Drought Status

The Barton Springs gage is currently reporting discharge below the Stage IV threshold, but the District is still in Stage III. This is the result of various activities by City of Austin staff at the pool to protect the endangered Barton Springs and Austin blind salamanders amongst the drought. These efforts combined with the gage’s increased sensitivity during times of low flow have resulted in drops and spikes in recorded spring discharge. While drought conditions persist, BSEACD staff will conduct manual measurements more frequently to verify Barton Springs flow values reported by the gage.

This chart displays the current drought stage based on values from Barton Springs and Lovelady monitor well, the District’s two drought determinants. You can also find this information on the Current Drought Chart along with rainfall, discharge, and water level information. The two graphs below show the last 60 days of record at Barton Springs and Lovelady monitor well in real-time. If you’re interested in receiving District monthly drought updates, you can sign up for the email list here.