The Woodlands Edition | October 2023

Government

BY VANESSA HOLT

Agencies see drought eects

Some context

According to The Woodlands Water Agency, all homes and businesses in The Woodlands in Montgomery County follow a Dened Irrigation Schedule, which limits automatic irrigation systems to two nights a week. The DIS has been in eect continuously since 2014. During the droughts of 2022 and 2023, aver- age monthly household water usage in gallons increased from 10,000 to 18,500 in July 2022 and 17,000 in July 2023, according to the WWA. • Addresses ending in an odd number water from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Tuesdays and Fridays. • Addresses ending in an even number water from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Woodlands Township, said there has been an increase in watering and landscape renovation costs, and landscape renovations in the township are on hold as of late September due to the drought and heat. Meanwhile, the Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District on Sept. 18 temporarily increased the amount that permitted wells can produce by 15% annually in response to the need for more water during the drought.

For the second summer in a row, drought levels in Montgomery County reached the highest category measured by the U.S. Drought Monitor. As of Oct. 10, 100% of Montgomery County was in moderate drought status and 48.5% was in severe drought status, down from the previous week. Chris Nunes, chief operating ocer for The

Drought status

D1: Moderate drought

D2: Severe drought

D3: Extreme drought

D4: Exceptional drought

D0: Abnormally dry

Drought statuses are cumulative. An area in D4 status is also 100% in statuses D0-D3.

As of July 18: 24.14%

As of Aug. 8: 25.53%

As of Sept. 12: 40.69%

The takeaway

100%

Changes to landscaping materials could be needed due to more extreme weather patterns, Nunes said. Several conditions could trigger restrictions by the WWA: • If water well run times exceed triggers, greater restrictions could be enacted. • According to the WWA, oficials do not expect having to raise the drought contingency stage based on conditions in late September as well as an anticipation of regular rain levels resuming in the fall.

80%

60%

40%

20%

Aug. 2023

Sept. 2023

Oct. 2023

July 2023

SOURCE: U.S. DROUGHT MONITORCOMMUNITY IMPACT

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