In Lakeway, the rules on where a boat dock may sit depend on a single number LCRA reports for Mansfield Dam. When Lake Travis is below 670 feet above mean sea level, the city's dock placement rules are suspended. When the lake is above 670 feet, they apply in full. On October 18, 2026, LCRA's River Operations Report put Lake Travis at 677.59 feet. The rules are back in force, and many of the docks along Lakeway's coves were last placed under the exception.
That makes the dock one of the least settled parts of a Lakeway waterfront purchase. The structure may be sound and the boat may fit. Where the dock sits, and whether it is allowed to sit there now, is a separate question.
The switch written into Lakeway's code
Lakeway Code §24.02.446 requires a city permit to "construct, reconstruct, replace, or install a boat dock," and it counts swim docks as boat docks. The section then sets three placement rules. Anchors, docks and ramps must stay within the area formed by extending the side property lines into the lake. Where a lot's ownership runs into the water, the dock must sit over the owner's property only. Docks must be positioned so boats can reach the slips "without intruding in front of the adjoining lots." And every dock must leave reasonable ingress and egress so each owner can get onto and off the lake.
Subsection (b)(4) is the switch:
"Whenever the mean sea level elevation of Lake Travis is less than 670 feet, the requirements in subsections (1), (2), and (3) above are suspended. Boat docks may be repositioned within the same cove as permitted, as long as permission is obtained from the person owning the property over which the dock is to be located."
The exception has limits. It does not let anyone put a dock over or attach it to another owner's property without permission, and a repositioned dock may not block access to another dock. Within those limits, the low-water version of the rule is flexible. The high-water version follows the property lines.
How long the exception was in effect
LCRA's monthly records from Mansfield Dam show how much of the recent past fell on the low side of that line.
| Period | What LCRA's monthly records show | Which placement rules applied |
|---|---|---|
| July 2020 through June 2025 | Monthly averages below 670 ft every month; lowest monthly minimum 626.90 ft in October 2023 | Exception generally in effect |
| July to October 2025 | July maximum of 675.47 ft after the flood-driven rise; monthly averages above 670 in August, September and October | Rules back in force for much of the period |
| November 2025 through May 2026 | Monthly maximums below 670 ft, falling as low as 664.19 ft in April | Exception in effect again |
| June 2026 | Minimum of 669.75 ft, maximum of 672.87 ft | Lake crossed the line during the month |
| July and August 2026 | July minimum of 671.21 ft and maximum of 684.96 ft; August minimum of 678.40 ft | Rules in force |
| October 18, 2026 | 677.59 ft | Rules in force |
These are monthly figures, so they don't give the exact day the lake crossed 670 in either direction. The pattern is still clear enough. For about five years, a Lakeway dock owner who followed the water out into a cove was working under the suspended version of the rule. Late 2025 brought a short return to the full rules. Then the lake dropped again through the winter and spring. The lake crossed back over in June 2026, and since July its monthly readings have stayed above the line.
LCRA describes the scale of what that refill moved. Its July 17, 2025 release said Lake Travis had risen more than 36 feet since the morning of Friday, July 4. Community Impact reported that the lake went from 43% to 90% full in one month. In the same article, Hurst Harbor Marina general manager Nick Shepherd said staff were moving docks back to the private Lakeway marina for the first time in three years. A marina can do that with its own staff and its own water. A private owner whose dock drifted, broke loose or sat several lots down a cove for years has a harder problem.
Why a drought-era dock position needs checking
LCRA has its own placement rules that sit on top of Lakeway's. On Lake Travis, a residential dock may extend no more than 100 feet from the shoreline. LCRA defines the shoreline as "wherever the water meets the land," and the limit applies even when the lake is low. LCRA also says anchors and docks should be placed only over property the dock owner owns, leases or controls. It warns owners who move docks to follow receding water not to end up over someone else's property.
So a dock walked out through 2022 and 2023, as the lake dropped toward its October 2023 low, could have moved a long way from its original position. When the water came back, the shoreline moved with it. The 100-foot limit then measures from a very different line, and Lakeway's side-lot-line rule applies again.
LCRA's frequently asked questions state that "owning lakefront property does not automatically entitle you to build a dock." An owner has to confirm ownership of the submerged land through recorded deeds, or get permission from whoever owns it. LCRA adds that most land along the shoreline and under the lake surface is privately owned. The permission that allowed a low-water position under Lakeway's exception came from a specific owner at a specific time. A buyer should learn whether it was ever written down.
The city has shown that dock location gets enforced. Lakeway's July 11, 2025 newsletter reported that city council directed staff to remove docks and other structures sitting on city property at Rebel and Sailfish Parks, about six docks in all.
When a repair becomes a permitted rebuild
A dock that needs moving often needs work as well. KXAN reported on July 8, 2025 that crews were pulling trash, debris and swept-away docks out of Lake Travis. Dependable Docks workers Carl Muennink and Robert Lesko told the station they had more than 200 docks to restore.
The line between maintenance and a rebuild matters, because each side brings different rules. LCRA's Safety Standards for Residential Docks treat a change to a dock's location, configuration, structure or substructure as a "Modification," and routine maintenance and repairs are excluded. When a dock's structures and flotation are replaced entirely, the standards require encased flotation and prohibit metal barrels or drums as new or replacement flotation. On the city side, any reconstruction or replacement needs a Lakeway permit, which the city's fee schedule lists at $250 for a private dock. Once a project needs a permit, the city reviews it against the placement rules that apply at today's lake level.
Size matters too. Lakeway caps docks that are not on the main channel of the lake at 1,000 square feet. LCRA requires no permit, registration or fee for a residential dock of 1,500 square feet or less. Floating docks larger than that fall under LCRA's marina ordinance and need a marina permit. A large dock in a cove can be under LCRA's threshold and still over Lakeway's.
From a construction standpoint, the city's equipment rules are the quickest field test of whether a dock has been kept up. Under §24.02.446(d):
- Covered docks must carry their own fire extinguisher, separate from any on a boat.
- Wiring between floating sections and the supply conductors must stay flexible so moving water and changing levels don't create unsafe conditions.
- New or renovated docks must use encased flotation that is kept free of vegetation.
- Docks that could be a navigation hazard must be lit from sunset to sunrise.
- The house number must be displayed on the dock, visible from the lake, at least four inches tall and reflective.
Rigid wiring on a dock that has ridden a swing of more than 50 feet in lake level is worth noting at a showing.
What to settle before the option period ends
For a buyer, this works out to a short list of documents and measurements. Ask for the dock's city permit history and any repair invoices. Get a survey showing the side property lines extended into the lake, along with the dock and its anchors. Check recorded deeds for who owns the submerged land under the dock and any written permission from that owner. Confirm the dock's square footage against both the 1,000-square-foot city cap and the 1,500-square-foot LCRA threshold.
LCRA also says dock owners must follow local and property-owner-association rules even where those are stricter than its own. For a seller, gathering the same file before listing answers these questions before a buyer's inspector raises them.
A few common questions
Does an LCRA dock permit transfer when the house sells?
For a standard residential dock of 1,500 square feet or less, there is no LCRA permit to transfer, because LCRA doesn't require one. Lakeway's city permit is a separate requirement for construction, reconstruction and replacement.
Does LCRA inspect private docks every year?
No. LCRA does not require annual dock inspections. It may inspect after a report, a complaint, a suspected violation or a request from the owner, and it can issue a violation notice. LCRA also states that dock owners are responsible for damage caused when their docks break loose or wash away.
Is 670 feet the same as a full lake?
No. LCRA calls 681 feet msl full for water supply purposes. The 670-foot figure is Lakeway's own trigger for the dock exception. At 677.59 feet on October 18, 2026, the lake was below full and above the trigger.
This post is general information, not legal advice. Questions about a specific parcel's boundaries, submerged-land title or permit status belong with a surveyor, a title company or a real estate attorney.
If you're weighing a waterfront home in Lakeway, Allen Auth can walk the dock with you, check its flotation, anchoring and wiring, and help you collect the permit and survey records before your option period closes. Let's Connect.
