Floodwater from recent heavy rains has delayed Corpus Christi’s projected Level 1 Water Emergency by another year, pushing the estimated date from September 2027 to September 2028 as reservoir levels continue to recover.
Corpus Christi had been projected to become the first major U.S. city to face a shortage of water if drought conditions persisted.
The rainfall “gives us time to bring on our water supply projects without the stress of heading into a Level 1 water emergency,” City Manager Peter Zanoni said at a media briefing Monday.
The city remains under Stage 3 drought restrictions, which prohibit irrigation. If the combined water supply rises from the current 26 percent to above 30 percent, officials expect to move to Stage 2 restrictions, allowing residents to water their yards once every other week.
Choke Canyon Reservoir has climbed to 24 percent capacity, compared with 7 percent three months ago and 13 percent one year ago. Lake Corpus Christi has not seen recent increases, currently sitting at 32 percent, but the level is expected to rise in the coming weeks as floodwater inflows start arriving.
Even as water supplies recover, city officials are seeking temporary relief from an agreed order with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality requiring Corpus Christi to release water once reservoir levels reach 30 percent capacity. The releases are intended to mimic the natural flow of the Nueces River.
Zanoni said the city might further seek to permanently amend the agreement or raise the release threshold above 30 percent.
He also gave an update on the city’s water supply projects, saying the city has “to keep going because we’re going to be in drought again.”
Corpus Christi currently operates the Nueces Groundwater Program, which includes 27 wells, with three more under construction. Together, the wells can provide up to 13 million gallons of water per day when needed. The city also operates an effluent reuse program that supplies reclaimed water to industrial users, including Valero and Flint Hills Resources, reducing demand on the municipal water supply.
The city is also weighing construction of a seawater desalination plant.
In June, the city council delayed the vote on the project over concerns about cost and potential impacts on marine life. Gov. Greg Abbott has criticized the council for delaying despite receiving $800 million in state funding for the water supply project.
The vote is now set for September 1, 2026.
