Press Release from the Edwards Aquifer Authority San Antonio, TX –
The Edwards Aquifer Authority (EAA) has declared an increase from Stage 4
to Stage 5 Critical Period Management permit reductions for Edwards groundwater permit
holders in the Uvalde Pool of the EAA’s jurisdiction within Uvalde County. The EAA officially
confirmed that the ten-day rolling average water level in the J-27 index well in Uvalde was
839.8 feet above mean sea level (ft msl) as of Saturday, April 6, 2024. The last time the EAA
declared Stage 5 for the Uvalde Pool was March of 2013.
As shown in Figure 1, the EAA Critical Period Management Plan (CPM) Stage 5 for the Uvalde
Pool reduces the annual authorized withdrawal amounts available to affected groundwater
permit holders by 44 percent. These reductions apply to all Edwards Aquifer groundwater
permit holders authorized to pump more than three acre-feet annually. This includes industrial
and agricultural users, as well as, water utilities authorized to pump water from the Edwards
Aquifer for delivery to its respective customers. All affected permit holders must also report
their pumping totals to the EAA on a monthly basis.
Residents and businesses who receive their water from a public water system should follow
their respective water provider’s directives regarding water use practices. It should be noted
that the EAA does not enforce lawn watering schedules or other general water use limitations
enacted by local ordinances. Such schedules or limitations are enforced by local municipalities
and water purveyors. The EAA does not regulate the general public, but instead regulates
Edwards well owners with withdrawal permits authorizing their right to pump from the aquifer.
The EAA is a groundwater conservation district that manages, enhances and protects the
Edwards Aquifer, a major groundwater system serving approximately two-and-one-half million
South Central Texans. The EAA jurisdiction spans across 8 counties including Uvalde, Medina,
Bexar, and parts of Atascosa, Caldwell, Guadalupe, Comal and Hays counties.
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