Don’t miss the final session of this season to be held at Trinity University in San Antonio. Our distinguished panel will discuss the recent ruling by the Texas Supreme Court on the highly publicized Day v. EAA case regarding ownership of groundwater. The program will explore the effects on a variety of stakeholders and a look at our complex water policy framework in Texas. A mix of viewpoints will be presented and discussed.
Evan Smith of the Texas Tribune moderates this Texas Water Symposium between a panel of participants who represent a who’s who in current Texas water policy and analysis:

1. • Andy Sansom, Executive Director of the River Systems Institute at TSU
   
2. • Greg Ellis, attorney specializing in groundwater law
   
3. • Tom Mason of Graves Dougherty Hearon & Moody and former General Manager at LCRA
   
4. • Russell Johnson, McGinnis, Lochridge and Kilgore and lead counsel for the Texas Wildlife Association.

The second public meeting for the Jacob’s Well Master Plan has been set for Wednesday, March 28, at 6:30 p.m. at the Wimberley Community Center, 14068 Ranch Road 12.   Meeting notice is available here.
County officials and parks planning consultant RVi of Austin will present the draft of the site plan, which includes input from attendees at the initial public meeting held in January as well as from a stakeholder group appointed by the Hays County Commissioners Court and other groups interested in the future of the Natural Area.
“We are nearing completion of the master plan, which will allow the Jacob’s Well Natural Area to offer passive recreational opportunities as well as educational elements to help visitors understand the importance of water and other natural resources in our region,” said Jeff Hauff, Grants Administrator for Hays County. “The design team of RVi has coordinated this intensive planning effort and has considered the opportunities and constraints of the property along with ideas proposed from the public and various groups.”
More information about the Jacob’s Well Natural Area planning process is available at www.co.hays.tx.us/jacobswell.

By Susan Marx

Jacob's Well, Wimberley Texas Members of Wimberley's City Council met Tuesday and voted unanimously to adopt a resolution supporting the development of a Specific Groundwater Management Area for Jacob's Well, the resolution will be read into the record by council member Steve Thurber at the Texas Water Development Board meeting this Thursday. Council had discussed the idea of an SGMA for Jacob's Well and the Wimberley Valley at length in their regularly scheduled meeting earlier this month, and they directed City Administrator Don Ferguson and city staff to write a resolution that expressed their collective ideas. The resulting resolution states that the City of Wimberley "encourages the creation of a SGMA utilizing an adaptive management strategy to keep the creeks, streams and rivers in western Hays County clean, clear and flowing and to avoid a calamity to the prosperity of Wimberley and the surrounding area in Hays County."  In addition, the resolution "requests the use of an open public process, involving all affected government entities, including the City of Wimberley, utility providers and local stakeholders when creating a SGMA for Jacob's Well and determining its boundaries, goals and rules." Wimberley resident Malcolm Harris thanked city council for its leadership in putting together the resolution. Wimberley Valley Watershed Association President Jack Hollon said, "Cypress Creek is central to the history of the settlement of Wimberley and shapes the culture and arts and the very identity of living in Wimberley. It is also central to the biological health of the riparian area. If we lose the creek, we also lose the centuries old cypress trees there too." Councilman Steve Thurber made a motion to accept the resolution as written and Councilman Tom Talcott seconded the motion. City Council voted unanimously to approve the resolution as written. Mayor Bob Flocke said, "I think that this resolution puts Wimberley firmly on the side of conservation of our natural resource. It's a resolution that doesn't call for a specific drawdown rate, it leaves it to science to determine an appropriate rate for the aquifer that feeds Jacob's Well, Cypress Creek and the Wimberley Valley."    The TWDB meeting will be held at 9 am on Thursday, March 1st in the Stephen F. Austin Building, 1700 N. Congress Avenue, Room 170 in Austin, Texas.       Residents are encouraged to attend the hearing to offer their support for protecting spring flows in the Wimberley Valley and the Texas Hill Country. Public comments will be allowed following the WVWA presentation. Emails can be sent to the board directly at boardmembers@twdb.texas.gov. Letters should be addressed to the Texas Water Development Board, Melanie Callahan, Executive Administrator at P.O. Box 13231, Austin, Texas 78711-3231. Please ask Melanie to distribute your letter to the individual Board members before the meeting for their preparation and consideration.   ____________________________________________________________________________ RESOLUTION NO. R-02-2012 RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WIMBERLEY, TEXAS ENCOURAGING THE CREATION OF A SPECIFIC GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT AREA FOR JACOBS WELL WHEREAS, the City of Wimberley, Texas (the "City") is committed to the conservation, preservation and protection of the Trinity Aquifer in western Hays County; and WHEREAS, the availability of groundwater from the Trinity Aquifer is essential to the quality of life for thousands of people who reside in western Hays County and rely solely on public and/or private groundwater wells in the Trinity Aquifer for their water supply; and WHEREAS, spring flows from Trinity Aquifer springs, such as Jacobs Well, which sources Cypress Creek and the historic Wimberley Blue Hole, help provide clear, flowing surface waters for the creeks, streams, and the rivers that give western Hays County its unique sense of place; and WHEREAS, these creeks, streams and rivers are the economic engines driving eco-tourism and increasing property values in western Hays County and require continued spring flows to maintain permanent, year-round surface water flows; and WHEREAS, the Groundwater Management Area 9 ("GMA 9") recently adopted a Desired Future Condition ("DFC") for the Trinity Aquifer that authorizes an average thirty-foot decline in the aquifer over the next fifty years; and WHEREAS, the City and many citizens of western Hays County believe that a thirty-foot decline of the Trinity Aquifer would threaten springs, such as Jacobs Well, property rights of landowners, their property values, and cause harmful impacts on well owners, surface water rights holders and businesses in Wimberley and the surrounding area of Hays County area; and WHEREAS, the City understands the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District (the "HTGCD"), as an alternative to the GMA 9 DFC, has the ability to utilize an adaptive management strategy and create a Specific Groundwater Management Area (the "SGMA") to address local groundwater issues, such as those relating to western Hays County, more specifically Jacobs Well; and WHEREAS, the HTGCD should involve all affected governmental entities, utility providers and others in an open, public process, if and when, creating a SGMA for Jacobs Well and determining its boundaries, goals and rules. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Wimberley, Texas: 1.  Encourages the creation of a Specific Groundwater Management Area forJacobs Well (the "SGMA"), utilizing an adaptive management strategy, to keep creeks, streams, and rivers in western Hays County clean, clear and flowing and  to avoid a calamity to the prosperity of Wimberley and the surrounding area inHays County.  2.Requests the use of an open, public process, involving all affected governmental                          entities, including the City of Wimberley, utility providers and others, when                               creating a SGMA for Jacobs Well and determining its boundaries, goals and                                    rules. RESOLVED this ___ day of February, 2012.                                                                                                                                                                         City of Wimberley                                                                                                                                                                         ____________________                                                                                                                    Bob Flocke, Mayor                                          ATTEST: _________________ Cara McPartland City Secretary  ______________________________________________________________________________ Read the Mayor of WoodCreek's  Letter to TWDB    click here ______________________________________________________________________________  Example Letter of Support   CITIZENS ALLIANCE FOR RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT (CARD) PO BOX 2905 WIMBERLEY, TEXAS 78676 February 29, 2012 Ms. Melanie Callahan, Executive Administrator Texas Water Development Board PO Box 13231 Austin, TX 78711-3231 Re: Item #20 - TWDB Agenda, 3/1/2012 - Appeal of GMA 9 DFC Dear Board Members and Staff: In 2010, the newly elected members of the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District voted by a 3 to 2 majority to endorse the 30' DFC adopted by the GMA 9. Citizens from throughout western Hays County gave impassioned testimony asking the HTGCD to select a lower DFC so that area wells, springs, and creeks would not go dry. The Citizens Alliance for Responsible Development (CARD) circulated a petition opposing the 30' DFC. The petition was signed by 615 citizens (copy attached). In November 2011 at the hearing conducted by the TWDB in Wimberley to hear the appeal of the 30' DFC, over 200 citizens and CARD attended the hearing and sent over 160 certified letters and petitions to the TWDB as evidence of their concern with the 30' DFC and its long-term detrimental effects. On February 15, 2012 the Steering Committee of CARD adopted a Resolution (copy attached) which expressed CARD's continuing opposition to the 30' GMA 9 DFC and supported the creation of a Specific Groundwater Management Area (SGMA) for Jacob's Well and its tributary formations. This Resolution was presented to the Wimberley City Council which has also adopted a Resolution supporting the creation of a SGMA for Jacob's Well. While CARD has studied the TWDB staff response to the WVWA appeal of the GMA 9 DFC, we do not agree and find it short sighted. There is certainly a responsibility of the TWDB to support growth, but there is an even stronger responsibility of the Board to protect existing homes, business, ranches, farms, and others who are totally dependent on a sustainable supply of groundwater. In the HTGCD, because of the unique legislation which enabled the District, only the large non-exempt pumpers will benefit from this DFC. All others will suffer, property values will decline due to lack of reliable groundwater, and area springs which feed creeks and rivers and support wildlife will go dry. As a partial solution to the problem caused by the 30' DFC, CARD supports the creation of the SGMA for Jacob's Well and its tributary formations and urges the TWDB to recommend that GMA 9 and the HTGCD work together to create such a management area. We appreciate the opportunity to address the Board and look forward to a continuing working relationship with Board members and your staff. We request that a copy of this letter and the attachments be distributed to each Board member at the March 1, 2012 meeting. Sincerely, James R. McMeans, CARD Chairman

Donate Now Become a Friend of Jacob's Well Today

Cypress Creek Sep. 2011

Stakeholders of the Jacob’s Well Natural Area and Hays County staff met Feb. 15 at Camp Jacob to review RVI’s preliminary master plan (the most recent phase in site planning for the historic spring). Presentations from the landscape architectural consultants from RVI gave  stakeholders an overview of the “Preliminary Plan” that incorporated community input from the January open house and addressed key questions and concerns including: 

• How to best preserve and restore the site to  demonstrate land and water stewardship
• Best way to provide safe public access and ensure protection of the sensitive natural landscape
• Whether or not to permit overnight camping 
• Restrictions on bicycles & dogs in the preserve
• How to manage fencing, signage and boundary identification
• Managing access while making the property as open as possible
• Methods to protect and rehabilitate the wetlands and the riparian area along the creek
• How to restore the area around the spring and manage access to Jacob's Well
• Entry points, impervious cover restrictions, parking capacity & location

The vision for the JWNA master plan are to preserve the site as a place for the community to connect with nature and inspire environmental stewardship. The historic spring provides a perfect place to  educate area youth and demonstrate land and water conservation practices.


The Wimberley Valley Watershed Association , with the help of Hays County, has removed nearly four acres of impervious cover from the site.  RVI landscape and architectural planners, Chris Lalitch and Barbara Austin, are assessing the need to remove existing impervious cover before any new structures or parking areas are added.  Site restrictions on  impervious cover will limit what is built in the future. All structures will incorporate rainwater harvesting and energy efficient design; every effort is being made to use natural pervious materials for nature trails and parking areas to allow water to seep back into the aquifer.

Lalitch and Austin summarized the open house presentation and introduced some new sketches of how buildings might be designed with approximations of where the structures may be located. They also confirmed that there will be two, possibly three, entry points for the preserve.  The preliminary plans allow for a total of 32 parking spaces and three school buses.

There are not plans to fence around the entire property. Lalitch said that currently there are plans to fence approximately 3,000 feet of the property around the riparian area designated as zone 9 (the southernmost section in the flood zone) and there will be some restricted use. Boundary markers made out of cedar, recycled materials, stone and native plantings may be used along Mt. Sharp Road.

JWNA consists of nine distinct planning “zones” – from the mostly wild, upland area (about 35 acres) in zone one all the way down to Jacob’s Well and the riparian area around Cypress Creek.  Each one of these zones is being planned for restoration according to its unique characteristics. Zone one is expected to be left largely undisturbed with some trails, a possible bird tower and a wildlife viewing areas to accommodate bird watchers, wildlife researchers and visitors walking from local neighborhoods. 

The main entrance will be off of Mt. Sharp Road and will lead to a bluff in Zone 2 with wide unobstructed views and an overlook. RVI envisions a partially enclosed “Stewardship Center” here, nestled into the hillside. It will be energy efficient and facing southwest for natural ventilation in the summer. The indoor and outdoor environments in this structure will be knitted together and the estimated size of the structure is 3,400 square feet which includes a covered terrace.  There will also be two adjacent indoor restrooms, a storage area, office space, kitchen & catering facilities and possible retail space.

The “Stewardship Center” will act as the central hub for visitors to the natural area and serve as a center for community education and watershed research.  The structure will be surrounded by educational kiosks with natural outdoor seating, beehives, bat houses and “play trails,” an innovative concept that encourages kids to explore along a trail. The “Playscapes” themselves will be nature-oriented with organic rather than man made materials.

Winton Porterfield, of Wimberley Springs Partners, expressed his desire for exhibits to illustrate the  unique historical and cultural history of the area and think creatively about how to present the water  education exhibits. David Baker, executive director for the Wimberley Valley Watershed Association, also suggested an archeological assessment of the Native American artifacts on the property in order to incorporate additional information of historical significance; the other stakeholders present agreed with the suggestions made.

RVI also envisions a large, covered picnic and educational area lower in the property in the former RV park area.  This area, north of the existing educational center building at Camp Jacob (which remains in the plan),  is a flat, prairie-like habitat that is accessible by trail from the north and south entrances.  All structures will use rainwater collection systems and geothermal and solar energy with the goal of “net zero” energy and resource use. The runoff from the parking areas will be captured in filter gardens for conservation and educational purposes.

Hays County legal counsel Mark Kennedy said the property will be handicap accessible, according to ADA standards.  Currently, the county is leaning towards a sun-up to sun-down policy for the preserve.  The southern entrance at Camp Jacob will remain open during the day to accommodate local residents and will have a few parking spaces and bike racks. Biking to the preserve is encouraged; in order to preserve the trails and wildlife, biking will not be permitted within the natural area. Mayor of Woodcreek, Eric Eskeland, mentioned the need for more planning to connect trails for the residents from Woodcreek who enjoy walking to the well. Stating a vision for one day connecting the Winters Parkway Trail from Blue Hole to Jacob's Well.

Hays County has established a web site to track the progress of the Jacob's Well Natural Area master plan.  http://www.co.hays.tx.us

RVI, a landscape planning consultant firm located in Austin, is in the process of creating a Master Plan for the Jacob’s Well Natural Area. Their task is to interpret the community’s vision for the site. RVI recently held a forum at the Wimberley Community Center that welcomed public input on the development and management of the property. With the addition of interviews of stakeholders such as county and WVWA staff, JWNA volunteers, and a committee of local representatives, RVI has created the first phase of the plan.   You can follow the progress on the Hays County’s website: http://www.co.hays.tx.us/jacobswell.

This ongoing and open dialogue has generated some considerations that WVWA would like to share. After years on the ground, WVWA can offer parameters that fully represent the best of our ongoing work and research. But no matter what your ideas or concerns may be, please take the time to add to this vision.

WVWA feels that in light of the current water climate and growing population pressures, the decision to restore the 100 acres back to a perfectly balanced ecosystem is an idea whose time has come. Jacob’s Well has long been a site of great beauty and wonder, and a place held sacred by past cultures that have lived on its banks. Today it still is at the heart of the Wimberley Valley.

We would like to see the site identified and developed as a natural heritage site, maintained as a nature preserve and not a recreational park, and function as a place where both children and adults can connect with nature. Although we all enjoy camping, dogs, sports, and bicycling, these are high-impact activities and are not recommended as they will overrun the site’s sensitive resources. The conservation easements currently in place will help insure that land and water conservation comes first.

The focus of visitors to Jacob’s Well should be one of immersion in nature, which inevitably leads to joy, and is naturally followed by a sense of stewardship. Access by trails would invite discovery in an unstructured style that sparks the imagination. The Children in Nature movement has pointed out that American children are averaging 7 minutes a day in time out-of-doors, which has led to a host of stressed behaviors. The same is true for adults - time spent in nature serves to alleviate a deeply seated sense of disconnection we feel with the natural order of things.

WVWA envisions the only new structure to be a stewardship center, to share the extensive knowledge we have gained from living so close to the aquifer. Built with the green building practices of wind and solar energy, rainwater harvesting, water re-use and waterless toilets, the building would not only sit lightly on the land, but serve as a model for sustainable design. There would be no additional structures, not even kiosks, but in fact further “undeveloping” of the site by lessening the current amount of impervious cover and removing any buildings in the flood plain.

The site has been severely impacted by development and over grazing in the past and is need of restoration. Priority should be placed on enhancing plant diversity, aquifer recharge, protecting water quality, and creating wildlife habitat.

Facilities and funding should be provided for the valuable scientific research that happens at the site. It is this research that has enabled us to make these specific recommendations. Partnerships with local organizations, volunteer groups, schools, and universities should also be supported, as with developing a formal relationship with Texas State’s River Systems Institute. All partners should be actively involved in developing a groundwater management program that protects not only the flow of Jacob’s Well, but all Wimberley Valley aquifer springs, even in times of drought.

Please write, call, or email your comments to:

RVI Planning Team
712 Congress Ave, Suite 300
Austin, Texas 78701
512-480-0032

Barbara Austin
baustin@rviplanning.com

Chris Crawford
ccrawford@rviplanning.com

Wimberley residents shared their ideas on how best to preserve and share with the public the Jacob’s Well Natural Area when RVI, the landscape architects hired by Hays County to plan the recently acquired 80+ acres around the well, held an open house at the Wimberley Community Center last Thursday.

Get the latest news in the February 2012 Newsletter with a report on the relationship between the Blanco River and Barton Springs during drought period.

Hays County Seeks Public Input

• Hays County wants to hear from the public about features they would like to see incorporated in Jacob's Well Natural Area. Public forum held Thursday, January 19, 6:30-8:30 pm at the Wimberley Community Center.
  Read More ...

Blanco River Recharges Barton Springs During Drought

• Read an interesting article by Nico Hauwert, a Sr. Hydrogeologist, Senior Environmental Scientist with the Austin Watershed Protection Department about the Blanco River flow and it's impact on Barton Springs.
  Read More ...

Full Newsletter for Download

Get the latest news in the January 2012 Newsletter with a report on the Public Hearing on the proposed aquifer decline and the Volunteer Recognition event.

Public Hearing on Proposed 30-foot Aquifer Decline

• It was standing room only at the Wimberley Community Center, with over 200 citizens attending
  the hearing to appeal the proposed 30’ drawdown on the Trinity Aquifer. Not only was every chair filled, but
  the line to notarize 135 individual letters of support flowed continuously throughout the day.
  Read More ...

Volunteer Recognition Event

• The JWNA volunteers were recognized with at an event for their outstanding service during the year.
  Read More ...

Full Newsletter for Download

Get the latest news in the December 2011 Newsletter with articles covering the Public Hearing on the proposed aquifer decline and the project underway to develop a master plan for JWNA.

Public Hearing on Proposed 30-foot Aquifer Decline

• The Wimberley Valley Watershed Association has filed a petition to the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) appealing the proposed 30-foot decline or Desired Future Condition (DFC) for the Trinity Group Aquifers adopted in July of 2010 by Groundwater Management Area 9 (GMA-9). The association is encouraging concerned citizens to attend the TWDB hearing, which is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Nov. 16 in Johnson Hall at the Wimberley Community Center. Read More ...

New Master Plan

• Hays County has hired RVI, an Austin landscaping firm, to create a Master Plan for the JWNA site. Read More ...

Full Newsletter for Download

The WVWA encourages residents and concerned citizens to attend the Nov. 16 hearing in a show of support for adoption of a sustainable DFC that will protect local drinking water supplies, Jacob’s Well, Blue Hole and the future of Cypress Creek.

The WVWA DFC Hearing will take place at 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Nov. 16 in Johnson Hall at the Wimberley Community Center. WVWA encourages residents and concerned citizens to attend the hearing in a show of support for adoption of a sustainable DFC that will protect local drinking water supplies, Jacob’s Well, Blue Hole and the future of Cypress Creek.

Support the appeal by sending a Letter of Concern to Texas Water Development Board.

Citizens for Responsible Development (CARD) Resolution Supporting the Appeal by the Wimberley Valley Watershed Association of the GMA 9 DFC.

Public Comment Affidavit

Wimberley Valley Watershed Association Nov. 16 Desired Future Conditions (DFC) Hearing
Press Release

Earlier this year, the Wimberley Valley Watershed Association filed a petition appealing the 30 foot decline of water levels in the Trinity Aquifers in the Texas Hill Country set by the Groundwater Management Area 9 (GMA 9) in July 2010. This decline was approved in conjunction with the "Desired Future Condition", or DFC process that is designed to project groundwater pumping through 2060.
WVWA is appealing on the grounds that this level of decline is unreasonable and unsustainable and is calling for the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District (HTGCD) and GMA 9 to revise the drawdown amount as it will deplete the aquifer. There is widespread evidence the 30 foot DFC will negatively impact private property rights of well owners, landowners, aquatic habitats and businesses dependent on the spring flow, which feeds the creeks and rivers in the Hill Country.

Background:

In Texas, the "rule of capture" generally gives landowners the right to capture and use the groundwater beneath their land as they see fit and the only thing limiting their use of that water is the size of the pump. The problem is groundwater is also a shared resource and when one individual, business or water supplier pumps out too much; it takes away what is left for those around them – so much so that wells and springs that have produced for decades are going dry.
In general terms, a DFC is a statement of what an aquifer should look like in the future. It may represent water levels, amounts of water in storage, discharge to springs or base flow to rivers and streams. The Texas Water Development Board oversees the DFC process.

Present:

The purpose of the WVWA appeal is to request action from the TWDB, GMA-9 and the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District to determine a realistic DFC for groundwater sustainability in the areas in the Texas Hill Country that recharge and support base flows to Jacob's Well and Cypress Creek.
The filed appeal states that the proposed DFC of a 30 foot average drawdown would allow even more pumping in Hays County than the TWDB-approved management plans' available groundwater. Recent experience shows that current pumping by itself may be unsustainable, as evidenced by the unavailability of water in wells and springs during the current drought and the drought of 2008-09.
During the height of the 2008-9 drought in Central Texas, daily mean flow at Jacob's Well essentially stopped for 167 days. The 2009 cessation of flow occurred with only an approximate 2-3 foot drawdown; much less than the average drawdown allowed in the proposed DFC.
For the last 11 months, central Texas has been in one of the driest periods in recorded history. Jacob's Well and Cypress Creek, which both weathered the Drought of Record in the 1950s (a drought lasting approximately 10 years) have stopped flowing. The current lack of spring flow has resulted in the braids of Cypress Creek drying up and parts of the Blanco River are dry as well.
The economic impact of depleting the groundwater in the Wimberley Valley (where groundwater is the only source of potable water) has yet to be determined, but geological data on the base flow in springs and rivers documents the critical nature of maintaining habitat, ensuring good water quality, sustaining property values and sustaining businesses involved in recreation and tourism.
The depletion of springs and rivers also jeopardizes the substantial public and private investment in river parks and nature preserves such as Jacob's Well Natural Area and Blue Hole Regional Park. Investments in those two parks alone total more than 13 million dollars to date.
Jack Hollon, president of WVWA said, "In summary, a 30 foot average drawdown of the Trinity Aquifer in GMA 9 would lead to a major degradation of economic, ecological and quality of life conditions across the Texas Hill Country."
The WVWA DFC Hearing will take place at 10 a.m., Nov. 16 in Johnson Hall at the Wimberley Community Center. It is expected to last until 3 p.m. There will be numerous expert testimonies but the TWDB will not hear public opinion that day. Instead, for 10 days following the hearing, the TWDB will accept the written public opinions of concerned citizens.
WVWA encourages residents and concerned citizens to attend the hearing in a show of support for adoption of a sustainable DFC that will protect local drinking water supplies, Jacob's Well, Blue Hole and the future of Cypress Creek. After the hearing, public opinion letters should be mailed to:
Joe P. Reynolds, Esq.
TWDB
1700 North Congress Avenue
P.O. Box 13231
Austin, Texas 78711-3231
Phone: (512) 936-2414
Fax: (512) 475-2053
Email: mailto:Joe.Reynolds@twdb.state.tx.us?Subject=DFC%20Hearing

You can read the Executive Summary of the petition appealing the DFC below. Or download as a PDF here.
Read the full petition and supporting affidavits here.

Executive Summary

Desired Future Condition Being Appealed: Wimberley Valley Watershed Association ("WVWA" or "Petitioner") files this petition to appeal the desired future condition (DFC) adopted by GMA 9 on July 26, 2010 (Resolution No. 072610-01) of "an average drawdown of approximately 30 feet through 2060," as it applies to the Trinity Aquifer within the boundaries of the Hays-Trinity Groundwater Conservation District (HTGCD).
Appeal:The 30 ft. average drawdown for the Trinity Aquifer, as adopted by GMA 9 on July 26, 2010, and as it applies to the Trinity Aquifer in the HTGCD, is unreasonable and will cause excessive economic and ecological impacts to private well owners, landowners, aquatic habitats and businesses dependent on spring and base flows to streams, and to downstream users in the Edwards Aquifer region. The proposed DFC does not take into account the desired future condition of the Trinity Aquifers during drought periods, when impacts on water resources are most acute.
If you aim at 30ft drawdown on average, you could see much higher drawdowns in many areas during drought years. A lot of misunderstanding exists about the implications of implementing a 30ft average decline across the GMA9 area. Under the proposed policy, the 30 feet drawdown is not the maximum that you might see; the 30' DFC is a regional and multi-year average and actual drawdowns in pumping centers (such as around cities) will likely see much more extreme declines during droughts. Areas in northern Hays Country experienced actual drawdowns of over 175 feet in the drought of 2008-2009.
It is highly likely that the adopted DFC, allowing for 19 additional feet of average decline across Western Hays Country, will result in many dry wells and significant periods of zero spring flow from Jacob's Well and other springs that supply base flows to Cypress Creek, the Blanco River, and Onion Creek. The proposed DFC would allow more pumping in Hays County than the TWDB-approved District Management Plan's available groundwater. Recent experience shows that current pumping may itself be unsustainable, as evidenced by the unavailability of water in wells and springs during the 2008-2009 drought. In 2009, 42 existing and operating groundwater wells in the HTGCD were reported dry. This required residents to purchase and haul water and/or lower pumps due to declining water levels, all at high cost. Some residents were forced to spend up to $15,000 to drill a new deep well. The Blanco River, Onion Creek, Jacob's Well, and many other springs and streams in the Hill Country stopped flowing. This was during a period of significantly less pumping than would be allowed in the adopted DFC.
Additionally, the proposed DFC will have unreasonable ecological and economic consequences, by reducing base flows to springs and streams that sustain aquatic habitats and recreational waters. Jacob's Well is a prime example of how current pumping is already stressing the limits of water availability in the Trinity Aquifer. During the height of the 2008-2009 drought, daily mean flow at Jacob's Well essentially stopped for 167 days (6 months). Before 2000, the spring had not stopped flowing in recorded history. The 2009 cessation of flow occurred with only an approximate 2 to 3 ft of drawdown immediately up gradient of the spring, much less than the 19 ft average drawdown allowed in the proposed DFC. Base flow in springs and rivers is critical for maintaining habitat, for ensuring good water quality, for sustaining property values along streams and for sustaining businesses involved in recreation and tourism. A study of property values along the perennial Cypress Creek near Wimberley predicted a 25 to 45% drop in market values if creek flow is substantially reduced, a loss of up to $15 million dollars to land owners and a corresponding loss in property tax revenues. The drying up of springs and rivers also jeopardizes the substantial public and private investment in riverine parks and nature preserves such as Blue Hole Regional Park and Jacob's Well Natural Area. To date, public and private investments in these two parks alone total over $13 million.
Furthermore, the proposed DFC will have unreasonable impacts on downstream users in the Edwards Aquifer region, by reducing lateral, subsurface inflows from the Trinity Aquifer that substantially impact critical spring flows during droughts. Recent studies have shown that the Blanco River contributes water to Barton Springs during drought conditions, when flow is most critical to maintain habitat and water quality. Adoption of the proposed DFC would shift the economic burden of water conservation from Trinity Aquifer users to Edwards Aquifer users. The modeling used to support the proposed DFC has several limitations in how the assumptions and results will be applied to the real world. First, the coarse resolution of the model means that it is impossible for any person or agency to predict with confidence the actual number, location, and longevity of dried up wells and springs due to the proposed increases in pumping. Moreover, the adopted DFC does not properly account for the distinctive character of the Upper, Middle and Lower Trinity Aquifers. Each of these aquifers functions in a manner that is sufficiently independent to justify separate DFC criteria for each aquifer. The limitations of the model and the averaging that goes into reporting the results make the proposed DFC inconsistent with sound water-resource management, given the sheer number of environmental and economic unknowns it creates.
In short, the adopted DFC fails to ensure conservation and protection of groundwater in the Trinity Aquifer within Hays County. The conservation and protection of groundwater to balance multiple and competing uses is a primary mission of groundwater conservation districts and regional water planning groups. HTGCD and Regions K and L Water Planning Groups have formally adopted management goals that work to ensure the long-term sustainability of aquifers, and thus the prevention of aquifer mining. The proposed DFC directly contradicts the stated goals of these groups, making it difficult or impossible to implement the kind of adaptive management strategy that has the greatest chance of success.

The Nature Conservancy is hosting a Landowner Watershed Workshop on the riparian zones of the Pedernales and Blanco Rivers. Details available here.

Festival Overview

Details - When, Where and What

Festival Activities

At first sight, Jacob’s Well appears to be a deep, dark hole at the bottom of a pool of creek water — nothing more. Pay attention to how the hole, about 15 feet in diameter, has perpetually gushed pure artesian water out of the ground since before humans first wandered around this part of what is now known as the Hill Country, and it takes on deeper meaning. Listen to stories about it, and it becomes something much more than just a special natural place. Read the full article here.

David Baker has been recognized for his leadership in conservation of the well-loved natural landmark known as Jacob’s Well by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. He is the state winner in the Individual category for their 2011 Texas Environmental Excellence Awards.

The Texas Environmental Excellence Awards celebrate the bold efforts of citizens, communities, businesses, and organizations to preserve and protect the Texas environment. Read More