CENTRAL TEXAS (FOX 44/KWKT) — Lake levels across Central Texas are finally up after a long and grueling summer drought.

As we enter a cool and wet fall to winter season, Bell County WCID 1 General Manager Ricky Garret says we can expect those conditions for our lakes in the months to come.

“Rain was a great help for the Bell County Lakes. Lake Belton came up a few feet. We’ll be looking for a little more rain before we get out of Stage 2. A little more stability in the system.”

Garret hopes to see a better flow cycle for both creeks and lakes in Bell County.

In Waco, water restrictions have been lifted as the lake hit 100 percent capacity, but Senior Public Information and Communication Specialist Jessica Emmett- Sellers is still encouraging water conservation efforts.

“We’re no longer in Stage Two water restrictions. Great news, right? But it is important for people to continue to conserve water year-round. We know that’s not the last hot summer we’re going to see. Right? So we want to make sure that people are being mindful about their water usage.”

Both Garret and Emmett-Sellers say heavy rains at the end of a drought are not uncommon. Garrett says this cycle is called El Niño.

“We go through these cycles and they are very real, that El Niño effect and the La Niña, or drought effect. And it’s happened quite a bit. A drought, a La Niña cycle, ends with a kind of a flash flood event like we had last week,” says Garrett.

Lake Levels:

WACO — CURRENT;  465.32   NORMAL 462

STILLHOUSE HOLLOW — (STILL LOW) CURRENT:  605   NORMAL  622

BELTON — CURRENT: 578.48   NORMAL: 594