Central Texas aquifers could see slight boost after week of rainfall

AUSTIN, Texas – This week’s rainfall across Central Texas could help to bring a much-needed boost to the region’s aquifers, which have been operating at dangerously low levels.

The backstory:

On Tuesday, the Austin area saw over an inch of rain while Georgetown received close to six inches, as the San Gabriel River rose over six feet throughout the day.

But the heavy downpour was a welcome sight for Shay Hlavaty, the communications and outreach manager at the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District. 

Created by the state of Texas in 1987, the District oversees segments of the Edwards and Trinity Aquifers, stretching from South Austin to southern San Marcos. 

In total, the portions of the aquifers they oversee provide water to around 100,000 people.

“Groundwater is a significant water source, you know. It’s kind of the unsung hero of Texas,” says Hlavaty.

But over the last few years, the region’s groundwater levels have been in decline.

“Since January 2022, we are missing over a year’s worth of rainfall. So, in the Austin area, we get about 32 to 34 inches a year. And so over that time, we have, you know, a 30-plus inch deficit,” says Hlavaty.

Since October, the District has been under a stage three exceptional drought. Those conditions are determined by two indicators: spring flow at Barton Springs and groundwater levels at the Lovelady Monitor Well. 

If either of these locations drops below a drought threshold, the District could declare a more intense drought stage.

By the numbers:

Some of the latest data shows that Barton Springs isn’t performing as it needs to support the ongoing growth of the region.

“To put it into reference, the average since about 1978 at Barton springs is 60 CFS. That’s cubic feet per second. And one cubic foot is about the size of a beach ball, an average beach ball. So, 60 beach balls of water coming out every second from Barton Springs. Before this rainfall, we were closer to 12 CFS, so only 12 beach balls coming out every second, so that’s less than a quarter of average,” says Hlavaty.

That same data also shows that the Lovelady Well is 453.8 feet above mean sea level. That’s only 5 inches above the Stage 4 Emergency Response Threshold.

“This isn’t something that’s going to go away. Even if we busted this drought and get out of it, the next drought is going to be around the corner,” says Hlavaty.

Dig deeper:

But this week’s rain did provide a small boost, helping to prevent the district from potentially falling into a deeper stage of drought.

“So, we’re still in that stage three exceptional level, and this rainfall will help us stay out of that stage four emergency,” Hlavaty told FOX 7. “It’ll help stabilize, if not increase groundwater levels and spring flow.”

The total rainfall for the Austin area in April so far is 4.14 inches, well above the typical total average for the month, which is 2.42 inches. But that sort of above precipitation must continue if there is to be any chance of drought levels decreasing.

“We really need to have above average rainfall for months, if not years, to bust this drought,” says Hlavaty.

What you can do:

As May approaches, which typically brings the most rainfall throughout the year, Hlavaty urges people to cut back on water use when they can, especially watering their lawns, which can consume large amounts of drinking water. 

And as Central Texas continues to see a boom in population, combined with hotter than average temperatures for February and March, conservation is as important as ever.

“It’s important to remember that a little bit of rain here, a little bit of rain there, isn’t going to best the drought. So, we all have to do our role to help conserve resources in the meantime,” says Hlavaty.