LAREDO, TX. (KGNS) - The equipment has arrived in Zapata that will help bring more water to the community.

This past week, long reach excavators were brought in to start the dredging of Falcon Lake.

Zapata County Judge Joe Rathmell says the lake did rise by about two feet with last week’s rain, but it was not enough.

Once the proper permit is approved, dredging will begin at the Siesta Shores Water Control and Improvement District which services between 1800 and 2000 residents.

“There is a process IBWC is working with Army Corps of Engineers to secure a permit to allow the dredging to occur on the lake and that process should take approximately three weeks. It’s what officials from IBWC stated so I think within three weeks to a month, we should hopefully see work begin on that dredging project on the Falcon reservoir”, said Rathmell.

The lake is current only 11.6 percent full, according to the Texas Water Development Board.

Rathmell says the county is undergoing conservation efforts but will not fill up to normal levels without a good amount of rain.

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