What Austin-area water restrictions are in place, what will trigger more limits?
Austin on Friday ended a nearly two-week stretch of triple-digit temperatures with a more seasonable high of 99 degrees. But the 100-degree weather resumed Saturday with a high of 102 and is expected to continue for at least another week with zero chance of rain, according to the National Weather Service.
If that forecast holds, the ongoing statewide drought will worsen in Central Texas. One of our most precious resources during arid summers is fresh water stored in lakes, creeks, rivers and aquifers. The numbers right now don't look good. Some Austin-area water authorities already have enacted restrictions, but without rain, more are probably on the way. Here is what we know:
What's the drought situation now?
Drought conditions have expanded in Texas for the sixth consecutive week, according to the latest data released Thursday by the U.S. Drought Monitor, a joint effort of the National Drought Mitigation Center, the U.S. Agriculture Department and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
About 99.2% of the state is experiencing drought — from "abnormally dry," the lowest level of drought, to "exceptional drought," the most severe level on the drought monitor's scale. Drought monitor data indicate that at least 22.8 million Texans live in drought-stricken areas and that 2022 to date is the state's sixth-driest year in the past 128 years.
Exceptional drought — typified by crop loss and extreme sensitivity to fire danger — rose from 16.1% of Texas last week to 21.3%. The worst drought conditions already have kept the Texas Panhandle and Big Bend in West Texas baking for much of the year. The more troubling change is that exceptional and extreme drought have widened in the Hill Country just west of Austin — particularly in Blanco and Gillespie counties — as well as the western edge of Hays County.
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In the Texas Crop and Weather Report from Texas A&M AgriLife last week, John Nielsen-Gammon, the state's climatologist in the Texas A&M College of Geosciences department of atmospheric sciences, said soils will continue to lose moisture and retain heat.
“Unfortunately, the very hottest temperatures typically occur later in the summer, so off-hand, I don’t see any relief in the future,” Nielsen-Gammon said. “It looks dismal for the next couple of weeks.”
A tropical disturbance from the Gulf of Mexico could bring moisture to Louisiana and Southeast Texas, he added, but most of the state is likely to stay hot.
How are water supplies doing?
The persistent lack of rain means critical regional water sources, such as the watersheds that feed underground aquifers and the Highland Lakes west of Austin, are not being adequately replenished.
According to the Lower Colorado River Authority, which manages the Highland Lakes for hydroelectricity and flood control, the volume of water stored in the reservoir lakes, Travis and Buchanan, at full would be about 2 million acre-feet. As of Sunday, that number was about 1.2 million acre-feet and dropping. An acre-foot is the amount of water it takes to cover an acre a foot deep.
Lake Travis, a popular aquatic playground but also a critical water source for Central Texas communities, was considered filled to only 55% of capacity, the LCRA reported Sunday. The water elevation at Mansfield Dam, which forms the lake, was about 648.4 feet above mean sea level, which is not only about 19 feet below the historical average for July but also about a foot lower than just seven days ago.
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Underground water sources also are dwindling without rain seeping from the surface. In its drought report issued Friday, the National Weather Service described decreasing well levels in the Edwards Aquifer, an underground layer of porous, water-bearing rock sitting beneath Central Texas.
"A continued lack of rain over the aquifer recharge zone during a high-usage period has contributed to falling aquifer levels through the spring and early summer," the report said. "The aquifer level at the J-17 index well has dropped nearly 10 feet over the past five weeks."
The well level of about 632 feet last week was about 28 feet below the historical average for July, a low not reached since October 2014, according to the weather service. On Sunday, the J-17 well was at 635.4 feet, the Edwards Aquifer Authority reported.
What are the water restrictions in Austin?
Since June 6, the city of Austin has been under Stage 1 water restrictions that were triggered once the combined volume of water at Lakes Travis and Buchanan dropped below 1.4 million acre-feet.
Before Stage 1, the city was already in "conservation stage," which includes such rules as limiting automatic irrigation to once a week and hose-end irrigation to twice a week; and limiting commercial customers' use of patio misters to between 4 p.m. and midnight.
Stage 1 restrictions primarily apply to the number of hours allowed for automatic irrigation, now cut back from 15 to 13 (midnight to 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. to midnight). There are also designated days to water, based on your address.
Residents and businesses can find more information on Austin Water drought restrictions online at austintexas.gov/department/find-your-watering-day.
If drought conditions worsen, Austin could implement much tougher Stage 2 restrictions on all water use.
City officials said we could hit the trigger for Stage 2 later this year or next, when combined storage of the lakes reaches 900,000 acre-feet.
Stage 2 restrictions include:
Limiting commercial and residential irrigation to once a week (automatic or hose-end).
Limiting irrigation times to midnight to 5 a.m. and 7 p.m. to midnight for automatic systems and limiting hose-end irrigation to midnight to 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. to midnight.
Banning charity car washes.
Home car washes must use only a refillable vessel (bucket). Commercial vehicle washing facilities would remain in operation.
Prohibiting the use of ornamental fountains with aerial fall of 4 inches or greater unless necessary to preserve habitat for aquatic life.
Increasing penalties for violations.
Current LCRA projections estimate that the combined storage of Lakes Travis and Buchanan could sink to 900,000 acre-feet in a scenario with "extremely dry conditions" as early as November.
What are the water restrictions in Williamson County?
Communities outside of the Colorado River watershed also are taking precautions. In Williamson County, bellwether bodies of water such as Lake Georgetown also are shrinking in volume.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the water elevation on Lake Georgetown on Saturday was 778.7 feet above sea level, which is about 8 feet below the historical average for this time of year.
Round Rock: The city on June 29 enacted Stage 1 drought restrictions, which limit outdoor irrigation to two days a week.
Round Rock officials said Stage 2, which would limit watering to once a week, could be triggered by any of the following:
Lake Georgetown's elevation drops to below 765 feet for three consecutive days.
The combined storage of Lake Georgetown and Stillhouse Hollow Lake in Bell County is less than 105,001 acre-feet of water.
Water treatment capacity is at 90% for three consecutive days.
Total daily demand is 90% of storage capacity for three consecutive days.;
The city manager determines that Stage 2 restrictions are needed to protect the health and safety of the city.
"We are confident that our diverse portfolio of water sources, along with our community’s commitment to reasonable conservation practices, will allow us to continue providing stable water service through drought conditions," the city told the Statesman in a statement.
Georgetown: City officials on June 28 cited high water usage for moving the city to Stage 2 of its drought contingency plan, which limits watering with an irrigation system or hose-end sprinkler to one day a week.
Water production from Georgetown’s water treatment plants had exceeded 90% of capacity on multiple days in the second half of June, triggering the move to Stage 2.
“Given the high water use we have seen in the past few weeks, enacting the one-day watering schedule ensures we have enough water to meet our primary goals to provide water for domestic use inside the home and for fire flow,” Georgetown's director of water utilities, Chelsea Solomon, said at the time.
Stage 3, which prohibits all outdoor irrigation, could be triggered if water usage reaches 95% of capacity, according to the city.
Taylor: Like in other Williamson County communities, residents are being asked to limit irrigation to Sundays and Thursdays or to Wednesdays and Saturdays, depending on the street address, between midnight and 10 a.m. and between 8 p.m. and midnight.
If the drought worsens, Taylor officials said the city could make those restrictions mandatory, shorten irrigation times, ban the use of hose-end sprinklers, and limit washing vehicles at home and filling swimming pools.
Cedar Park: The city, whose water source is Lake Travis, has two designated days a week for outdoor watering. Under its Stage 2 rules, irrigation and hose-end sprinkler watering is allowed before 10 a.m. and after 7 p.m. on designated watering days. Watering by hand is allowed at any time, the city said.
Cedar Park’s trigger for Stage 3, which limits outdoor irrigation to once a week, would be implemented if combined storage in Lakes Buchanan and Travis drops to 750,000 acre-feet.
What are the water restrictions in Hays County?
In San Marcos, the largest metro area in Hays County, the city has been under Stage 2 of its drought contingency plan since April 17. Some Stage 2 restrictions include:
Prohibiting waste of water, such as allowing water to puddle or run off a property, or failing to repair leaks.
Limiting irrigation with hose-end sprinklers to one day a week before 10 a.m. or after 8 p.m., and limiting automatic sprinkler irrigation to one day a week, from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.
A ban on charity car washes unless held at a commercial car wash.
Limiting personal vehicle washing to one day a week. Washing must be done using a hand-held bucket or a hand-held hose with a shutoff nozzle.
Prohibiting the filling of new aesthetic water features.
Limiting foundation watering, using a drip system, soaker hose or hand-held hose, to one day a week.
San Marcos officials said they monitor Edwards Aquifer conditions, which determine drought stages.
The Edwards Aquifer Authority on Wednesday held a public briefing on conditions in the San Antonio Pool, a major segment of the Edwards Aquifer that serves groundwater permit holders in Hays, Caldwell, Comal, Guadalupe and Bexar counties.
Paul Bertetti, senior director of aquifer science research and modeling for the Edwards Aquifer Authority, said some residents could be required to adopt stricter conservation measures later this summer without significant rainfall.
How can we conserve water?
The Texas Water Development Board, whose mission includes financing projects to ensure the state has adequate water supplies, offers these tips for households to save water:
Water yards early in the day or at night: Calmer winds and cooler temperatures at these times mean less water lost to evaporation.
Design a drought-resistant landscape: Plant water-efficient and/or native shrubs, trees and grasses. Native plants have adapted to our region’s climate and can conserve water better than nonnative plants. Check your local nurseries for more information about tailoring your plant life.
Follow local watering restrictions: Outdoor watering guidelines are designed to help everyone, but they work best if everyone shares the responsibility.
Check your sprinkler heads: Manually adjust your in-ground irrigation system to ensure that water is being applied where it is needed and in the amount that is needed. The best lawn sprinklers produce large drops of water close to the ground.
Install a rainwater harvesting system: For every inch of rain that falls on a 2,000-square-foot roof, about 1,000 gallons of water can be collected. The Texas Water Development Board has more information about harvesting rainwater at twdb.texas.gov/innovativewater/rainwater/index.asp.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: What Austin water restrictions are in place, what triggers new limits?
