2007
Full in 2007		 July 29, 2009
July 29, 2009
August 22, 2009
August 22, 2009		 October 25, 2009
October 25, 2009
14 November 2009
End of Drought: November 14, 2009

Purola Lake Drying during the Drought of 2009, March 22 to August 31
Upper Deadman's Creek, N. Hays County

by Bob Harms ()
One of the clearest benchmarks for the severity of the drought of 2008–2009 is Purola Lake, a 25+ acre tank in N. Hays County. In 2009 the level was lower than ever before. Old timers in the area say that the 2009 drought is worse than that of the 1950s, often used as a reference point for severe drought in Central Texas. In 2006 the lake level was lower than we had seen it in our 32 years at Purola Preserve. But 2007 was a very wet year and the tank filled to capacity. Without the rains of 2007 the drought of 2008–2009 would have been even worse.

Comparison of photos from November 2006 and spring 2009 show that a lower level in 2009 was reached by late April/early May.


26 November 2006 26 November 2006
15 April 2009 15 April 2009
15 May 2009 15 May 2009
The lowering of lake water levels continued through August 31, 2009, when the lowest level ever recorded was reached. These are documented below, with more detail on pages that the frames below link to.
[Clicking within a red box will open a page with detailed views showing the progression of drying in that area during the indicated period.]
March — April
 May
June
 July 1 — July 12
Yellow box shows area focus for July 15—August 16
July 15 — August 16
Yellow box shows area focus for July 1—July12
 August 16 — August 31
Yellow box shows area focus for July 15 — August 16