The city of San Marcos will enter Stage 2 drought restrictions effective June 17. Implemented by the Edwards Aquifer Authority, Stage 2 is enforced when the 10-day average Edwards Aquifer index well level falls below 650 feet above mean sea level. The provisional reading first dropped below 650 feet on June 5, and the 10-day average aquifer level reached 648.2 feet on June 11. “Aquifer levels continue to decline very rapidly, between 1 to 2 feet per day,” said Tom Taggart, executive director of public services. “At this rate, we could easily reach stage 3 restrictions in just a few weeks, so we all need to really step up our conservation efforts.” The Edwards Aquifer water levels have fallen at a steady pace since early April and are significantly lower when compared to last year's levels. With five critical period stages of water restriction levels, the Edwards Aquifer Authority recommends at least a 30 percent withdrawal reduction of water usage at the current Stage 2 period. Stage 2 drought rules are similar to Stage 1 rules, with additional restrictions on irrigating with soaker hoses and drip, and using decorative water features. San Marcos entered Stage 1 restrictions May 27.