engineer

developer ii

electrician

planner

park operations manager

Lower Colorado River Authority

After working in the private sector for a large tech company, LCRA was a nice change of pace initially. 
The work environment is seemingly more relaxed, however, deceptively rigid.   

- Change / improvement is slow and difficult to achieve / implement. 
    :: The explanation of why is usually “that’s just the way it’s always been done,” or “we’ve tried to convey why this change is critical, but it doesn’t matter if it’s logical and practical to implement a change because *leadership team of group x* won’t consider any changes. 
- Company processes and departmental structuring are vague in explanation and documentation form. 
      :: Finding an internal group and appropriate contact within the group is convoluted. The Company Directory provides vague, high level information about a singular employee - no links to their group information/what their team does, leadership team, or direct team members within the group. 
      :: You are encouraged to “ask around” regarding finding job related internal contacts and how to navigate complicated issues, however, everyone has a different approach and opinion of requirements for successful completion of tasks. The ambiguity in processes and gauges of success make performance expectations more difficult than necessary to achieve. 
- Drills in that the company values of “Healthy Work / Life Balance is Key” and “Family Comes First”, however does not provide sufficient support, resources, or flexibility to truly embody and apply these values to ALL of their employees.  

Typical day was overseeing multiple construction projects from Line Construction to Substation Construction with many disciplines such as Civil, Electrical and Control crews.Keeping crews motivated and hiring good employees and training the new ones. I learned the value of respecting each other. When you have that many people to work with to get projects done you must be honest and respected while also respecting your co-workers and your employees.The hardest part of the job was being micro-managed by upper management. The most enjoyable part of the job was the people and completing some of the most difficult jobs and making sure that safety was always at the forefront and being able to teach other employees the proper and safest way to complete the project and return to your families every time you come home.
I had no intention of retiring from LCRA after 37 years and was going for 40 years when ABB called. Loved working at LCRA, My Granddad and my Father both retired from there also.

I loved the work that I did at LCRA.  It was a a beautiful work environment, but favoritism runs rampant at LCRA.  The folks who work the hardest are the ones who are least appreciated and recognized. The favorites don't have to have a good work ethic. Everyone receives the same grade (3) during the yearly review.  No matter how hard you work or how poorly you work, you get the same grade.  If you receive a 3 you don't get a raise.  There is no incentive to do your best if you know everyone is graded the same.  You get a 4 on your 3rd year there which means you only receive a raise every 3 years and that raise is only 50 cents, so you don't feel like you've accomplished anything once  you are finally up for your raise.  
Temps are paid 50 cents less an hour than full timers.  If you are hired on permanently it doesn't feel like much of an accomplishment because your pay doesn't go up much at all.
It's also a good old boys' club, so women aren't taken seriously.  
Benefits were great, but pay and recognition for hard work are pathetic.  Not worth the heart ache. 

LCRA is purely the good old boy type of work environment. Nepotism at its finest.  There are no Black people in my district.  Company needs to deversify and hire according to experience not who is kin to whom.  
Hard work is expected but raises are doled out every 3 years no matter how hard working and loyal one is.  No cost of living raises are given so it feels like you are losing money every year instead of advancing.  Employees lower their retirment savings in order to survive, which is pathetic.
Management is out of touch with the day to day of their employees.  Thank you's and rewards are never given.  A little appreciation goes a long way.  Slow to reqard but quick to punish. 
Retailiation for anyone who bucks the system and asks for fair wages or disagrees with review process.
Many great employees leave because of overwork,  under pay and lack of raises.  
LCRA can and should do better.  

LCRA does not believe to hire within the Company. You apply for positions within LCRA but they seem to hire people with the lack of skills need for the Position. They hire people that know or related to employees working for LCRA. If they do hire with in its because of the Good ole Boy system. 

Work Environment at LCRA is not to bad they just have a issue holding certain employees to the standard and there is a huge lack of accountability. Employees Show up late  don't do the job to the standards set by guidelines and nothing happens. They pay people to get documentation up to date and it hasn't been updated since 2014! People are unable to put in vacation time do to not enough people to cover shifts but the hire 1000 Engineers and IT personnel. This place could be a Great place to work if the trim the fat of individuals that do not contribute anything to the company but collect that 40 + HR paycheck every 2 weeks.

Although company offers very competitive salary and benefits, my career as structural engineer has negatively been affected during the last 4 years. Their structural engineering staff is composed by pseudo engineers with a great talent as bureaucrats. They just need "sealers" to stamp copy-paste drawings. Their drafting techniques are very inaccurate. All the pseudo engineering relays on the judgment of a few old school spoiled drafters/designers just because they have been there for over 10 years. Your contributions are welcome by managers only if you are a member of the "spolied-favorite-boys and girls club". Money is dramatically wasted in committing huge engineering errors. My last month in this place.

LCRA is highly involved in the local community and often gives you a sense of purpose. That being said your ability to appreciate and take advantage of this depends on which part of the company you work in. There is definitely an uneven balance of work across the board with compensation often times reflecting balance. Culture is hit or miss depending on your department but the company does seem to actively try to improve in this area. Some are really happy...some departments not so much. Slow to make moves which often ends up costing high quality talent. With multiple similar companies in the city, LCRA doesn't set itself apart from others except for community involvement.

What is the best part of working at the company?
There is no good part of working for LCRA. Company management are dishonest and unfair. They do not have a training program and expect you to know how to do your job on your first day. This company is still operating like back in the 60's and 70's on the buddy buddy system. The plant is old and dirty and needs a major overhaul. I would not recommend anyone working for LCRA  in Lagrange Texas. 



What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Lack of training. Not sure what's going to happen one minute to the next. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Work environment is unstable. Not sure what your job is. 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Very stressful and disappointing.

LCRA is a great company to work for. Management, employees, safety programs, benefits are all at the top of anybodies list.
Typical work day at LCRA is to do your job to maintain equipment and own up to your responsibility as a employee. By doing this you are able to grow with the company in knowledge and friendships. A person will only make the job as hard as she or he want to make it. By working with others or by yourself you know that there is always someone you can count on in case you need some kind of support.
I hope this will help someone who might be having trouble adjusting to working conditions anywhere. Make the best of life and things will always come together.

My group alone had 11 people leave under the supervisor/manager alone, not the department, but my small group.  Rude manager, always looking out for themselves.  Upper management, directors and VP's are useless. They just take sides with what they are told by lower management.  Belittling by poor management.  No training, just pathetic poor leadership.  The GM is a good guy, but his management below him are useless.  This goes for Supply Management, as other parts of the company are ok, granted the entire company has very high turnover, which tells you something.  Stay away

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Engineer 2 salaries reported	$140,025 per year
Developer ii 3 salaries reported	$109,850 per year
Electrician 7 salaries reported	$40.25 per hour
Planner 1 salary reported	$108,550 per year
Park operations manager 6 salaries reported	$22.00 per hour

Working at Lower Colorado River Authority: Company Overview and Reviews

Lower Colorado River Authority

Lower Colorado River Authority Ratings

Popular jobs at Lower Colorado River Authority

Salary Satisfaction

Job Seeker Tools

Employer Tools

Browse

Stay Connected