from 22% of the state the previous week to about 17.9%.

Sun protection: Ready for summer? Get checked for skin cancer and find the right sunscreen

What's the weather going to be like?

We will get more of what we saw Monday, which included a heat advisory for the Austin metro area. According to the National Weather Service, heat advisories are issued within 12 hours of the onset of these conditions:

• Heat index of at least 105 degrees but less than 115 degrees for less than three hours a day.

• Nighttime lows above 80 degrees for two consecutive days.

"Heat advisories or special weather statements are likely to be issued for parts of the local area the next several days with heat safety messaging," the weather service said in a bulletin Monday.

The weather service's extended outlook for Austin calls for triple-digit temperatures all week and into the weekend. It won't just be the heat that could be dangerous — it's the humidity, too.

Humid days can alter our perception of outdoor heat by making everything feel hotter. The body cools itself through the evaporation of sweat from our skin, but evaporation isn’t as effective when there’s too much moisture in the air.

Temperatures on Tuesday in Austin could soar to 101, with a heat index value or a "feels like" temperature of 104, forecasters said.

Wednesday, similarly, could see temperatures as high as 102 amid gusty south winds. The swelter is set to continue in Austin on Thursday with a high of 101 and Friday with a high of 103.

Sunshine and oppressive heat will be on tap Saturday and Sunday with maximum temperatures of 104 degrees.

How can I be safe in the sun?

Stay hydrated, take breaks in the shade or air conditioning, and wear sunscreen when spending time outside.

Watch out for dizziness, headaches, nausea and fainting. Before heat stroke occurs, there’s confusion or an altered mental state and a rapid, strong pulse as blood flow from the brain drops.

Don’t ever leave children or pets inside a car in extreme heat. Even if it’s only 80 degrees outside, interior temperatures can soar to deadly levels in less than 30 minutes, forecasters say.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin starts new water limits as heat intensifies to dangerous levels