Low aquifer levels worry Hill Country agencies
Aquifer levels across the county have reached historic lows, causing regulatory agencies to start making calls for more dramatic conservation measures.
“Aquifer and river conditions have not been this poor in the 20+ year history of the [Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District] — including the 2011 drought,” the district sent out in an email. “Unless conditions improve by the end of July, the district will enter into Emergency Drought Stage requiring a 40% reduction in use. Non-Exempt well operators will be required to substantially curtail water use.”
The drought of 2011 is the worst recent drought, and in many areas, it was worse than the drought of record in Texas from the 1950s. Yet, some are predicting this summer’s drought will be even worse.
Over in Wimberley, four of the six wells the Wimberley Water Supply Corporation uses are lower than they were in July of 2011. The water level in the wells on Wayside Drive are 178 feet over the pump static level, which is 21 feet lower than in July of 2011. In Wimberley Hills, the water level is 12 feet lower. The Eagle Rock well and the South River well both are seven feet lower than in July of 2011.
The Wimberley Water Supply Corporation moved into Stage Three water restrictions, effective August 1. In this stage, customers are required to limit irrigation of landscape to two specified days per week during a specified time with the use of a hand-held hose with a positive shut off nozzle. The use of hoseend sprinklers or permanently installed automatic sprinkler systems is prohibited.
The corporation, and its customers, will have to see a 30% reduction in total water use and daily water demand based on historical average for previous 60 days daily pumpage. That was not achieved in Stage Two restrictions, which required a 20% curtailment. If those goals are not met in August and September, the district would enter into Stage Four, which is emergency drought restrictions.
“Rainfall is the key,” Allen said. “It always is. What is happening is the reason why the aquifer is the way it is in this drought is a combination of lack of rainfall not just here but where our recharge is. You have to travel out to Blanco County and Gillespie County and further west where we get our recharge… What has happened is there are so many straws in the ground up that way because of development and people moving in. They are beating us to the water. The recharge is not making it here. It is a lack of rainfall, the population increase or the combination of both.”
Allen said that customers need to get familiar with these restrictions not just for current use but for the future as he sees these restrictions becoming more common each year.
“What we are trying to get across to our customers, with a lack of rainfall in the forecast and people who have lived here long enough know, this isn’t going to change,” Allen said. “It is not going to get any better… If we get more rain, you’re still playing catch up. What we are telling customers is you are going to have to get used to this weather, this climate and these restrictions. They are not going away.”
Meanwhile, the West Travis County Public Utility Agency and the Dripping Springs Water Supply Corporation have been in Stage Three restrictions since mid-June.
The WTCPUA first entered the third stage on June 17, shortly followed by the DSWSC on June 20. Both entities issued statements involving water restrictions for irrigation, setting strict schedules for their customers.
For the Dripping Springs Water Supply, already in Stage Three, the notification from the groundwater district had little immediate effect.
“Since we have both groundwater and surface water feeding our supply, our customers shouldn’t be affected by the [groundwater district’s] curtailment,” said AJ Gray, with Dripping Springs Water Supply. “If it doesn’t start raining soon, and aquifer and lake levels continue to drop, then we might have to take more serious action, but at this time, it doesn’t look like that.”
While residents across the Hill Country wait for rain, other methods can be utilized to prepare for ongoing drought conditions.
“We are asking customers to begin to invest in something other than an irrigation system,” Allen said. “We promote rainwater collection. I know it sounds crazy now because it hasn’t been raining, but they will pay off in the long run. Rainwater collections are a good supplement to potable water, certainly on the irrigation side.”
“We are promoting xeriscaping,” he continued. “If you are watering a large portion of your yard, put in some xeriscape or a patio or drip irrigation, which loses a lot less water to evaporation. Even artificial turf. If everyone likes the real green color, invest in some of that. Work yourself into different things that will help conserve in the future and keep you from having to worry about keeping a large lawn watered when we are in these restrictions… You might be able to save your yard this year with hand-watering, but you can’t predict the future… We are probably going to roll right back into these restrictions.”