RESTRICTIONS WATER
STAGE 1
STAGE 2
STAGE 3
STAGE 4
Use of a sprinkler or irrigation system is limited to once a week before 11 a.m. or after 7 p.m. on designated days.
Use of a sprinkler or irrigation system is limited to once a week from 7-11 a.m. or 7-11 p.m. on designated days.
Watering with a sprinkler or irrigation system is limited to 7-11 a.m. or 7-11 p.m. on designated days every other week.
Allowable water uses are reduced, and surcharges may be imposed.
The San Antonio Water System, which serves San Antonio, Hill Country Village, Hollywood Park, Shavano Park and most of Bexar County, encourages conserving water but is enforcing use restrictions to address the ongoing drought.
“We have the resources to stay out of more severe drought restrictions,” Guz said. “We are highly diversi ed o the Edwards Aquifer; we are actively using our other resources to reduce our pumping o the Edwards Aquifer.” With ongoing drought conditions, though, customers must strictly adhere to the Stage 2 rules, and that has been a problem for some residents on the city’s north side, SAWS Commu- nication Manager Anne Hayden said. “We can stay in Stage 2, but we need people on the north side to follow Stage 2 rules,” Hayden said. Guz said homeowners can often overwater when the grass turns brown and brittle, but that most develop- ers when building new homes plant drought-resistant grass. “It [has been] extraordinarily hot and dry, and we have people that are worried about their lawns, but we want to assure them it will survive,” Guz said. “With cooler weather and some rain it will green up again.” SAWS o cials have been work- ing to remind residents of the Stage 2 restrictions and to notify them that they are stepping up enforcement by patrolling neighborhoods and looking for those violating the rules. Violators can expect a citation with a ne, not a warning, Guz said. Residents can anonymously report a suspected violation by lling out a form at www.saws.org/waterwaste. In Stage 2, watering days remain the same as Stage 1, and correspond to a resident’s address. Addresses that end Edwards Aquifer On Aug. 19, the EAA declared Stage 3 of its Critical Period Management Plan, which enforces a 35% reduction on permit holders pumping water out of the aquifer.
San Antonio Water System In April, SAWS declared Stage 2 watering restrictions and are issuing nes for violations.
SOURCES: EDWARDS AQUIFER AUTHORITY, SAN ANTONIO WATER SYSTEM COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER Monthslong drought leads to strain on Central Texas water resources
to ow levels from Comal Springs. The J-17 Index Well is over 23 feet below the historic average values for the summer months in the region, according to the Edwards Aquifer Authority. It would take a signi cant amount of rain in the northwest region of Cen- tral Texas to allow drought restrictions to be lifted. If the area does not have any rainy seasons leading up to next summer, a dry climate will continue, according to EAA General Manager Roland Ruiz. “Short of signi cant rainfall between now and the start of next year, we’re going to nd ourselves where we are today, except earlier in the year,” Ruiz said. “Because we may not come out of any stage of critical period if we don’t have rainfall.” Stepping up enforcement The San Antonio Water System, which provides water for San Antonio and most of Bexar County, as well as Hollywood Park, Shavano Park and Hill Country Village, has remained in Stage 2 restrictions since April. SAWS o cials attribute the utility’s ability to avoid stricter watering rules for its customers to its greater water diver- sity, citing that only about 50% of its water comes from the Edwards Aqui- fer, SAWS Water Conservation Director Karen Guz said. The other 50% is a mix of the Vista Ridge pipeline, the Trinity Aquifer, Canyon Lake, the Carrizo Aquifer, other sources and even recycled and stored water, Guz said.
BY SIERRA MARTIN & TRICIA SCHWENNESEN
Texas has been designated at some level of drought, with abnormally dry (D0) being the lowest level, and excep- tional drought (D4) being the highest. Recent rains have dropped the level to 0.6% of Texas being in D4, compared to the 87.99% of Texas that experienced D4 conditions in early October 2011, the last time the state experienced this level of drought. Bexar County is in D3, or extreme drought. The Edwards Aquifer Authority remains in Stage 3 of its critical period management plan—more commonly thought of as water restrictions— which requires anyone permitted to pump water to reduce their usage by 35%. Since late July, the EAA has been teetering between Stage 3 and Stage 4 restrictions, brie y tipping into Stage 4 for six days in mid-August, o cials said. Stage 4 requires a 40% reduction in permitted pumping levels. More than 2.5 million people; eight endangered species and several more on the threatened list; and other ani- mals depend on the water from the Edwards Aquifer, which has been identi ed as one of the largest and most unique aquifers in the world by Texas Parks & Wildlife. The J-17 Index Well in Bexar County is used to monitor and track water lev- els in the aquifer and correlates closely
Texas, in mid August, was expe- riencing its second-driest year in 128 years, but recent rains have raised that level to the 11th driest year to date, a ecting 23.9 million people across the state, according to the National Inte- grated Drought Information System. Residents of San Antonio, smaller cities landlocked by San Antonio, and unincorporated Bexar County to the north get their water through the San Antonio Water System, which pumps 50% of its water from the Edwards Aquifer. The aquifer has seen water levels signi cantly drop—down to lev- els not seen since 2014. Cities across North San Antonio and Central Texas may see increased water restrictions in the future as the drought worsens across South Cen- tral Texas due to a lack of rainfall and high temperatures, according to the National Weather Service. The San Antonio area received 2.1 inches of rain in August and another 0.98 inches of rain as of Sept. 14, bring- ing the total to 8.20 inches of rain so far this year, which is over 14.5 inches below the normal average, National Weather Service Meteorologist Orlando Bermudez said. On Sept. 14, the National Drought Mitigation Center reported 78.4% of
PERMIT RENEWAL PROCESS PHASES Listen and learn Analyze and sign o Document USFWS review and action Interlocal agreements
The Edwards Aquifer Authority launched its six-year planning process for its Habitat Conservation Plan with a series of public listen and learn ses- sions. The goal is to then draft a plan as part of a request to renew a 30-year permit with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For more on the plan visit www.eahcprenewal.org.
2022 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
2023 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
2024 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
2025 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
2026 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
2027 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
2028 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
Release draft HCP and National Environmental Protection Act document
USFWS issues ITP decision
Complete listen and learn report
Complete HCP and nal NEPA document
Submit draft HCP and Incidental Take Permit application to USFWS
Approve HCP elements
Permittees complete agreements
SOURCE: EDWARDS AQUIFER AUTHORITY COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
16
COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
Powered by FlippingBook