In an ironic twist not lost on the local groundwater district directors, a small amount of rain fell on Kendall County for the first time since the ides of July just as the Cow Creek Groundwater District considered whether to move into emergency drought stage conditions.
The directors opted to remain in Stage 3.
During the CCGCD regular meeting Monday evening, staff announced 15 local monitor wells have reached record lows for July, and 41 of the 43 monitor wells in the groundwater district are below their historical average.
“We’ve seen lower water levels,” CCGCD General Manager Micah Voulgaris said. “We’re seeing some of these record lows but still seeing an average water level that’s higher than 2011.”
During their July meeting, the CCGCD board members discussed moving into Stage 4, or emergency drought, conditions this month, but despite the continued record heat and nearly record-setting drought, the board opted to remain in Stage 3 to adhere to data-based decision-making.
The groundwater district last went into its most extreme emergency drought stage in 2012, but Voulgaris said it’s hard to compare because the district had five drought stages at that time. Voulgaris said the directors’ decision to move into emergency drought conditions at that time were based on public pressure or political posturing and a sense of perceived drought rather than trend modeling or water levels.
The district last moved into emergency drought conditions in 2012 when the aquifer was at 1,185 feet. It currently sits below this level at 1,179 feet, according to the CCGCD website.
The district moved into emergency drought conditions in 2012 when the aquifer was at 1,185 feet. It currently sits below this level at 1,179 feet, according to the CCGCD website.
At-large Director Ben Eldredge expressed concern about remaining in Stage 3, saying it may be best to conserve the resources available while the district still can, noting that thousands of wells have been drilled since the last emergency drought stage was initiated which pull more of the waning resource.
“I can live with that,” Eldredge said when asked how he felt about remaining at Stage 3. “Honestly, I do lean toward, you know, we’re supposed to conserve water, but I think we can also play with this.”
Eldredge said it was important to get the message out that the county is still heading toward Stage 4 drought restrictions if the drought conditions don’t let up.
Currently, property owners may water their lawns once a week before 10 a.m. and after 8 p.m. only with hand-held hoses. Stage 4 conditions would prohibit water lawns entirely for those living outside the Boerne city limits.
“It is concerning, but I don’t think chaining drought stages is going to make a huge difference,” Precinct 1 Director Bob Webster said. “But it’s been a while since we’ve seen the Guadalupe reach zero flow.”
During the Kendall County Commissioners Court meeting Monday morning, it was announced that every monitor of the Guadalupe River in the county showed the river at zero flow, creating concerns around the river’s water quality.
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