Drought Severely Impacting Spring Flow and Groundwater Levels
July 2022 Hydro Report

Springs and monitor wells in both the Trinity and Edwards Aquifers show significant drought impacts. Jacob’s Well spring flow is fluctuating between 0.6 and 0.09 cfs. Nearby pumping from water supply wells supplying Woodcreek are known to directly affect spring flow when the pumps are running. The County suspended swimming at Jacob’s Well on June 29, 2022 due to high bacteria counts brought about by heavy recreational use and low flow. A downstream dam usually causes water to pool around the Well creating better swimming conditions. Currently, the downstream dam gate has been removed to allow close monitoring of true spring flow from the Well itself.

With such low flows, parts of Cypress Creek have gone dry and the deeper pools are being sustained by small local springs.
The upper section of the Blanco River has gone dry at several locations and is showing record lows at others. The LCRA station on the Blanco River at Blanco is showing daily averages of 0 cfs. No water is making it over the spillway near the 165 bridge. Baseflow for the section of the Blanco near Wimberley is provided by Pleasant Valley Springs and Park Springs and is measured at the USGS monitoring station on the Blanco at Fischer Store Rd. Baseflow continues to decline and is at the lowest recorded flow since the USGS monitoring site was established in 2016. Low spring flow translates to low flow in area creeks and rivers.

Groundwater levels are similarly affected by serious rainfall deficits (between 8-10 inches behind average year to date totals). In fact, water levels in the Middle Trinity aquifer did not fully recover even in 2021. Drought and heavy water use continue to cause water level declines. Edwards Aquifer water levels are also exceptionally low. The Edwards Aquifer Authority J-17 drought index well is only 4 feet away from the threshold for a Stage 4 drought declaration. The Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District Lovelady monitor well shows similar declines and is approximately 8 feet away from the next drought stage.

All of the Hill Country is experiencing rainfall deficits which leading to pronounced drought conditions in our area.
May through September is considered the high-water-use season. For many homes, outdoor irrigation increases substantially. Most communities in the Hill Country are groundwater-dependent, so drought conditions are particularly troublesome for water supplies, recreation-based tourism, and springs and rivers. Please follow groundwater district drought restrictions and local water provider drought water use guidance. Limit outdoor irrigation and conserve water indoors. Identify and fix leaks. Conserve water to prolong water supplies until rainfall can replenish our aquifers. While we can’t control the weather, we can conserve water and look for innovative ways to use alternate supplies (like site-harvested supplies—rainwater and AC condensate) to lessen impacts of pumping. While each aquifer behaves differently, all groundwater is limited and deserves to be used wisely. For more information on native landscapes, rainwater harvesting, leak identification tips and more, visit the Home Owner Resource page.
No matter what area agencies call their drought declaration, coordinated water conservation is important to preserve groundwater availability, spring flow, and water supplies.
Agency | Drought Stage | Date Declared | Details |
Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer CD | Stage II Alarm Drought (minimum of 20% Reduction) | June 2022 | Press Release, 6/9/2022 |
Blanco Pedernales GCD | Stage 2 – 20% Reduction in pumping | June 2022 | Press Release, June 2022 |
Comal Trinity GCD | |||
Cow Creek GCD | Stage 3 – 30% Reduction in pumpage | June 2022 | Public Notice, 6/14/2022 |
Hays Trinity GCD | 30% Curtailment for Jacob’s Well GMZ, 30% for remainder of the District | July 2022 | Board Order, 7/7/22 |
Edwards Aquifer Authority | San Antonio Pool is in Stage 3 – 35% Reduction | June 2022 | Press Release, 6/13/22 |
[Updated 7/18/2022]
Annual rainfall average for Central Texas is approximately 33 inches per year. To understand recharge potential, it’s important to track where rain falls, how fast it falls, and how saturated the soils are. Key rain gages for the area are (upstream to downstream):
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- USGS 08170800 Blanco Rv at Crabapple Rd nr Blanco, TX
- USGS 08170890 Little Blanco Rv at FM 32 nr Fischer, TX
- EAA Burnett Ranches (HAY01WS) Weather Station & Soil Moisture Site
- Private Tempest Weather Station, Downtown Wimberley, TX
- Wimberley Valley Watershed Association Weather Station at Jacob’s Well
- USGS 08170950 Blanco Rv at Fischer Store Rd nr Fischer, TX
- EAA Rebecca Springs (COM03WS) Weather Station & Soil Moisture
Realtime comparison of two key spring flow sites: (USGS gages: Blanco at Fischer Store–08170950 and Jacob’s Well–08170990)
Jacob’s Well Spring, Cypress Creek
Jacob’s Well is a Middle Trinity Aquifer spring that provides the baseflow for Cypress Creek.
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- Realtime data: USGS 08170990 Jacobs Well Spg nr Wimberley, TX
- Spring flow is a strong indicator of groundwater levels in the Jacob’s Well Groundwater Management Zone (JW GMZ), because low spring flow directly correlates to low well water levels.
- The 10-day average spring flow is a drought trigger for the HTGCD Jacob’s Well GMZ (Thresholds: 10% Curtailment: below 6 cfs; 20% Curtailment: below 5 cfs; 30% Curtailment: below 3 cfs).
- Groundwater pumping causes 1 to 1.5 cfs fluctuation in flow and is more evident under low flow conditions.
Pleasant Valley and Park Spring, Blanco River
Pleasant Valley and Park Springs are Middle Trinity Aquifer springs that provide significant baseflow for the Blanco River, especially during dry periods.
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- Realtime data: USGS 08170950 Blanco Rv at Fischer Store Rd nr Fischer, TX
- Springflow can be estimated by using the USGS gage at Fischer Store Rd (linked above) and subtracting any upstream flow indicated by the USGS 08170905 Blanco Rv at Valley View Rd nr Fischer, TX.
- These springs are central to the HTGCD Regional Recharge Study Area, because springflow is indicative of water storage in the local groundwater system.
The Hill Country’s iconic streams are known for their clear water and rocky bottoms. Oftentimes, cracks, caves, and faults are visible in stream beds. When creeks and rivers are flowing, these cracks, caves, and faults channel water from the surface into the groundwater system below. Streamflow gages are strategically located to help monitor gaining (where springs are found) and losing (where recharge happens) sections of creeks and rivers. Key gages include:
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- Realtime data: USGS 08170950 Blanco Rv at Fischer Store Rd nr Fischer, TX
- Springflow can be estimated by using the USGS gage at Fischer Store Rd (linked above) and subtracting any upstream flow indicated by the USGS 08170905 Blanco Rv at Valley View Rd nr Fischer, TX.
- Realtime data comparison of three key USGS gages (Blanco at Fischer Store–08170950, Jacob’s Well–08170990, Blanco at Wimberley–08171000)
Groundwater monitoring is an art. TWDB, HTGCD, and BSEACD have extensive monitoring networks.
Key wells from west to east:
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- HTGCD Burnett Ranch well (aka ESD well) – Middle Trinity aquifer
- HTGCD Mt Baldy well – Middle Trinity aquifer
- HTGCD Downing well – Middle Trinity aquifer
- BSEACD Hoskins well – Edwards aquifer
- BSEACD Lovelady well – Edwards aquifer
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- USGS Texas Water Dashboard
- LCRA Hydromet
- TWDB Recorder Wells
- EAA Rainfall Monitoring Network
- BSEACD Monitoring Sites
- ATX Floods Map — Travis, Hays, Burnet, Caldwell, Bastrop, and Williamson County road status map
- Hays County Road Status map
- TCEQ Nonpoint Source Pollution Project Viewer
- TCEQ Source Water Quality Monitoring (SWQM) Data Viewer
- Texas Stream Team/Cypress Creek Project
Archived Hydro Reports
Month | Cypress Creek – Jacob’s Well | Blanco River – Pleasant Valley & Park Springs | Date Published | |
2022 June | Wide-spread Drought | 6/16/2022 | ||
2022 April | Drought Conditions Return | 4/4/2022 | ||
2022 Feb | Three-month Dry Spell Ends with Icy Precipitation | 5.7 cfs | 16.4 cfs | 2/3/2022 |
2021 Nov | Rain brings increases in spring flow and groundwater levels | 19.2 cfs | 22.5 cfs | 11/14/21 |
2021 Oct | Rain brings temporary increases in spring flow and groundwater levels | 2.7 cfs | 16.0 cfs | 10/7/21 |
2021 Sept | Water levels and spring flow on the decline (again) | 2.6 cfs | 28.1 cfs | 9/16/2021 |
2021 July | Spring flow increased, Groundwater levels still low | 3.9 cfs | 33.2 cfs | 7/6/2021 |
2021 May | Recharge! | 2.2 cfs | 13.5 cfs | 5/18/2021 |
2021 April | Lowest Groundwater Level Recorded Since 2005 | 1.4 cfs | 11.4 cfs | 4/22/2021 |
2021 March | 2.4 cfs | 13.5 cfs | 3/10/2021 | |
2021 January | 0.3 cfs | 11.8 cfs | 1/19/2021 | |
2020 December | 1.3 cfs | 16.8 cfs | 12/8/2020 | |
2020 November | 1.1 cfs | 17.1 cfs | 11/11/2020 | |
2020 October | 1.7 cfs | 17.7 cfs | 10/25/2020 | |
2020 September | 6.5 cfs | 25.2 cfs | 9/14/2020 | |
Please note: Page under construction. Please email robingary@wimberleywatershed.org with suggestions or questions.