Aquifer plummets, more pumping cuts likely within days

The Guadalupe River has run dry Wednesday Aug. 6, 2014 at the Rebecca Creek Road bridge crossing. A few miles up stream from the bridge the Spring Branch gauge reported a flow of just .14 cubic feet per second at the 4 p.m. reading. less The Guadalupe River has run dry Wednesday Aug. 6, 2014 at the Rebecca Creek Road bridge crossing. A few miles up stream from the bridge the Spring Branch gauge reported a flow of just .14 cubic feet per second ... more Photo: William Luther, San Antonio Express-News Photo: William Luther, San Antonio Express-News Image 1 of / 153 Caption Close Aquifer plummets, more pumping cuts likely within days 1 / 153 Back to Gallery

SAN ANTONIO — The rapidly falling Edwards Aquifer has reached a critical low point that likely will mandate an unprecedented 40 percent cut in pumping by early next week.

The aquifer's J-17 monitoring well in Bexar County stood at 629.6 feet above sea level, a condition that can trigger Stage IV of the Edwards Aquifer Authority's critical period plan. If the aquifer remains at 630 feet or below — which is likely, given the hot, dry short-term forecast — tougher pumping reductions could start Tuesday, according to the EAA.

Municipal utilities and agricultural and industrial users have had to cut their permitted use by 35 percent since April 10 when the EAA declared Stage III in the pool of the aquifer tapped by Bexar, Medina and portions of Comal, Guadalupe, Hays, Atascosa and Caldwell counties.

Despite facing more cuts in pumping from the Edwards, the San Antonio Water System plans to remain in what it calls Stage 2 drought restrictions — limiting landscape watering by customers to once a week on a designated day and during certain hours.

Other municipalities, such as Alamo Heights and New Braunfels, already have restricted customers' outdoor watering to one day every two weeks.

SAWS spokesman Greg Flores said conservation efforts and a more diversified supply, including water from the Carrizo Aquifer, are helping keep SAWS in compliance with EAA restrictions.

“It appears our customer demand is still at a level that is consistent with what we saw last year,” he said. “It's still important that our customers abide by the restrictions in place. We're very appreciative of their efforts to conserve.”

Four years of drought have taken its toll on the Edwards, which is 13.4 feet lower than even a year ago. It has dropped almost 10 feet in the past two weeks.

Flows at Comal Springs were at 101 cubic feet per second Wednesday, and also could trigger Stage IV if they fall below 100 cfs.

“Right now, the alarming thing is the aquifer level,” said Terri Herbold, EAA spokeswoman.

The summer heat is peaking, with the first 100-degree day of the year recorded Wednesday by the National Weather Service at San Antonio International Airport. That was unusually late; on average, the city reaches that mark in late June.

Still, the local forecast puts the highs in the upper 90s for much of the next week. The weather service did not rule out the possibility of a stray shower, but said there was too little moisture to include rain in the official outlook.

shuddleston@express-news.net