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WATER
“Water is the most critical resource issue of our lifetime and our children’s lifetime. The health of our waters is the principal measure of how we live on the land.” – Luna Leopold
NBU Connections — Special Edition 2021
A WORD FROM CCCA VICE PRESIDENT HELEN BALLEW
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CONSERVING OUR WATER,
SAVING OUR SPRINGS Comal Springs is one of the ‘Great Springs of Texas.’ In fact, it is the largest spring system in the American Southwest, and it issues from one of the most prolific groundwater sources in the world – the Edwards Aquifer. These facts might make those of us who live here feel proud, but they should also give us pause. Why? Because the growing demands on the aquifer endanger it and threaten its future as a relatively inexpensive water supply.”
Helen Ballew Comal County Conservation Alliance |
Helen Ballew
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The I-35 corridor between San Antonio and Austin is one of the fastest growing regions in the country. More people means more demand on the aquifer, even though we have other (more expensive) water supplies coming on line. Some might say “Why worry? We have this vast amount of good clean water underground. We won’t run out, and besides, it’s cheap.” We might not literally run out of fresh drinking water from the aquifer, but if we draw it down too far to get that water, we could lose our great springs. When the springs run dry, the rivers run dry, water-based tourism disappears, and economies dry up. When alternative sources of water are needed to make up the difference, the cost of water goes up. If the Edwards Aquifer is so important to our community well-being and even our pocketbooks, how can we protect this exceptional groundwater supply and its great springs? We can do that first and foremost by conserving water, using less, thus keeping it in the ground. If you don’t use it, you don’t lose it, and you don’t have to pay for it.
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A WORD FROM OUR HILL COUNTRY ALLIANCE PARTNER KATHERINE ROMANS
The Future of Texas’ Water ResourcesThe Texas Hill Country is a region defined by its water resources. From the banks of the Blanco to the secret swimming holes of the Guadalupe to the pristine waters of the Comal, our creeks, rivers, and springs are the source of our economic and ecological resilience. Millions of Texans, from Mountain Home to Matagorda Bay, rely on those flows for their livelihoods and quality of life. And yet, our water resources are in immediate jeopardy. Booming population growth means increasing strains on an already over-allocated resource. Three of the top five fastest growing counties in the country - including Comal County - are right here in the Hill Country. More roads, rooftops, and driveways mean less opportunity for precious rainfall to percolate into our groundwater supply. More development means additional straws pumping water from our aquifers. There simply is not an endless supply of water in our creeks, springs, and rivers to sustain the projected doubling of our current population over the next 30 years. Time and again, studies show that conserving the water we already have is the most cost-effective way to secure our water future. The Hill Country Alliance and our partners in the Texas Living Waters Project work with residents, landowners, cities, and utilities to promote water conservation practices across the region and the state.
Conservation actions taken now will continue yielding water benefits well into the future. Each of us has a role to play in protecting the waters of the Hill Country. By installing low-flow fixtures, native and drought-tolerant landscapes, capturing rainwater off our roofs, and being savvy consumers of water resources, we can all contribute to ensuring the waters that define this region are here to sustain future generations. We hope you’ll dig in to learn more about the Hill Country’s water resources at hillcountryalliance.org. |
Katherine Romans, Executive Director, Hill Country Alliance
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Photo credit: Matt Chase, Matthew Chase Photography
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As Chief Executive Officer of New Braunfels Utilities (NBU), I lead a passionate team dedicated to educating our customers about the intricate details of rate design and assisting customers with utility bill management. A key component is understanding how conservation is directly linked to preserving our water supply and providing the most cost-effective water resources. As you read this special edition of NBU Connections, you will hear from experts on our team as well community partners, including the Comal County Conservation Alliance, a Texas Master Gardener, and the Hill Country Alliance, about the importance of conservation and its impact on our economic well-being.
Ian Taylor
NBU Chief Executive Officer 
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The Texas Living Waters Project is transforming the way we manage water so there will be enough for our wildlife, our economy, and our kids. Forever.
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World Water Day, March 22, 2021 — Strategies for Water for All in the Lone Star State
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Most Texans don’t worry about being left behind without access to clean, affordable drinking water – after all, it never fails to fill our sinks, showers and hoses. But in a growing, drought-prone state that is ground zero for climate change, making sure that we’ll always continue to have fresh water for all is a concern that we at the Texas Living Waters Project wrestle with daily.
Water scarcity would impact the lives of each and every Texan – but in particular, our changing water landscape threatens low- and moderate-income water rate payers who must subsidize wasteful water practices from higher-income residents, businesses and industrial users; rural communities whose groundwater supplies are encroached upon by rapidly growing urban centers; and the fish and wildlife, as well as the people whose livelihoods depend on them, that need plentiful fresh water flowing through our rivers and into our bays. March 22 is World Water Day. Building a future with fresh water for all is no easy task, and there is no single solution. However, we have identified seven strategies that are a strong starting place for addressing this challenge in the Lone Star State: 1. Reducing demand — Before anything else, communities must engage mightily in water conservation. Using less water is the only way to truly mitigate water scarcity. 2. Collaborating — Texas communities must bring more stakeholders to the table to plan for their water future. Whether or not a community implements a One Water management approach, we can all benefit from thinking more comprehensively about how time-tested strategies like stormwater collection can be used alongside of innovations that utilize new developments, parks and community spaces to manage water more efficiently and effectively. 3. Embracing innovation — Communities must be willing to think beyond traditional approaches to embrace and incentivize the adoption of newer, more innovative |
solutions. Nature-based approaches to development and land restoration have incredible benefits for communities, including preparing them to be more resilient when faced with both droughts and storms.
4. Thinking big picture — Communities must remember that when the Texas environment suffers, so do we. Water supply strategies must be implemented responsibly, in a way that allows enough fresh water to flow into rivers and all the way to Texas bays. 5. Planning for drought — Community drought management protocols typically kick in when water supplies drop to a certain level or water treatment facilities begin to reach capacity – but often, this ignores earlier signs of real drought. Instead of waiting for supplies to stretch thin, our communities should develop multi-faceted drought response plans that also consider whether the region is in a climatic drought. By doing so, communities can become more nimble and proactive in stretching water supplies in the face of drought. 6. Diversify — No strategy is sufficient or reliable on its own; Texas communities must stay flexible and resilient by investing in a diverse mix of strategies. By implementing a host of smaller-scale strategies, communities may even be able to avoid larger, more destructive water supply projects. 7. Remaining diligent — Technology has been, and will continue to be, a boon for water conservation and supply. Still, as new technologies become available, communities must continue to fully evaluate strategies to ensure they are the right fit for them and the environment. Water utilities should invest in research and development and be willing to test and give feedback on new strategies. These recommendations are excerpted from Best Bets for Texas Water, a guidebook to evaluating water supply and management strategies for Texas’ water future. |
The waters that feed the springs that sustain our rivers tomorrow are underground today. These natural aquifers are the water banks that supply our cities, farms, fish and wildlife, providing more than 55 percent of our water supply. There is no more important resource for us to protect and manage wisely. Between us, we can ensure our water needs are met for all of our tomorrows.
Groundwater
Simply put, groundwater is water that is found beneath the surface of the earth. The aquifers which store groundwater are often compared to underground reservoirs; they are recharged by water percolating down from the surface and release water through springs.
According to the Texas Water Development Board, water from aquifers or groundwater provides over 55 percent of the state’s water supply. A vast majority of the groundwater (nearly 80 percent) is used to irrigate crops. Cities such as San Antonio, El Paso, Houston and Amarillo also depend, to varying degrees, on groundwater to supply homes, businesses and industries. Many rural Texans also rely on groundwater from individual wells.
Aquifers support springs that provide the majority of the water to our most beloved rivers, including the Guadalupe, San Marcos, Frio, San Antonio, Nueces and Llano, and they also sustain Austin’s Barton Springs Pool, and other popular Texas swimming holes. Many of these springs are also home to unique and often endangered animals and plants.
Heavy pumping from Edwards-Trinity Aquifer for irrigation caused Comanche Springs flow to decline after 1947
Comanche Springs Pool near Ft. Stocketon in 1938 Source: Image captured from rootsweb.orgAs pressure on our state’s limited water resource continues to grow, Texas must ensure that our groundwater resources are managed wisely in order to protect our vital aquifers and springs. In some parts of the state, groundwater is being used much more quickly than it is being replenished.
For example, the massive Ogallala Aquifer in the Texas Panhandle, which provides the majority of groundwater supplies in Texas, is being pumped at a rate six times greater than the recharge rate. Likewise, the city of Houston has been seriously impacted by groundwater pumping that has resulted in significant land subsidence. The sinking land levels have increased the frequency of flooding and have caused extensive damage to homes, roadways and other critical infrastructure costing billions of dollars.
It is imperative that moving forward, we manage these precious resources more sustainably.
According to the Texas Water Development Board, water from aquifers or groundwater provides over 55 percent of the state’s water supply. A vast majority of the groundwater (nearly 80 percent) is used to irrigate crops. Cities such as San Antonio, El Paso, Houston and Amarillo also depend, to varying degrees, on groundwater to supply homes, businesses and industries. Many rural Texans also rely on groundwater from individual wells.
Aquifers support springs that provide the majority of the water to our most beloved rivers, including the Guadalupe, San Marcos, Frio, San Antonio, Nueces and Llano, and they also sustain Austin’s Barton Springs Pool, and other popular Texas swimming holes. Many of these springs are also home to unique and often endangered animals and plants.
Heavy pumping from Edwards-Trinity Aquifer for irrigation caused Comanche Springs flow to decline after 1947
Comanche Springs Pool near Ft. Stocketon in 1938 Source: Image captured from rootsweb.orgAs pressure on our state’s limited water resource continues to grow, Texas must ensure that our groundwater resources are managed wisely in order to protect our vital aquifers and springs. In some parts of the state, groundwater is being used much more quickly than it is being replenished.
For example, the massive Ogallala Aquifer in the Texas Panhandle, which provides the majority of groundwater supplies in Texas, is being pumped at a rate six times greater than the recharge rate. Likewise, the city of Houston has been seriously impacted by groundwater pumping that has resulted in significant land subsidence. The sinking land levels have increased the frequency of flooding and have caused extensive damage to homes, roadways and other critical infrastructure costing billions of dollars.
It is imperative that moving forward, we manage these precious resources more sustainably.
When it rains, Texans forget drought & worsening water scarcity
BY KEITH SCHNEIDER — CIRCLE OF BLUE SEPT. 23, 2020
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After the pandemic, soaring population growth, development will again challenge planning and water supply.
WIMBERLEY, Texas – Among the famed springs that distinguish the Texas Hill Country as a region of crystal-clear water and iconic swimming holes, Jacob’s Well stands out. The spring’s water source is rain that falls on the thin soils of Hays County and filters through porous limestone before filling a network of deep, ancient caves. The water rises back to the surface from a hole, about 12 feet across, in the bottom of Cypress Creek. The round opening is so blue, so shimmering, that viewed from the top of a nearby limestone cliff it looks like an eye. Unblinking as it emerges from the darkness, the water forms an intent gaze that appears capable of seeing the opposing moods of the Hill Country: the calming influence of ample water supply in wet seasons, and surging alarm during drought. When it’s wet in Hays and the 16 other counties that form the Hill Country, Jacob’s Well pours about 900 gallons a minute into Cypress Creek, more than enough to fill the Blue Pool downstream that is a summertime recreational asset in this town of 3,000 residents. In wet years, ample rainfall means that the various circumstances of economic development — population growth, land use changes and water supply — are like soft breezes, licks of wind that are not terribly distracting. |
Brian Lehmann/Circle of Blue
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‘God is not making more Honey Creeks’: Longtime neighbors clash over planned Hill Country development
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Joyce Moore lives in Gillespie County, but on many weekends, she makes the roughly hourlong drive south to Bulverde to the 640-acre ranch where she grew up, land that has been in her family for nearly 150 years.
Last Saturday, termite damage was the issue of the day. She and her 19-year-old son Josh worked in 103-degree heat fixing a decaying roof on a century-old pumphouse. After long days such as this, Moore likes to drive up to the old chapel on the hillside, where she can see across the rolling hills of oak, juniper, prickly pear, and native grasses. "I used to enjoy coming out here," Moore said. "Now, I don't, and I can't with what's to come." Moore now only sees what will soon change that view forever. A massive residential subdivision planned by her neighbor to the south originally called for 2,400 homes packed on small lots. Ronnie Urbanczyk and his wife, Terry, own approximately 560 acres and have lived in the area 6 miles northwest of Bulverde on State Highway 46 since the early 1990s. Moore remembers when she first heard about the Urbanczyk development from one of the hunters to whom she leases her land. "I felt sick to my stomach," she said. There's more to read below. |
The water that feeds Honey Creek stays at an almost constant temperature in the low 70s.
Honey Creek is a nearly untouched water source on private property near Guadalupe State Park.
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| hill_country_development.docx |
One Water – Blue Hole Primary School
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While COVID-19 dominates headlines in 2020, groundwater protection efforts in the Texas Hill Country are set to realize a tremendous success story when the first One Water school in Texas officially opens its doors for classes this fall! Blue Hole Primary School will serve the growing Hill Country communities of Wimberley and Woodcreek with one of the most water efficient and cost-effective approaches ever envisioned for a school campus in Texas.
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| one_water_–_blue_hole_primary_school.docx |
Subsurface drip irrigation field installation. Treated effluent and harvested rainwater will irrigate Blue Hole Primary School’s new athletic fields. Photo by Bob Farmer, AGCM
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Installation of onsite treatment and reuse system will feature a low energy and highly efficient packed-bed recirculating gravel treatment system to polish black/gray water for irrigation. The system has been designed to meet Edwards Aquifer rules for nutrient reduction. Photo by Bob Farmer, AGCM
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Water Rights Success Story to Preserve & Protect
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When looming development threatened an idyllic slice of the Texas Hill Country known as the Pedernales Falls River Corridor, a group of like-minded neighbors took action to preserve the rare riverside beauty, habitat and history of the corridor, not only for themselves, but for future generations. These landowners used conservation easements to protect their property forever, and are encouraging other property owners along the corridor to do so as well.
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| water-rights-success-story-to-preserve-and-protect-prc.pdf |
Texas Stormwater Score Card 2020
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Water is a part of life, and our waterways are a part of what makes Texas special. But, runoff pollution threatens our favorite swimming holes, our drinking water, our pets, and wildlife. When stormwater runs off roofs, roads, parking lots, and sidewalks, it gathers toxic chemicals, excess nutrients, trash, and other forms of pollution. Traditional concrete channel infrastructure compounds the problem: it concentrates pollutants and directs the dirty water directly into local streams. To address the issue Texas municipalities are turning to nature-based infrastructure. Rain gardens, green roofs, the conservation of natural spaces, and other techniques can reduce runoff pollution by up to 90%.
The Texas Stormwater Scorecard evaluates the stormwater management policies of local governments across Texas to see how well they support the use of nature-based infrastructure. |
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CCCA & Great Springs Project Create Protected Land Map
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Edwards Aquifer is a world class freshwater supply in a world where that should really mean something. Its crystal clarity and purity provides clean drinking water for millions of people, and it gives rise to great beautiful springs that have nourished minds, bodies and spirits for thousands of years. These great springs have, in turn, given rise to great cities: mainly San Antonio, New Braunfels, San Marcos, and Austin. We are blessed beyond words to live in this place with this natural wonder. And we are responsible for ensuring others who come after us will enjoy and benefit from it as well.
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"BEST BETS FOR TEXAS WATER " is a great website that examines solutions to provide more water to Texans.
San Antonio's Edwards Aquifer Protection Program
Read a review and analysis of San Antonio's Edwards Aquifer Protection Program. The city of San Antonio has effectively educated the public on the value of this sales tax funded measure, even though some justification of its premises, such as inevitable development in western counties, remains subjective.
| txwj-sanantonioaquiferprotection.pdf |
Historical Timeline of Comal County, Edwards Aquifer, & Comal Springs
| comal-county-timeline-2-11-19.pdf |