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Texas climatologists warn of prolonged drought

To join our chapter online or to make a donation please go to www.npsot.org or come to our meeting we would love to have you.

Clearwater Trinity Aquifer website Findings

Texas Native Plants, Grasses & Trees will survive and flourish with even less watering

TRINITY AQUIFER

copied from the clearwater website

The Trinity Aquifer, a major aquifer, extends across much of the central and northeastern part of the state. It is composed of several smaller aquifers contained within the Trinity Group. Al¬though referred to differently in different parts of the state, they include the Antlers, Glen Rose, Paluxy, Twin Mountains, Travis Peak, Hensell, and Hosston aquifers. These aquifers consist of limestones, sands, clays, gravels, and conglomerates. Their combined freshwater saturated thickness averages about 600 feet in North Texas and about 1,900 feet in Central Texas. In general, groundwater is fresh but very hard in the outcrop of the aquifer. Total dissolved solids increase from less than 1,000 milligrams per liter in the east and southeast to between 1,000 and 5,000 milligrams per liter, or slightly to moderately saline, as the depth to the aquifer increases. Sulfate and chloride concentrations also tend to increase with depth. The Trinity Aquifer discharges to a large number of springs, with most dis¬charging less than 10 cubic feet per second. The aquifer is one of the most extensive and highly used groundwater resources in Texas. Although its primary use is for municipalities, it is also used for irrigation, livestock, and other domestic purposes. Some of the state’s largest water level declines, ranging from 350 to more than 1,000 feet, have occurred in counties along the IH-35 corridor from McLennan County to Grayson County. These declines are primarily attributed to municipal pumping, but they have slowed over the past decade as a result of increasing reliance on surface water. The regional water planning groups, in their 2006 Regional Water Plans, recommended numerous water management strategies for the Trinity Aquifer, including de¬veloping new wells and well fields, pumping more water from existing wells, overdrafting, reallocating supplies, and using surface water and groundwater conjunctively.   

 

 

copied from https://haysgroundwater.com/drought-management/

DROUGHT ALERT!

The Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District is in:

40% Curtailment (“Emergency Stage”) of groundwater pumping District-wide and,

30% Curtailment (“Emergency Stage”) of groundwater pumping within the Jacob’s Well Groundwater Management Zone.

In order to help ensure the health of the aquifer and its residents, please protect your aquifer by limiting water use.

An urgent message to groundwater users in the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District,

Extreme heat and drought conditions have gripped the western United States in an unprecedented combination. Western Hays County and the Hill Country have not received adequate rain to keep our rivers and streams flowing or to recharge our aquifers. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) stream gauges in the Pedernales and Blanco Rivers are recording zero to near-zero flows. The USGS reports similar zero-flow conditions in the South Llano, the Frio, the Sabinal, and the Medina Rivers. The Colorado and Guadalupe Rivers are declining as well.  The US Drought Monitor reports western Hays County in Extreme and Exceptional Drought. The District’s Monitor Well System shows declining water levels. The District and local well drillers are responding to a significant increase of dry-wells and burnt-out well pumps. Water haulers are trucking at full capacity.

HTGCD was featured in a video made by the Texas Water Newsroom, produced by the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB), highlighting the importance of groundwater monitoring and sampling efforts. Follow this link to watch the video.

Aquifer and River conditions have not been this poor in the 20+ year history of the District — including the 2011 Drought. Unless conditions improve by the end of July, the District will enter into EMERGENCY DROUGHT STAGE requiring a 40% reduction in use. Non-Exempt well operators will be required to substantially curtail water use. If you are served by a utility or public water supply, it will be alerting you of its own specific curtailment requirements. Please reduce water use by all means possible.  Make sure that dishwashers and washing machines are full before running them. Repair all known leaks. Please eliminate all outdoor water use including car washing, lawn watering, sidewalk and driveway washing. Please turn off all outdoor water features, including fountains. Please turn off swimming pool and pond pumps.

The sooner and more serious we are about conserving our drinking water, the longer the supply will last. Most of us do not have an alternative water supply, so please practice maximum efficiency and thrift until the rains return.

The Drought Contingency Plan containing Rules 13 and 15 is available here.

The HTGCD uses Pedernales and Blanco River streamflow as District-wide drought indicators because these rivers are recharge features of our aquifers. Aquifer recharge occurs relatively slowly, and streamflow indicates the current and future health of the Trinity Aquifer in the District — and therefore determines what stage of drought we must observe.

Data shows healthy streamflow in the Perdernales River is above 31.6 cubic feet per second (cfs), and 28.5 cfs in the Blanco River. The District recommends conservative use of water when streamflow is healthy.

When streamflow drops below a drought trigger — shown in the table below as “Alarm,” “Critical,” and “Emergency” — a daily counter begins. If the counter for both drought indicators reaches 30 days, the District Board will declare the appropriate drought stage.

To move out of a drought stage, both drought indicators must flow 60 consecutive days above the current drought trigger in order to give aquifers time to recharge. The declaration of the District coming out of drought stage will go into effect on the next Board Meeting.

So, though Hays County may be out of atmospheric drought and have full ponds and lush landscape, the aquifer that feeds your well requires a longer time to catch up with the surface conditions.


Discharge Flow Rate30 Day Mean60 Day Mean Alarm Trigger Critical Trigger Emergency Trigger Region Pedernales Rv nr Johnson City, TX (08153500) as of 2022-07-3000.04 31.6 10.22.23Days with flow Below Stage Trigger30+30+30+Region LBlanco Rv at Wimberley, TX (08171000) as of 2022-07-307.49.21 28.5 14.59.28Days with flow Below Stage 

Streamflow is measured by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) gages at the Blanco River in Wimberley and the Pedernales River in Johnson City. These gage readings are represented by the graphs above. More information about the Blanco and Pedernales River can be found by clicking the USGS symbol to the left of the name in the table above.


HTGCD Zone
Today, we measured water levels in nine wells that participated in last year’s site visits in and around Burnett Ranches.  Middle Trinity Aquifer water levels in six wells were about 6-7 feet lower than they were last year.  The HTGCD ESD Monitor Well near Burnett Ranch Road and RR 2325 shows a 6-foot decline from last year’s water level–a good reference for Middle Trinity well owners.

The two Lower Trinity Aquifer wells showed a 15-20 foot decline compared to last year’s water levels.

Check water levels near you on the District’s Monitor Well map: Water Level Monitoring – Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District (haysgroundwater.com)

At this Thursday’s HTGCD meeting, staff will likely discuss groundwater trends throughout the District during the monitor well and science reports.  Groundwater levels, spring flow, and creek flow are very low.  To preserve existing water supplies until wet weather returns, please conserve water by restricting or stopping outdoor irrigation.  The HTGCD declared Emergency Drought with a 40% reduction in pumping on Saturday.

Grim predictions say 9 more years of Texas drought possible

Application to exploit the texas underground water supply

RREAF Holdings, LLC and the Hanks-Cabiness Christian Trust has applied to the Clearwater Underground Water Conservation District for a permit to extract 6,256,339 gallons of underground water a year to irrigate the landscaping at the Sanctuary apartment complex located in Salado, Texas  now under construction. The State of Texas, along with the State of Texas Climatologist at College Station Texas, has compiled data on the scarcity of underground water in Texas, the diminishing supply of water in the state and the continuing drought conditions in Texas. 

letter recommended by the native plant society of texas

January ____, 2023

Mr. Dirk Aaron

General Manager

Clearwater Underground Water Conservation District

700 Kennedy Court

Belton, Texas

Re: Opposition to Application For Operating Permit; 

RREAF Holdings LLC dated December 28, 2022

Dear Mr. Aaron:

The undersigned citizens of Salado, Bell County, Texas respectfully submit their 

written opposition to the application by developer RREAF Holdings LLC for an operating permit to withdraw 6,256,339 gallons of water per year for landscape irrigation only. We respectfully request that the CUWCD Board consider the following information in opposition to the Application:

1. The nature of water: 

Water is a finite resource which appears in different forms (liquid, solid ice, and atmospheric water vapor) in the various stages of the water cycle. Approximately 97.5% of the total supply of water is salt water and only 2.5% is fresh water suitable for human and animal consumption. Therefore, water is a precious resource which is necessary to sustain human activity and the life forms we depend upon for pollination, food, recreation, etc.

2. The impact of climate and population growth on Texas water supply:

According to Prof. John-Nielsen-Gammon, State of Texas Climatologist at College Station Texas,the supply of water in Texas is under challenge due to climate change, climate conditions and predicted population growth.

a. Climate conditions and climate change: Weather conditions such as temperature, rainfall variability, jet stream patterns are natural events that are not subject to human intervention. Texas and western states are currently experiencing abnormally dry to severe drought conditions which are manifested by shrinking reservoirs, high risk of wildfires, and crop losses. 

b. Population growth in Texas: The Central Texas region is expected to grow from 2.2 residents in 2020 to 4.5m by 2050. Furthermore, according to the 2022 State Water Plan (Water for Texas), statewide Texas population is anticipated to increase by 73 percent between 2020 and 2070: (from 29.7m to 51.5m). 

c. All of the projected people moving to Texas now and in the next 50

years are not bringing any new water supply with them. Due to the regional population growth, climate predictions, and rainfall variability, Prof. Nielsen-Gammon predicts that Texas could suffer a long-term drought (or mega-drought) that could last for at least two decades.

3. The challenges and 2022 State Water Plan strategies in response: 

a. Texas’ existing water supplies are projected to decline by approximately 18 percent between 2020 and 2070 primarily due to depletion of aquifers. In response, the water management strategies in the 2022 State Water Plan are twofold: (1) provide for additional water supply from new reservoirs, groundwater wells, water reuse, and desalination, or (2) demand management measures that reduce the need for additional water, such as conservation measures and restrictions on water use.

b. The capital cost to implement the 2400 regional water management projects by year 2070 is estimated to be $80B in 2018 dollars. 

c. Conservation strategies that were recommended by over half of the water user groups in the 2022 plan represent approximately 29 percent of all recommended volumes of water by 2070. 

d. If these water management strategies are not implemented, it is estimated that approximately 25% of Texas population in 2070 will have less than half the municipal water supplies needed during a record drought. If Texas does not implement these strategies and water management projects in the 2022 plan, it is estimated that a period of severe drought could cause major economic damages ranging from $110B to $153B by 2070.

e. Outdoor Water Use: According to a 2012 Texas Water Development Board report, outdoor water use represented a substantial portion of residential water consumption in Texas, ranging from 21% in wetter areas to 41% in drier areas. For example, single-family households in Texas in March 2018 used as much as 590,000 acre-feet of water for landscape irrigation.

f. Conservation Strategies to Reduce Water Usage: 

In response, the Texas Water Development Board and other organizations have recommended strategies to reduce outdoor water demand and increase water savings. According to TWDB, “outdoor water use can account for more than 30 percent of total home water use and much of the water used outdoors is wasted through inefficient landscape watering practices”. The Texas Living Waters Project believes that cities and utilities “should complement watering restrictions with programs to encourage homeowners to take an active approach to reduce their outdoor water use”. These strategies include outdoor water restrictions based on supply-demand criteria and a comprehensive set of landscaping and irrigation practices. Also recommended is the design and use of a water-efficient landscape by planting drought tolerant grass and native plants that are: (1) well-adapted to specific eco-regions, (2) heat tolerant and that can survive minimum winter temperatures in local areas, and (3) more resistant to diseases and pests. Native landscaping is specifically recommended because the typical Texas landscape often requires a disproportionately large amount of water to maintain its lush green color if it contains non-native plants that are not well adapted to Texas’ diverse climate. Additional water-saving efforts involve irrigation system auditing, smart irrigation controllers, drip irrigation, financial support for rainwater harvesting, and education and outreach programs to encourage developers, homeowners and homeowner associations to proactively take steps to reduce the demand for outdoor watering activity.

These strategies are available and discussed in greater detail in educational materials published by the Texas Water Development Board (“Conserving Water Outdoors, rev. 07.19) and the Texas Living Waters Project (“Water Conservation By The Yard” March 2018).   

g. Conclusion: The State of Texas, its counties, cities, and citizens face a challenge to provide sufficient water supplies now and in the future for a growing population. The challenge is due not only to natural factors such as climate change and rainfall variability but also to human activity. While the natural factors of climate and rainfall are beyond control by the Clearwater Underground Water Conservation District, the application for an operating permit to withdraw 6,256,339 gallons of water for landscape irrigation is not. The undersigned respectfully submit that RREAF Holding’s application for this amount of annual water use for landscape irrigation is in direct contradiction of the conservation strategies and recommendations in the 2022 State Water Plan. As the Clearwater Underground Water Conservation District knows, areas of Central Texas and Bell County in particular have been under water restrictions for much of the last two years. Consequently, we respectfully submit that RREAF’s application is irresponsible and should be denied.

  

Respectfully submitted

  ____________________________

  Signatures of Bell County citizens

The 2022 State Water Plan was adopted by the Board on July 7, 2021....The 2022 State Water Plan marks a quarter century of Texas’ widely recognized regional water planning process and the fifth state water plan based on the work of hundreds of water planning stakeholders....The state’s water planning process is founded on extensive data and science and guided by a robust state framework that requires all 16 regional water planning groups to openly and genuinely address all their water supply needs.                         

https://www.twdb.texas.gov/waterplanning/swp/2022/index.asp  

 Drought Resilience and Water Conservation | US EPA 

Drought Resilience and Water Conservation | US EPA

 Drought Resilience and Water Conservation | US EPA

About Us

Who we are

why grow native plants

why grow native plants

 We  are a group of individuals interested in preserving the natural flora  and fauna of the beautiful state of Texas.  Our membership is a very  diverse group comprised of professional botanists, a physicist, business  people, retired couples, families with children and young singles.  We  encourage the use of native plants at every oppo

 We  are a group of individuals interested in preserving the natural flora  and fauna of the beautiful state of Texas.  Our membership is a very  diverse group comprised of professional botanists, a physicist, business  people, retired couples, families with children and young singles.  We  encourage the use of native plants at every opportunity and hold classes  and seminars to further our endeavors. 

The  threat to our native wildlife due to habitat loss and chemical abuse is  a danger that cannot be ignored.  Our fresh water resources are at risk  from agriculture, manufacturing and oil & gas.  Our goal is to  rescue endangered and native plants whenever possible, encourage the  reintroduction of native plants into the ecosystem & to educate the  populace as to the value of a natural environment.   

why grow native plants

why grow native plants

why grow native plants

 Most  Central Texas native plants are naturally drought-tolerant, resistant  to pests and diseases, require less fertilizing and pesticides, and are  an important sources of food for wildlife including bees, butterflies,  & birds out natural pollinator's.

For a complete list of native plants please go to http://www.austintexas.gov/departm

 Most  Central Texas native plants are naturally drought-tolerant, resistant  to pests and diseases, require less fertilizing and pesticides, and are  an important sources of food for wildlife including bees, butterflies,  & birds out natural pollinator's.

For a complete list of native plants please go to http://www.austintexas.gov/department/grow-green Guide to Central Texas plants. "Grow Green is a gardening education program that promotes sustainable  landscaping practices. It addresses water quality and conservation,  recycling, and an Integrated Pest Management philosophy, which  encourages the least-toxic way to address pest issues" or www.wildflower.org the website of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center / The University of Texas at Austin.

pollinators

why grow native plants

pollinators

 Hummingbirds,  bats, bees, beetles, butterflies, and flies are hard-working animals  helping to pollinate over 75% of our flowering plants, and nearly 75% of  our crops. They carry pollen from one plant to another as they collect  nectar. Without them, wildlife would have fewer nutritious berries and  seeds, and we would miss many fruits

 Hummingbirds,  bats, bees, beetles, butterflies, and flies are hard-working animals  helping to pollinate over 75% of our flowering plants, and nearly 75% of  our crops. They carry pollen from one plant to another as they collect  nectar. Without them, wildlife would have fewer nutritious berries and  seeds, and we would miss many fruits, vegetables, and nuts, such as  blueberries, squash, and almonds to name a few.
 

They  play a crucial role in flowering plant reproduction and in the  production of most fruits and vegetables. Without the assistance of  pollinator's, most plants cannot produce fruits and seeds. The fruits  and seeds of flowering plants are an important food source for people  and wildlife. Some of the seeds that are not eaten will eventually  produce new plants, helping to maintain the plant population.

 

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