About
- About
  
  The Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District is committed to conserving, protecting, recharging, and preventing waste of groundwater and preserving all aquifers in the District. The Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District was created in 1987 with a directive to conserve, protect, and enhance the groundwater resources in its jurisdictional area.
Aquifer Science
- Aquifer Science
  
  BSEACD Aquifer Science team provides sound science to support policy and tactical decisions made by the District that affect water supply users and endangered species habitat. Collecting basic hydrogeologic data and planning and executing projects enhances the understanding of the water resources within the District’s boundaries.
Regulatory Program
- Regulatory Program
  
  The Regulatory Compliance Team is responsible for a wide range of the District’s responsibilities. Regulatory Compliance Team members have also actively attended and participated in community outreach and regional development and planning groups and served as District liaisons to local municipalities, political subdivisions, permittees, and licensed drillers and pump installers in the area.
Education
- Education
  
  The Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer District actively participates and hosts events designed to engage and educate groundwater users and District residents. Events include stewardship awards, festivals, creek cleanups, presentations to schools and community groups, and teacher trainings.
Projects
- Projects
  
  The Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District has a number of special projects to help advance the scientific understanding and better manage groundwater resources within the District.
Publications
- Publications
  
  One of the most effective ways to conserve, protect, and manage our the groundwater resources is to keep you informed of the science, current conditions, and regulations affecting our District. Sign up on the Friends of the District email list and receive: Quarterly newsletters, Aquifer status updates, Drought declarations, Conservation information, and Important news.
Transparency
- Transparency
  
  The Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District strives to meet a high standard by providing clear, consistent pictures of spending, and by sharing information in user-friendly formats, to promote financial transparency and accountability, not only through financial reports but also through summaries, visualizations, downloadable data, and other relevant information.

Publications

Latest Drought Update – Jan. 27, 2022

Below is the District’s latest drought update. You can also find it in our newsletter: January 2022 Newsletter. The newsletter article also includes graphics.

As of January 2022, La Niña is likely near its “peak strength” according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This is likely to cause continued warm and dry climactic conditions across Central Texas. Since NOAA declared La Niña on October 14, 2021, the Texas Hill Country has received 3.5 inches of rain leaving 4 of the last 5 months drier than average. Without the 6.5 inches last October we’d be in real trouble. The good news is climate forecasters favor a transition from La Nina to neutral conditions (neither La Niña or El Niño) in the April-June period, possibly returning us to average rainfall in the wettest part of the year.

The drier than usual conditions have had a negative impact on regional aquifers. Water levels in the Edwards and Barton Springs flow began to drop in mid-December 2021. Trinity water levels only just recently began to fall earlier this month and Jacob’s Well flow is slowly declining too. If it feels like La Niña is winning, she is.

Currently we are not in drought. The Lovelady monitor well is 11 feet above Alarm Stage Drought threshold, but with the rate of water level decline, and little rain in the immediate forecast, we could cross into Alarm Stage Drought as soon as mid-March. Barton Springs could also cross under its Alarm Stage Drought threshold as early as mid-February.

We can’t say with any certainty that La Nina will return to neutral conditions in the next few months, as is currently forecast, or that rainfall will return to normal. The outcome of February through April is as hard to predict as an NFL playoff game. Let’s hope the prediction is accurate and we see a few months of average rainfall before another hot, dry Central Texas summer.