A lot has occurred in the 75 years the Lower Colorado River Authority has worked as steward of the lower Colorado river basin. The authority has commemmorated those 75 years in an online timeline showcasing some of the bigger events that have helped mold the authority into what it is today. LCRA Senior Communication Specialist John Williams spoke with the LOG on the historical timeline, an outlook on the future of LCRA and the importance of knowing its history.

Q: Why did LCRA feel it was important to put together this multimedia package online for the public?
Williams: LCRA has a great story to tell about our 75-year history of public service to the people of Texas.  Not only that – we also have a wealth of photos, films and videos, and other materials to help tell that story. So we have assembled an online history center on our Web site at www.lcra.org/75 that you can access any time day or night from your computer. The center includes a timeline of photos and videos, as well as other photo, video and news features that help tell the LCRA story. We plan to add new items during the rest of this year.

LOG: What do you think are some of the more important things for the public to take away from the 75-year perspective?
Williams: The most important perspective is that LCRA has remained true to the charge in its enabling legislation to be a good steward in protecting, preserving and developing the resources of the lower Colorado River basin for the benefit of the people of Texas. A second important point is that, even with the various cycles of floods and droughts and economic expansions and recessions, LCRA has been a constant, dependable and stable servant for this region. That is a role we plan to continue.

LOG: What is LCRA most proud of accomplishing in its 75-year history?
Williams: We are very proud that we were able to tackle a resource like the Colorado River, which could be very unreliable and destructive, and put it to work for the good of the communities in our basin. We continue to have cycles of floods and droughts that still pose problems, but we have minimized the most catastrophic extremes of those cycles. In the process, we developed a reliable water supply, we brought public power to rural Central Texas and we helped make possible a quality of life that has made this region one of the most desirable places to live in the nation.

LOG: How did LCRA go about putting together the commemorative quilt? Who sewed it?
Williams: An employee committee that planned our 75th anniversary observation came up with the idea for a commemorative quilt as a unique way to tell LCRA’s story. The quilt contains 54 historical and current photos, including LCRA’s past and current “logos,” as well as special messages from seven individuals with important ties to LCRA. In developing the idea for the quilt, the committee found two LCRA employees with extensive experience in quiltmaking. Gaylon Finklea Hecker designed the format and look of the quilt, down to the colors and patterns of the fabric. Loretto Geffert Martin assembled the pieces and applied the quilting pattern to create the 7- by 12-foot masterpiece.

LOG: How has growth over the years in the region affected LCRA and its mission?
Williams: It has affected us in several ways. In one sense, as our customers’ needs for our services have grown we have had to build or acquire additional facilities to meet those needs, such as new generating plants to meet the growing need for electricity. In other ways, growth has created issues, like water quality and other environmental issues, that the original leaders of LCRA did not envision 75 years ago. But we still need to deal with those issues, as they tie back to our original mission of protecting and preserving the resources of the lower Colorado River basin.

LOG: What are a few future goals for the LCRA?
Williams: Two major goals are to continue to meet our customers’ long-term water and energy needs. LCRA is developing a Water Supply Resource Plan that will serve as a “road map” for meeting the basin’s water needs through the rest of this century. We also are planning a similar long-term plan for our generation resources that will allow us continue to meet our customers’ electric needs while anticipating major changes in federal or state policies.  We want to continue practicing effective energy and conservation measures to “stretch” our resources and be a good leader. And we want to continue to be good stewards to our customers and deliver our services at the lowest possible cost.

LOG: What’s in store for the next 75 years of LCRA?
Williams: I think LCRA’s next 75 years might be a lot like our first 75. We will continue to be faced with challenges in managing the lower Colorado River basin and other resources to meet our customers’ needs. Some of the issues and people involved may change, but in the end our responsibility is to continue to provide the energy, water and community services that our customers need and want.