Aquifer Gained Little
From Recent Big Rains

SAN ANTONIO —(AP)— Heavy rain over the Texas hill country last week apparently did little to replenish the Edwards Aquifer, which is hovering well below its normal water level as a drouth drags on.

Significant amounts of rain fell on the largest exposed area of the aquifer's recharge zone, said Rick Illgner, general manager of the Edwards Aquifer Authority in San Antonio.

"We had some really good rain in the area. But what we're seeing is very little rise over on this end of the aquifer," Illgner said late last week. "I'm a little surprised. I thought we'd see a little bit more."

The Edwards Aquifer is a natural underground water reservoir used by about 1.5 million people in this region. It is the sole source of drinking water for the city of San Antonio and provides irrigation for farmers in several counties.

The aquifer level at the San Antonio test well was 643.2 feet above sea level Sunday. After Monday's rains, it rose to 643.9 feet on Tuesday, but by Thursday it had dipped to 643.4 feet, Illgner said.

The current level is about 20 feet below average for this time of year.

Monday's torrent brought 8.5 inches of rain to Kerrville, nine inches to Mountain Home and 16 inches to Fredericksburg. Farther west, eight inches fell at Rocksprings and 6.5 inches fell at Brackettville.

The problem for the aquifer appears to be that water flowed into an underground area known as the "Knippa Gap," which blocks recharge flow, and sediment-laden water flowed so quickly downstream that it couldn't be absorbed, Illgner said.

"Whoosh — it's just a flush," he explained.

Any thought that the region has emerged from its long-running drouth should be put aside, Illgner added.

The city of San Antonio remains under mandatory water conservation rules, and the fast-approaching months of December, January, February and March typically see the least rain of the year, while heavier rains fall from May through September.