Saturday's Internet Edition, July 31, 2010. Water News By Lee Sweeten, G.M. Real Edwards Conservation & Reclamation District - Another week has gone by and once again we are in need of rain. Around here the ground is cracking open and it is hard to tell that we received the rain from the last two Gulf Storms. The latest weather I looked at did not hold much promise of additional rain in the next several days. So again, it is time to remind everyone to think water smart. The latest drought indicators show the northern part of both Edwards and Real Counties to be abnormally dry. While this is not a drought stage, it is the precursor to one. Even though I do not have any hard data to back me up, it seems to me that the climate is slowly changing and it is becoming more arid in this part of the country. I seem to remember many years ago when I was young that there would be one to two rises on the rivers around almost every year and then every few years there would be a big rise. Now those rises seem further and further apart and it has been several years since a good rise has occurred on the Nueces. Maybe though, it is just as I get older my memories are incorrect. However, I do think we are due for a good flushing of the rivers. Here it is the middle of July and summer is passing rapidly. In less than a month school will start and then September will be here. By September first, Groundwater Management Area 7 along with all of the other Groundwater Management Areas in the State must have the desired future conditions set for all of the State recognized aquifers in their respective areas. The Districts within GMA 7 have been working diligently to complete this task and will meet in Fredericksburg on July 29th to look at the models for the various aquifers including the latest Edwards-Trinity Model from the Texas Water Development Board. If the models look good, there is a possibility that the Districts will vote to set the DFC for at least a portion of the aquifers. Once this is completed, the TWDB will review the DFC and then if approved will set the Managed Available Water numbers for the aquifer. Our District is working to insure that the DFC for the Edwards Trinity Aquifer will allow for a continued base flow of the major springs within Edwards and Real Counties. It is our belief that a healthy spring is the sign of a healthy aquifer. In the last legislative session, State Representative Pete Gallego introduced a bill that would ban glass containers from state owned river beds. As we all know, the trash and litter along the streams and rivers has been and continues to be a major problem. Glass containers add a greater risk in that untold numbers of individuals end up getting cuts from the broken glass while swimming or walking along the river banks. While the Bill had many supporters last Session, it, like the majority of others never made it thru the process. It is our understanding that the same legislation will be re-filed in the upcoming session starting in January. While the District is considering supporting this legislation, we are interested in hearing your thoughts prior to making any commitment. Just a reminder; when it is 90 degrees, the majority of the water from your sprinkler simply evaporates and never makes it to the roots of your lawn. By watering early mornings before 10:00 a.m. and late evenings after 8:00 p.m. you can conserve a considerable amount of water, save on your water bill, and of course be Water Smart. Every drop does count. As always, if you have comments or questions about this article or other District activities, please feel free to contact our office at (830) 597-3322 or email recrd@swtexas.net We urge everyone to “Take it to Heart and Be Water Smart.”

---

This is an on-line publication of The Rocksprings Record 411 Well St. Rocksprings, TX 78880 (830) 683-3130 For Comments or questions, email Publishers:O. D. and Carolyn Anderson editor@rockspringsrecord.com

The Web Site Contains material which is protected by international Copyright and trademark laws. No material may be copied, reproduced, republished, broadcast or distributed in any way or deCompiled, except that you may download one copy of the Materials on any single computer for your personal, non-Commercial home use only, provided you keep intact all copyright and other proprietary notices. On-line publication, Copyright 1998, The Rocksprings Record. Web page design, Copyright 2000, EZ Edit Web Publishing.