January 6th, 2026

By Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian

  Kinney County residents showed up en masse at Monday night’s, January 5th meeting of the Kinney County Water Conservation District’s Board meeting in Brackettville, Residents from Brackettville and Kinney County filled the building with about a dozen standing outside of the front door as the meeting commenced. 

  Several signed up to speak during public comments, with some speaking very passionately about the board’s possible actions tonight on the aquifer management changes. The Board is asking for recommendations from the District’s hydrologist on possible action tonight.

  The issue is complicated but during public comments, several speakers are concerned with the drying up of Los Moras Springs. One or two landowners have stated their wells are going dry. A few accused the board of possibly voting on personal ambitions and not representing the people in the county.

  One board member stated the state is in a Stage 5 drought. At stake are private property rights, available water for the population, and the health of wildlife.

  According to the District’s hydrologist, the main issue is defining the optimal future conditions of the aquifer.

Option 1: Non-relevance for joint planning purposes. According to Vince the board’s hydrologist, Uvalde is considering this.

Option 2: We develop an approach that aligns with the DFC or District Flow Control or Desired Future Conditions.

   “If we don’t act, the GMA decides for us,” one board member said.

Option 3: we come up with a new DFC with the new MAG.

   “We don’t have a lot of time,” Vince said, referring to option 3.

Option 4: “Hail Mary, “one board member said.

  The district is close to hitting a deadline to update its Groundwater Management Plan.

   “We don’t have a lot of time,” Vince said, referring to option 3.

    The district is close to hitting a deadline to update its Groundwater Management Plan.

Low water levels within the City’s water towers over the Uvalde downtown area and north of town near the Honey Bowl resulted in low water pressure on Friday, December 23rd for many municipal water customers.

“There was a water leak and a control panel issue. All was resolved pretty rapidly,” Uvalde City Councilmember Chip King said.

According to City of Uvalde Utilities Manager Ray Ramos, the low water levels prompted city workers to turn on a different water well to replenish water levels inside the towers and restore water pressure. Several residents on Uvalde social media pages reported they had experienced low water pressure on Friday.

“The basic problem was the water leak and control panel issue. The resolving process was to switch to another well,” King said.