Area lakes are slightly below maximum capacity levels as Fort Worth-Dallas experiences drier than normal conditions, but climate patterns forecast rain later this year is expected to level out waterways.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, North Texas reservoirs are a few feet below their conservation levels<\/a> \u2014 the amount of water the Tarrant Regional Water District is permitted to store in its waterways \u2014 according to the agency\u2019s latest data. That includes the Richland-Chambers and Cedar Creek reservoirs in East Texas, which collectively supply 80% of Tarrant County\u2019s water<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Richland-Chambers Reservoir is at about 2 feet below, and the Cedar Creek Reservoir is measured at about 5 feet below conservation levels, data<\/a> shows.<\/p>\n In turn, the Trinity River currently holds less water as a lower volume of supplies from reservoirs is being discharged into the waterway, which also serves Fort Worth as a floodway.<\/p>\n A combination of factors are driving lower levels in North Texas-owned reservoirs, said Zach Huff, water resources engineering director for the district.<\/p>\n It\u2019s typical for the region to see lower lake levels this time of year due to increased demands, dry conditions and evaporation, Huff said.<\/p>\n The latest data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows Tarrant County is experiencing abnormally dry conditions. North Texas last experienced measurable rainfall<\/a> in mid-July, when over 2 inches of rain were recorded in the region, according to data from the National Weather Service.\u00a0<\/p>\n Although the region has seen little rainfall in the past two months, the water district\u2019s capacity to pump water from its lakes is not inhibited, Huff said. The agency\u2019s lakes\u00a0\u2014 which provide water to 2.5 million people across 11 counties in North Texas \u2014 are at 90% of their total capacity, according to Huff.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is pretty typical of what we\u2019ve seen through the years,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n The region has seen 23 days when temperatures reached triple digits so far this year, according to the latest data, with more forecast through this week<\/a>. Last year, North Texas saw significantly fewer days when temperatures hit or exceeded 100 degrees<\/a>, totaling seven days in 2025, NWS data shows.<\/p>\n There\u2019s a 40% to 50% chance that Fort Worth and surrounding cities will see above normal temperatures<\/a> through October, according to the NWS\u2019s latest three-month forecast.<\/p>\n The average high for this time of year is 96 degrees, NWS meteorologist Daniel Fenske said.<\/p>\n The three-month forecast also shows a 33% to 40% probability that North Texas will see below normal rainfall<\/a>. The region\u2019s average rainfall for August is 2 inches, Fenske said.\u00a0<\/p>\n North Texas\u2019 dry conditions and lack of rain are caused by a mid-level high-pressure system, or the heat dome effect<\/a>, Fenske said.<\/p>\n Heat domes are defined as the presence of extreme heat lingering over a region for an extended period. The weather phenomenon traps hot air and prevents precipitation, Fenske explained.<\/p>\n North Texas is part of many regions across the globe this year experiencing heat domes, which strain water supplies<\/a> and exacerbate wildfires.<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n Rainfall as a result of El Ni\u00f1o and lower temperatures later this year will help stabilize the region\u2019s lake levels, Huff added.\u00a0<\/p>\n A \u201csuper El Ni\u00f1o,\u201d a global weather phenomenon caused by an accumulation of warm water and winds from the Pacific, is forecast to hit Texas. This is forecast to bring wetter and cooler conditions<\/a> to the state this winter.<\/p>\n Nicole Lopez is the environment reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at nicole.lopez@fortworthreport.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Report\u2019s environment coverage is supported by the Marilyn Brachman Hoffman Foundation.\u00a0<\/p>\n