EDWARDS AQUIFER AUTHORITY
The Edwards Aquifer Authority has declared Stage 4 Critical Period Management for Edwards groundwater permit holders in the San Antonio Pool of the EAA’s jurisdiction, which includes Atascosa, Bexar, Caldwell, Comal, Guadalupe, Hays and Medina counties. The increase in restrictions is based on declining aquifer conditions; however, the San Marcos Springs flow was still strong enough for it not to be the cause of the increased restrictions.
As of Friday, the tenday average at the J-17 index well is 629.7 feet above mean sea level, which triggered an increase in the EAA Critical Period Management Plan to Stage 4. Additionally, the Comal Springs tenday rolling average was 99 cubic feet per second, which is within the Stage 4 threshold. Lastly, the San Marcos Springs was above all stages at 106 cubic feet per second. Each well or spring has specific measures as to when it would trigger an increase in drought measures. The San Marcos Springs does not trigger Stage 1 restrictions until it falls below a ten-day rolling average of 96.
The city of San Marcos has its own set of trigger points for drought restrictions. As of Monday, the city of San Marcos was still in Stage 2. The city’s new drought ordinance, passed in April, only has three stages of restrictions with Stage 3 being the most severe. According to the city, the change was made “to reduce the need for abrupt fluctuations between drought stages in response to the city’s increase in water sources. Because of the new ordinance, if the EAA changes their drought stage it does not mean the city will reflect that change.”
However, the city’s new ordinance still includes EAA. According to the ordinance, the Director of San Marcos Texas Utilities reports water supply conditions on a daily ba- sis to the city manager including Edwards Aquifer levels, Canyon Lake levels, ARWA and CRWA supplies, and availability of other ground and surface water sources.
For the EAA, Stage 4 for the San Antonio Pool reduces the annual authorized withdrawal amounts available to affected Edwards groundwater permit holders by 40 percent. These reductions apply to all Edwards Aquifer groundwater permit holders authorized to pump more than three acre-feet annually. This includes industrial and agricultural users, as well as water utilities authorized to pump water from the Edwards Aquifer for delivery to its respective customers. All affected permit holders must also report their pumping totals to the EAA on a monthly basis.
Residents and businesses within those counties who receive their water from a public water system should follow their respective water provider's directives regarding water use practices. It should be noted that the EAA does not enforce lawn watering activities or other general water limitations beyond the curtailment of withdrawals from the Edwards Aquifer. Any enforcement of such activities or limitations is enforced by a municipality. The EAA does not regulate the general public, but instead regulates Edwards well owners with withdrawal permits authorizing their right to pump from the aquifer.
The EAA is a groundwater conservation district that manages, enhances and protects the Edwards Aquifer, a major groundwater system serving approximately two-and-one-half million South Central Texans. The EAA jurisdiction spans across 8 counties including Uvalde, Medina, Bexar, and parts of Atascosa, Caldwell, Guadalupe, Comal and Hays counties.
More information can be found at /bit.ly/ EAACriticalPeriodManagementPlan.
