Category: Uncategorized

From Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District: The October 2014 Aquifer Bulletin is now available.  District staff have collaborated to put together a wide range of articles dealing with hot topics these days.

Topics include:

Summer Groundwater Roller Coaster

Discussion of unusual in-and-out of drought declarations this summer.

Permitting Summary

Summary of Mar-Sept 2014 permits.

From the GM’s Desk

Discussion of Legislative groundwater activity and possible impact of proposed bills.

Wells & Seller’s Disclosure Notice

Changes made to inform buyers, sellers, and realtors for properties with wells.

Updated Hydro Zones

A new look at all areas that influence the Barton Springs segment of the Edwards.

Traces of the Past

A historic account of an early dye trace.

Conservation Rate Structures

A look at water rates to encourage conservation.

Recent Well Drilling Activity

A look at trends in the District and Travis Counties

Precinct 2 Director Election Information

Links to information about election day and early voting locations

 

Hope to see you out at the Rainwater Revival in Dripping Springs, Saturday Oct. 25.  More info:  http://rainwaterrevival.com/

From Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District

We wanted let you know that a Public Hearing has been scheduled regarding the District’s Habitat Conservation Plan. Notice is given that a Public Hearing by the Board of Directors of the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District (District) will be held at the District office located at 1124 Regal Row, Austin, Texas, during its Regular Meeting on Thursday, September 11, 2014, at 6:15 p.m. for the following purpose:

The Public Hearing concerns the proposed draft Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) that has been developed in support of a prospective application for an Incidental Take Permit from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The proposed HCP includes measures necessary to avoid, minimize, and mitigate potential adverse effects or “take” of the endangered Barton Springs salamander (Eurycea sosorum) and Austin blind salamander (Eurycea waterlooensis) associated with District-permitted withdrawals of groundwater from the Barton Springs segment of the Edwards Aquifer. The proposed draft HCP and other documents are available on the District’s HCP Reports and Official Communications page.

Following the public hearing, the Board will consider and may take action on the proposed draft application and submission to the USF&W Service. Please contact the District office at (512) 282-8441 for more information.

The District’s Board of Directors declared Stage II Alarm Drought at the August 14th Board Meeting, effective immediately. Lovelady monitor well, one of the District’s two drought-trigger sites, crossed below its Stage II Alarm Drought water level of 478.4 feet above mean sea level in mid-July. 10-day average discharge at Barton Springs, the District’s other drought trigger site, is at its Drought threshold of 38 cubic feet per second. Only one of the two drought stage triggers needs to be reached for a drought declaration to be made.

Mandatory drought restrictions had been lifted at the June 26th meeting when both the Lovelady Monitor Well water level and Barton Springs 10-day average discharge were above their drought thresholds and forecasts were predicting above average rainfall. However, the subsequent rains mostly missed the contributing and recharge zones, so no significant recharge occurred. Water levels and spring flow are steadily declining.

Declaration of Stage II Alarm Drought requires all of the District’s permittees to implement mandatory measures specified in their User Drought Contingency Plans to meet monthly pumpage reduction requirements. All permittees must achieve at least a 20% reduction in monthly pumpage. Permittees with conditional permits have to reduce use even further. End-user customers served by water utilities on groundwater wells are required to comply with their utility’s water use restrictions for this drought stage. Generally, restricting outdoor water use, including limiting landscape irrigation, pool filling & refilling, and non-essential water use such as water fountains, is sufficient to reach monthly pumpage targets for Stage II Alarm Drought. September will be the first full month of declared drought, and therefore, the first monthly compliance assessments for drought curtailments.