From the cover
Extreme heat persists
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Two-minute impact
and CEO Darrell Nichols said. “One Water New Braunfels breaks through these barriers, creating a partnership with the resources and expertise necessary to ensure the long-term sustainability of the water supply for this region.” Matthew Hoyt, director of District 9 of the EAA and owner of river outfitting company Corner Tubes, said he thinks the One Water initiative will help ensure spring flow persists in the future. “Where One Water comes in is providing that some level of sustainability and predictability for folks when they come here every year,” Hoyt said.
On Aug. 15, the city of New Braunfels, NBU and the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority launched One Water New Braunfels, a collaborative water management initiative. The One Water New Braunfels Roadmap defines goals for long- term water conservation. These include continuing to be a destina- tion for river tourism, conserving environmentally sensitive areas and resource conservation in public infrastructure. “Water management typically takes place in silos even though our water resources are intercon- nected,” GBRA General Manager
feet of water. And so there’s plenty of water to last us out into the 2060 decade if we continue to implement these conservation measures and meet our [water usage] goals.” By Aug. 29, Canyon Lake dropped to 68.4% capacity, or 892.59 feet above mean sea level, according to the Texas Water Development Board. Canyon Lake is considered full at 909 feet, and the lowest the lake has been until now was in September 2009, when the lake dropped to 892.7 feet, according to the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority.
South Central Texans are surviving one of the hottest summers recorded with blazing grass fires and extreme drought conditions. Although water levels at reservoirs have reached staggering lows, Ryan Kelso, interim CEO of New Braunfels Utilities, said New Braunfels is not in danger of running out of water. “We’ve diversified our water supply portfolio; we now have seven different supply sources that total nearly 50,000 acre-feet of total supply,” Kelso said. “For context, last year, we used just under 20,000 acre
Exceptional drought —or Level D4 drought—is the most intense drought category on the U.S. drought monitor and occurs when the region experiences 98% dryness.
New Braunfels water usage New Braunfels’ overall water usage hikes up in the summer months. However, June and July 2022 recorded a higher use of water than in June and July of 2023. 2022 2023 Average water usage (Jan. 2022-July 2023)
Percentage of county in exceptional drought conditions Comal County 100% Guadalupe County 66.27% Percentage of county in extreme drought conditions Guadalupe County 33.73% Extreme drought Exceptional drought
600
COMAL COUNTY
500
400
GUADALUPE COUNTY
300
200
N
100
AS OF AUG. 22 SOURCE: DROUGHT.GOV/COMMUNITY IMPACT
0
SOURCE: NEW BRAUNFELS UTILITIES/COMMUNITY IMPACT
Providing Dermatology services to New Braunfels and the Hill Country area since 1991!
Dr. Tieman is pleased to welcome Erika Kelso, FNP-C to his practice in September. Erika has 7 years experience in Dermatology and is seeing new patients. Call 830-609-4700 for an appointment 1584 Common St. New Braunfels, TX
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