The overview
According to a news release, permit holders in Medina, Bexar, and parts of Atascosa, Caldwell, Guadalupe, Comal and Hays counties have had their annual authorized withdrawal amounts reduced by 44% based on the number of days the CPM is in effect for the indicated stage reduction.
These reductions apply to all Edwards Aquifer groundwater permit holders authorized to pump more than three acre-feet annually, including industrial and agricultural users and water utilities authorized to pump water from the Edwards Aquifer. Additionally, affected permit holders must also report their pumping totals to the EAA on a monthly basis.
According to a news release, residents and businesses within these counties that receive water from a public water system must follow the providers’ directions regarding water use practices.
According to a news release, the 10-day average at the J-17 index well is 624.7 feet above mean sea level, which falls within the Stage 5 threshold for the EAA Critical Period Management Plan. Additionally, the 10-day average for Comal Springs is 53 cubic feet per second and the San Marcos Springs ten-day average is 86 cubic feet per second.
According to EAA data, as of May 23, the measured water level in the J-17 index well in Bexar County is 33 feet below historical average, and the rate of springflow at Comal Springs is 242 cfs below historic average. As of May 22, the San Marcos Springs is 98 cfs below historic average.
This is the lowest level for the J-17 index well since June 1990. Additionally, the only time the well has been lower was in 1956 during the worst drought in Texas history.
The backstory
The EAA is a groundwater conservation district that manages, enhances and protects the Edwards Aquifer, which is the major groundwater system serving approximately 2.5 million South Central Texans.
According to a news release, the EAA jurisdiction spans across 8 counties including Uvalde, Medina, Bexar, and parts of Atascosa, Caldwell, Guadalupe, Comal and Hays counties. The organization does not regulate the general public but instead regulates Edwards Aquifer well owners with withdrawal permits authorizing their right to pump from the aquifer.
