Conceptualization and simulation of the edwards aquifer, san. I am always surprised at how little and how slowly this page has to be changed. This aquifer provides water for municipal, industrial, and agricultural uses. The edwards aquifer provides san antonio with an abundant source of groundwater vital to the livelihood of a growing population and an expanding economy. Texas water journal forum on on the history of the edwards aquifer dispute. Daily high level historical data can be downloaded in csv format using the following links. Measured waterlevel altitude in edwards aquifer and simulated altitude of potentiometric surface for. Waterquality observations of the san antonio segment of the. How such a large and fractious group came together to resolve one of the nations most intractable and longstanding water problems serves as a case study in consensus. Aquifer protection and evaluation san antonio water system. Edwards aquifer authority aquifer data edwards aquifer. The j17 index well was drilled in 19 and is located in the small building at the base of this water tower near the national cemetery at fort sam houston in san antonio.
The san antonio segment of the edwards aquifer in southcentral texas is the primary water supply for more than a million people in san antonio and the surrounding bexar county area. It supplies water for more than 2 million people and for agricultural, muni. Anaya and jones 2009 noted that there remains a paucity of information on the structural geology of the model area along the western margin of the edwards trinity plateau aquifer in the revised gam. The edwards aquifer is one of the most valuable water resources in the central texas area. The edwards aquifer authority is a groundwater district, mandated by the 1993 edwards aquifer authority act. In 1994 he perceived a need for internet based resources on the edwards that would be unbiased, educational, and nontechnical, so he created the edwards aquifer website in 1995.
The edwards aquifer receives water primarily from streams and rivers originating from the catchment areas on the edwards plateau. Edwards aquifer authority historical water level chart. Water level data are used for many purposes, including as criteria for determining when to impose groundwater. The effects of urbanization across the recharge zone in bexar county and potential impact on the water quality in the edwards aquifer is. When i started this website in 1995, the primary issue that had to be resolved was how much users could pump, and the edwards aquifer authority had been handed the job of allocating water. Review of the edwards aquifer habitat conservation plan. Water levels are measured around the clock using different devices monitoring wells throughout the aquifer. Learn where your water comes from and how we manage it. The dynamics and size of the this geologic anomaly make it one of the most wondrous aquifers in the nation, through its storage capacity, flow characteristics, water producing capabilities and efficient recharging ability. It includes the edwards and some associated limestones. Water level data are used for many purposes, including as criteria for determining when to impose groundwater withdrawal. Edwards aquifer recharge zone surface water and groundwater interaction.
Historical timeline of the edwards aquifer conflict. His new water well sits about 10 feet above the bottom of the trinity aquifer 100 feet deeper than the original john colmans nearly 1. It stretches across thousands of acres over several counties in south central texas. Stage 4 may be declared if the total supply of water from the edwards aquifer and other sources is insufficient to meet customer demand, even while complying with lesser restriction stages. Related terms include aquitard, which is a bed of low permeability along an aquifer, and aquiclude or aquifuge. Currently, approximately 80 percent of drinking water used by saws customers comes from the edwards aquifer. Bibliography of the edwards aquifer, texas, through 1993 compiled by julie a. The occasion was the daylong program, history of the edwards aquifer dispute. Water level data are critical for eaas management of the san antonio pool and the uvalde pool of the edwards aquifer. Edwards aquifer authority historical water level chart edwards. The edwards aquifer also hosts unique groundwater, cave, and spring ecosystems. The edwards aquifer is an underground layer of porous, honeycombed, water bearing rock that is between 300700 feet thick.
Edwards aquifer authority home edwards aquifer authority. The edwards balcones fault zone aquifer in the san antonio, texas, area was the first to be designated a sole source aquifer by the environmental protection agency in 1975. Developers bypass aquifer limits an obscure state law written for real estate developers drastically weakened city ordinances designed to protect the edwards aquifer from urban sprawl when dallas development firm encore multifamily began eyeing properties for a new apartment complex in the san antonio area, the busy u. Water levels are measured around the clock using different devices in monitoring wells throughout the aquifer. Hydrologic and geologic data for the edwards aquifer recharge zone near georgetown, williamson county, texas, 198687 by m. The pipes, pumps and plants that deliver your water services. A view from the trenches, sponsored by the online texas water journal. Investing in our future water users, leaders and protectors.
Hill country portion of the trinity aquifer groundwater. Investigating the water resources of the western edwards. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organizations or. Artesian aquifer cistern fossil water groundwater model overexploitation seasonal thermal energy storage. The san antonio segment of the aquifer extends in a 160 mile archshaped curve from brackettville in the west to near kyle in the northeast, and is between five and. Access to these permitted groundwater withdrawal rights is subject to varying. Hill country portion of the trinity aquifergroundwater availability model gam. New study finds declining water levels in trinity aquifer. Edwards aquifer authority groundwater permit holder.
Edwards aquifer, central texas geosciences libguides. Alternate water supply projects considered but rejected by the city of san antonio. A number of cities rely on the aquifer as their only source of drinking water. A revised edwards trinity aquifer gam was released by texas water development board in 2009 anaya and jones, 2009. Cities like san antonio have long depended on the edwards aquifer for water, making it an integral part of the environment and geology of the region. The oldest water levels from a continuous water level recorder well are from state well number 6837203 j17 in bexar county.
It is on a major edwards flowpath and responds quickly to pumpage and recharge, so it has been used for many decades to record changes in the level of the aquifer in the san. Library of congress cataloginginpublication data kuniansky, eve l. It supplies water for more than 2 million people and for agricultural, municipal, industrial, and recreational uses. Developers bypass aquifer limits san antonio expressnews. The texas water development board twdb completed this model in 2000 in cooperation with the trinity aquifer advisory committee which includes members of local groundwater districts, river authorities, county governments, regional water planning groups, and concerned citizens. The edwards aquifer authority eaa issued water rights through an established permitting process, and today, saws has access to approximately 50 percent 284,000 acrefeet of those rights. Thats the historic average for october of the j17 well, 658 feet above sea level, the measure that influences everything related to the edwards aquifer. The act grants all of the powers, rights, and privileges necessary to manage, conserve, preserve, and protect the aquifer. Geological survey usgs began collecting daily water levels in 1932. Edwards aquifer authority historical data edwards aquifer authority. Ewing is widely regarded as one of the most knowledgeable experts regarding edwards aquifer history and geology. The edwards aquifer authority eaa continues to collect daily water levels from this well. The edwards aquifer literally is the life blood of the hill country.
Aquifer protection and evaluation the aquifer protection and evaluation section of saws is engaged in the development process over the recharge zone in bexar county as it relates to the protection of our prevailing source of water. The artesian zone, where water springs from wells naturally due to the higher elevation of the recharge zone, extends 1020 miles 1632 km south on the west. Water level, recharge, discharge, specificcapacity, wellyield, and aquifer test data for the edwards aquifer in the san antonio area, texas. From east to west, the aquifers are the edwards aquifer, trinity aquifer, and edwards trinity aquifer. The edwards aquifer is a unique groundwater system and one of the most prolific artesian aquifers in the world. This publication includes detailed descriptions of many options available for you to use as bmps. Slagle abstract this report presents a compilation and summary of data related to the interchange of water between the edwards aquifer and streams, and to the. To comply with the edwards aquifer rules, you must implement measures known as best management practices bmps to reduce the impact of your activity on water quality in and upstream of the aquifer. Stage 4 restrictions may be declared at the discretion of the city manager upon completion of a 30day monitoring period following stage 3 declaration. The edwards aquifer is one of the most prolific artesian aquifers in the world. Geological survey openfile report 95336 prepared in support of a study by the center for research in water resources, university of texas at austin austin, texas 1995. The aquifer is susceptible to anthropogenic contaminants from urbanization and nutrients and pesticides are commonly detected in the aquifer. This activity was supported by the edwards aquifer authority under contract no. Gregg eckhardt is an environmental scientist who has been studying the edwards aquifer and issues surrounding it since 1972.
In addition, the edwards aquifer feeds the comal and san marcos springs, provides springflow. The study of water flow in aquifers and the characterization of aquifers is called hydrogeology. An aquifer is an underground layer of water bearing permeable rock, rock fractures or unconsolidated materials gravel, sand, or silt. Located on the eastern edge of the edwards plateau in the u. It consists primarily of partially dissolved limestone that creates a highly permeable aquifer. Genesis of the edwards balcones fault zone aquifer the. The edwards balcones fault zone aquifer is a major aquifer in the southcentral part of the state. Hydrogeology and groundwater flow in the edwardstrinity. In this book, gulley tells the inside story of the edwards aquifer recovery implementation program earip, a federally sponsored process put in place by the texas legislature. It is one of the greatest natural resources on earth, serving the diverse agricultural, industrial, recreational, and domestic needs of almost two million users in south central texas. In fact, this area would not have grown to what it is today without the aquifer. About the edwards aquifer san antonio water system.
Except for the guadalupe river, all streams and rivers that cross the outcrop of the edwards aquifer lose major portions of their flow to the aquifer. The edwards aquifer is intensely faulted and fractured carbonate limestone that lies within the balcones fault zone. The eaa regulates the portion of the balcones fault zone edwards aquifer a jurisdictional area that provides water to over 2 million people, and covers more than 8,000 square miles across eight counties. Aquifer thickness ranges from 200 to 600 feet, and freshwater saturated thickness averages 560 feet in the southern part of the aquifer. This book can provide policymakers with a roadmap of where to develop and at what levels. The edwards aquifer maxwell school syracuse university.
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