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Counties in Region:
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ZAVALA, WILSON, VICTORIA, UVALDE, REFUGIO, MEDINA, LA SALLE, KENDALL, KARNES, HAYS, GUADALUPE,
GONZALES, GOLIAD, FRIO, DIMMIT, DEWITT, COMAL, CALHOUN, CALDWELL, BEXAR, ATASCOSA
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Major Cities:
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San Antonio, Victoria
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Population 2000:
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2,132,188
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Population 2050:
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4,527,361
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Total Water Use, 2000:
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1325692 Acre-Feet
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Total Water Use, 2050:
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1656739 Acre-Feet
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Primary Rivers:
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Guadalupe, San Antonio, Nueces, Lavaca-Guadalupe, San Antonio-Nueces
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Major Aquifers:
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Edwards (BFZ), Trinity, Carrizo-Wilcox, Gulf Coast
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Annual Precipitation:
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20-44 Inches
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Net Evaporation:
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28-56 Inches
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Regional Planning Activity Information From
The Teaxs Water Development Board
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SUPPLY 1995
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DEMAND 2000
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DEMAND 2050
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SOURCE
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PERCENT
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SECTOR
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ACRE-FEET
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PERCENT
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SECTOR
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ACRE-FEET
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PERCENT
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Groundwater
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76%
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Irrigation
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649878
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49.0%
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Irrigation
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516349
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31.2%
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Surfacewater
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24%
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Manufacturing
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113150
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8.5%
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Manufacturing
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202379
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12.2%
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Livestock
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28186
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2.1%
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Livestock
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28521
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1.7%
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Mining
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174470
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1.3%
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Mining
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14308
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0.9%
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Municipal
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434748
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32.8%
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Municipal
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769522
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46.4%
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Power
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82260
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6.2%
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Power
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125660
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7.6%
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- Population in the region will more than double between 1995 and 2050, and new water supply resources will be needed.
- The Edwards Aquifer-the sole source of water for San Antonio's more than one million residents-also provides
stream inflow to the Leona, San Pedro, San Antonio, Hueco, Comal, and San Marcos springs north of San
Antonio (as well as Barton Springs in the Austin area). Continued pumping of the aquifer affects these streams'
water availability and ecosystems, curtailing the recreational opportunities they afford. Recent droughts and a
lawsuit brought by the Sierra Club, a national environmental group, have forced restrictions on water use during the dry summer months to protect spring flows and endangered species.
- The Edwards Aquifer Authority has developed a management plan that will force many cities, irrigators, and
industries to change their water use practices.
- San Antonio will need to augment its reliance on the Edwards Aquifer with surface water, especially during the
summer months.
- Pumping from the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer in the Winter Gardens area has lowered water levels by more than 100
feet in some places, causing encroachment of poor-quality water into the aquifer.
- San Marcos and New Braunfels will need to continue to convert from Edwards Aquifer groundwater to surface
water from Lake Canyon.
- Pumping from the Gulf Coast Aquifer in the eastern portion of the planning area could lead to saltwater intrusion
and decreased quality in the future. Victoria will have to improve its water treatment facilities to meet amendments of the Safe Drinking Water Act.
- The bays and estuaries along the coast depend on maintaining sufficient flows from the San Antonio and Guadalupe rivers.
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