Groundwater district sounds "Emergency" Stage 5 alarm – conserve your water!

We must all work together throughout this severe and historical drought to conserve water. The drop of water you save may be your own

Note: The advisory below was sent yesterday from the office of the general manager of the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District. It affects all well owners in western Hays County. The drought has forced most groundwater districts across the state to issue similar conservation restrictions, some with tough backup enforcement action.

– Related Story –
(HTGCD lies in the same groundwater management area, GMA 9, as the CCGCD)

From the Boerne Star published Tuesday Aug. 23 | By Brian Cartwright | County adds clout to water rules – Kendall County Commissioners Court gave their consent to the declaration of a local disaster by County Judge Gaylan Schroeder during their regular meeting Monday, giving the Kendall County Sheriff’s Department, constables and the county attorney authority to assist the Cow Creek Groundwater Conservation District in detecting and prosecuting violators of groundwater use restrictions. Violators can be fined up to $1,000 or confined in the county jail for up to 180 days. CCGCD General Manager Micah Voulgaris told the court that “74.5 percent of the state is in the exceptional drought category and that’s as bad as it gets.”

In Kendall County, all 40 wells monitored by the conservation district are below their historical averages and the average water level in the middle Trinity aquifer has dropped 28 feet since January, Voulgaris said. The Guadalupe River at Comfort, which normally flows at 60 cubic feet per second, is now flowing at seven cfs, and the river has stopped flowing downstream at Spring Branch in Comal County.

Groundwater conservation districts have the ability to issue fines of up to $10,000 per day per violation, but must work through a district court, which can be a lengthy process. The declaration by the county allows violators to be dealt with quicker.

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Send your comments and questions to roundup.editor@gmail.com, to the District at manager2@haysgroundwater.com or click on the "comments" at the bottom of the story


Dripping Springs, Tx – To all western Hays County residents, exempt well owners, non-exempt well owners, land owners, businesses, commercial, agricultural, irrigation, schools, banks and home owners associations: the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District (District) is asking that you recognize the severity of this strangle-hold drought we are all facing.

The District records discharge flow rates (drought triggers) of the Pedernales and Blanco Rivers which can be viewed on our website www.haysgroundwater.com under Drought Management. These “drought triggers” have now fallen past Critical Stage and linger in Emergency Stage.

Now is the time to take it upon yourselves to exercise all practical restraint in conserving water. The sky is not falling and there is groundwater in the subsurface, but until the rains return water table levels of the Trinity Aquifer will continue to drop.

Map of area inside the HTGCD
click to enlarge

Those of you who are connected to a public water service, each provider will set their rules on usage and watering dates and times. The same is true for home owners associations, as each community may set restrictions on water usage.

Approximately 90% of western Hays County residents, however, do not have formal regulations on watering days or times, as they are Exempt. These are domestic, agricultural and residential well owners. The District can only ask that you participate in reducing your groundwater production. We must all work together throughout this severe and historical drought to conserve water. The drop of water you save may be your own.

Rick Broun
General Manager
Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District