The fire on Hilliard Road this past Saturday and Sunday caused me to consider the plight that we are presently in.
I suppose that the amount of water it took to put out this recent fire is calculable; however, this report will never be published, it never is.
It is very obvious that we are in a drought and have been for several years.
Out west the drought has been devastating to the indigenous people that live there, the Navajo and Hopi in particular. The state of Arizona is systematically starving the First Americans by denying them water. A major cause of their water shortage is urbanization, just too many people for the amount of water available. But I am not writing to you about the plight of the American Indians of Arizona. I am writing to you about the plight of the Americans that live in Hays County, Texas. Our water is not infinite but rather finite. Meaning we can determine how much water is in our aquifer.
Our water source is the Edwards Aquifer and this water source is presently at below the historical average of six hundred and sixty feet (660 feet). The last reporting of the Edwards Aquifer is at 628 feet. When the water level reaches six hundred thirty feet, Stage Four water restrictions will be put in place. That level has been reached and we are now in Stage 4. Stage 5 is next. The aquifer is not expected to recover soon because this area is expected to stay in the present drought.
So, I ask you, can we continue to build and plan to build subdivisions such as those that are being built on Ranch Road 12, Hunter Road and the outskirts of Martindale? When will our elected officials realize we, too, can go begging for water?
Ed McCaskill San Marcos
