From the cover
Extreme drought conditions strain water supply
Diving in deeper
Two-minute impact
treatment capacity. In June, the city of Buda updated its drought ordinance to reduce water usage under certain stages. “We changed our drought triggers to where, each stage, we basically cut in half the amount of available hours [residents] are allowed to water,” Buda Public Works Director Blake Neffendorf said. To get ahead of the fluctuating water levels, San Marcos, Buda and Kyle have partnered with the Alliance Regional Water Authority to diversify their supplies of water through the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer.
As the region experiences rapid, persistent growth, water resources are in higher demand. “The worst drought we ever had was in the 1950s, and Jacob’s Well did not stop flowing then,” Sturdivant said. “We had a third of the population in Central Texas at that time. Now, we have a similar drought but with three times as many people.” Area cities have made changes over the past several years to diversify and conserve water. The city of Kyle completed its wastewa- ter treatment plant expansion after years of planning and construction to increase the plant’s water
from the Barton Springs dropped to 12 cubic feet per second, or cfs. “The lowest flow that has ever been recorded for Barton Springs is 10 cfs in the drought of record, so we don’t really know what happens beyond there,” BSEACD Communications and Outreach Manager Shay Hlavaty said of the drought of record in the 1950s. “Barton Springs has never stopped flowing in recorded history.” Canyon Reservoir in Comal County— which is one of the main water sources for various cities throughout Hays County—hit record lows Sept. 8 at 891.96 feet above sea level. The previous record was 892.7 feet in 2009.
Central Texas was hit with a double threat this summer: record-breaking high heat and little rainfall. The region has seen temperatures over 100 degrees nearly every day since July 8, causing increased evaporation of local water reservoirs and increased wildfire risk. Two main water regulatory agencies in the region, the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District and the Edwards Aquifer Authority, have recorded dropping water levels. Entities such as the conservation district are dealing with unprecedented low water levels and “uncharted territory” as discharge Exceptional drought is the most intense drought category on the U.S. Drought Monitor and occurs when the region experiences 98% dryness. 100% of Travis, Hays and Comal Counties are in exceptional drought 1.29 million average number of people affected by the drought 3rd driest July on record in 129 years
San Marcos, Buda and Kyle 2023 water usage Water usage in San Marcos, Buda and Kyle fluctuates as demand and heat rise. The following is water usage from August 2022 through July.
350 San Marcos
Buda
Kyle
Travis County
300 250 200 150 100 50 0
Hays County
Comal County
N
Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Jun. Jul.
SOURCE: U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR/COMMUNITY IMPACT AS OF SEPT. 8
2022
2023
SOURCES: CITIES OF BUDA, KYLE AND SAN MARCOS/COMMUNITY IMPACT
CALL 512-396-CPA1 NEW LOCATION! Hello, Neighbor!
Visit our calendar for more events: www.rileystavern.com 8894 FM 1102 New Braunfels, TX 78132 9/23 Jesse stratton Band 9/30 Riley’s 90th Birthday party 10/7 Rods at Riley’s with the Georges
310 Stagecoach Trail #100B San Marcos, TX 78666
TAX SERVICES• SMALL BUSINESS ACCOUNTING PAYROLL• QUICKBOOKS CONSULTING www.jdacpa1.com
18
COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
Powered by FlippingBook