Any of several naturally occurring, broad, shallow, roughly circular depressions of varying sizes and depths that serve as natural detention basins for Stormwater flows. Playa lakes typically hold water in the wet season and dry out during the dry season. There is a playa lake roughly every square mile inside Lubbock City Limits.

Playa lakes serve three functions: 

Wildlife

• First and foremost, they are areas rich in native plants and wildlife. Some of these animals, like the Canadian Geese, come from hundreds of miles away during the fall to relax on their way south for the winter. 

Recreation

• Secondly, playa lakes serve as focal points in many of Lubbock's neighborhood parks.

Drainage

• Finally, playa lakes provide the city with a natural, cost-effective means of storing stormwater. In ongoing studies, the playa lakes around the south plains are thought to be a source of recharge to the Ogallala aquifer.

We can all help to protect the environment by being cautious with what we do in our everyday lifestyles. The city encourages everybody to not litter. There are many things that are thrown out you may not realize are contaminating our playa lakes. Did you know:

• Discarded cigarette butts have over 4,000 chemicals that eventually end up in our playa lakes.
• Grass clippings have been known to absorb heavy metals and chemicals that when discarded and swept into streets eventually end up in our playa lakes.
• Car washes produce runoff that contains chemicals, heavy metals, and many forms of petroleum products that take a long time to degrade.
• Any organic material such as pet waste, food and even grass clippings has similar consequences.
• These contaminants eventually end up in the streets and gutters and find their way to local playa lakes, or storm drains which discharge into the Yellow House Canyon.

Trash that is carried off of the streets and into playa lakes has two main negative effects:

• First the debris occupies space in the lake and thus depletes available water storage space.
• Second, the waste begins to degrade, and in the process, release toxic chemicals and deplete oxygen in the lakes.
• Another contaminant in playa lakes is soil. The soils reduce the efficacy of the natural Randall clay beds of the lakes. Soils from construction sites and erosion on the banks of the lakes will reduce the available storage in the detention basins.
• Plant life serves as natures detoxifier. With an unhealthy lake, plant life dies off along the banks. Plant life cannot protect the lakes from litter and erosion if it cannot survive.

When we recycle we are making a conscious effort not to litter. This means we are doing our part to keep our trash out of the playa lakes. Plus when we recycle we slow down our demand for precious crude oil, wood products and metals. The transportation of these materials can always result in an accident which could further contaminate our playa lakes not to mention our sources of drinking water. The reduction in demand also helps the price of these products or any products they create.

In the case of Buster Long, as well as other properties around Lubbock, developers have taken advantage of cheaper land that is subject to flooding. In other words, they have developed land that would otherwise be of no commercial value because it lies below high water elevations. Developers use this cheap land to build such things as parking lots, playgrounds, or golf courses. These structures then spend a small part of a typical year under some water because they are actually built on part of the playa lake bed. Businesses are made aware of such conditions and have made the decision to build at these locations because the site is free of water for most of the year. Such encroachment on the lakes is accepted by the City because it allows use of land that would otherwise not be used.

The City of Lubbock is located in an area with a series of natural depressions and drainage patterns that collect and distribute storm water. These natural formations are called playa lakes. As the playa lakes accumulate water and fill up, they drain down stream to the next lake. In an event of a very large rain event, this pattern would continue until the water would eventually end up at the canyon. As the city grows, these drainage patterns are maintained as private developers and city engineers design to continue the natural surface draining of storm water. Therefore, streets serve a conveyance for Storm Water as part of the plan to retain the natural drainage patterns. The streets are designed to function as part of the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4). They quickly fill with water and quickly pass the water on to the natural playa lake. If you notice, the streets generally clear up with in 30 to 40 minutes after a rain event.

The City of Lubbock's major receiving body of water is designated as the canyon located at the northeastern part of the city. Most new developments as well as the general growth of Lubbock is to the southwest. Engineering, geographic distance to the canyon and especially economic factors make storm sewers a challenge for these newer developments. Historically, residents of Lubbock have chosen to stay with the present day method, the less expensive surface storm drainage to the playa lakes.

There are none. Typically, areas of new development utilize the streets and gutters as a means of conveyance for storm water. However, should a situation arise in which it becomes necessary or favorable for an entity to connect to a City of Lubbock storm sewer, the issue will be reviewed on a case by case basis.

Yes. The City, in compliance with the current City of Lubbock's Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permit administered by the TCEQ, monitors five storm water vaults. The vaults are located downstream of the playa lake systems. Therefore, analysis of samples obtained from the vaults measures playa lake water quality.

No. Most of the playa lakes are owned by private citizens. A storm water storage easement is now required on lakes as they are developed.

Yes. For rate schedules, click here.

Only those playa lakes that are dedicated as City Parks will be developed as such.

Dedication is the process by which a citizen of the community either allows for the use of, or donates his or her land for a specific municipal purpose.