Articles Archives - Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District

January 23, 2018

Update on Current Dye-Trace Studies in the Upper Onion Creek Watershed, Hays County, Texas

Posted by Jeff Watson, Alex S. Broun, Brian Smith, Brian Hunt, Justin Camp, David Johns and Doug Wierman

Introduction A consortium of central Texas agencies and groundwater scientists conducted a series of studies of the Trinity Aquifers that culminated in publication of the Hydrogeologic Atlas of the Hill Country Trinity Aquifer (Wierman et al., 2010). A continuation of those studies has revealed a hydrologic connection between the Middle Trinity Aquifer and the Blanco…

November 15, 2017

Hays County Annexation (HB 3405) Archive

Click here to… More Information Map: Are you in the new groundwater management zone? (address search) Bill Info: HB 3404 bill language, implementation timeline, FAQ Trinity Groundwater Research: Summary of aquifer evaluations in the area Well Registration: All non-Edwards wells in the area need to register Well Permits: Wells used for other than domestic or…

November 15, 2016

Dripping Springs Wastewater Discharge Permit Application

Posted by Alicia Reinmund-Martinez and John Dupnik

Update (5/21/2018): On May 21, the State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH) held a preliminary hearing to decide, among other things, who will be affected parties in the contested case against the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s (TCEQ) proposal to issue a permit to allow the City of Dripping Springs to directly discharge its treated sewage…

September 24, 2016

Study: Surface and Groundwater Interactions in Onion Creek and Blanco River

Posted by Brian Hunt and Brian Smith

The Edwards and Trinity Aquifers provide critical water resources to Central Texas. Streams that create the beautiful Texas Hill Country are in fact hydrologically linked to the aquifer (groundwater) systems. Aquifers provide springflows that sustain the streams, and the streams, in turn, recharge the aquifers. Many studies, going back decades, document the surface and groundwater…

September 23, 2016

Videos, Activities, Resource Kits

Posted by Robin Gary

Central Texas’ groundwater, karst landscape, and innovative residents are fascinating! Local researchers, agencies, and organizations (the Aquifer District included) have made a lot of the science accessible through videos, activities & experiments, and resource pages. Here’s a list by category. BSEACD Activities & Experiments coming soon! BSEACD Resource Kits coming soon! Groundwater-Related Videos Edwards Aquifer: Austin Underground:…

September 2, 2016

Aquifer Tests – Frequently Asked Questions

Posted by Robin Gary, Brian Hunt, Brian Smith

Q – Would drought or high water levels bias aquifer test results? A – Aquifer tests measure aquifer characteristics (like porosity and permeability) that do not change whether we’re in drought or high water level situations. The aquifer test measures the effect on water levels and the response of the aquifer to pumping. The…

November 3, 2015

Wells and Major Rainfall Events

Posted by Robin Gary and Brian Hunt

Keep an eye on your well water. With large rain events comes lots of recharge to the aquifers. Storm water can wash in bacteria and contaminants. If you notice a change in taste, odor, or appearance of your water, switch to drinking bottled water or boil before drinking. A great question on many well owners’…

November 3, 2015

What Makes a Good Monitor Well?

Posted by Robin Gary, Brian Hunt, Justin Camp, and Brian Smith

Aquifer conditions are dynamic and therefore water levels can fluctuate because of drought, recharge, and pumping. Monitor wells help track these changes and inform policy to help protect water supplies and springflow for all users. After all, groundwater is a shared resource. We often get asked the question, what makes a good monitor well? In…

October 20, 2015

DFC Discussions

Posted by Robin Gary

Groundwater Management Zone 9 (GMA-9) is a collaboration of groundwater conservation districts that manage portions of the Trinity Aquifer. As part of a regional groundwater planning process that helps inform the State’s Water Plan, one of GMA-9’s tasks is to reach consensus on a Desired Future Condition (DFC) for the Trinity Aquifer. The DFC has…

October 10, 2014

Recent Well Drilling Activity

Posted by Kendall Bell-Enders and Robin H. Gary

The drilling of irrigation wells is a recent trend. As water suppliers restrict water use, many homeowners are looking to irrigation wells to maintain lush landscapes, rather than paying high water bills or converting to drought-tolerant, native plants. In areas with groundwater conservation districts, permit requirements, and a public process, there are far less irrigation…

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