Megan Navarro
AUSTIN — The Barton Springs Edwards-Aquifer Conservation District (BSEACD) is remaining in Stage 3 Exceptional Drought, which has been in effect since October 2025.
Marking only the second time in the district’s 38-year history that this drought stage has been declared, the initial decision followed a rapid drop in groundwater levels at the Lovelady monitor well, where, as of Sept. 11, 2025, the 10-day average water level measured 457.0 feet mean sea level (ft-msl) — the threshold for Stage 3.
Now, in July 2026, rainfall averaged approximately 3.5 inches — approximately 1.5 inches above the long-term monthly average — across the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (ABIA) and Camp Mabry weather stations. Central Texas has received 23.4 inches, or about 65% of its historical annual average, of rainfall January through July, according to BSEACD.
“That’s not translated so far into August because we have seen absolutely none of that. We are 0.0 right now,” said hydrogeologist technician Justin Camp during his presentation to the BSEACD Board of Directors Thursday, Aug. 13, regarding drought stages.
Flow at Barton Springs — one of the district’s key drought indicators, aside from Lovelady — benefitted from the rainfall. As of Aug. 6, the 10-day average at Barton Springs is 24 cubic feet per second (cfs).
“I made a manual measurement yesterday, [so] our new 10-day average is 20 cfs and that’s riding the cusp right there at the Stage 2 pressure,” Camp said.
As for Lovelady, the 10-day average water level is 458.1 feet above ft-msl, Camp presented, which is hovering about one foot above the Stage 2 Critical Drought threshold — something that has not been seen since this time last year.
According to the district, groundwater levels in the Trinity Aquifer have also seen gains in the last four months, with the Lowe-Coronado Middle Trinity monitor well rising approximately 4 feet since April (Figure 6) and Jacob’s Well peaking at 23 cfs July 15 and maintaining a current flow of just under 1 cfs. However, the Blanco River in Wimberley has maintained flows between 16-20 cfs, which are below normal numbers.
While there are improvements to the water levels, staff recommended that the board does not lift the Stage 3 declaration.
Blayne Stansberry, director of Precinct 2, asked for clarification on the rationale behind the district not getting out of the current drought stage. She asked if the reasoning is because in Camp’s presentation, it was stated that Lovelady is expected to fall back into Stage 3 in a few weeks so it “doesn’t make sense” for the board to go back to Stage 2 and then, Stage 3 later down the road.
“Yes, that is what I am suggesting … Area wells in this area and in Buda that we also check to supplement what we understand about what's happening at Lovelady, those are also already in decline,” Camp said.
There was no vote on the item, therefore, BSEACD remains in Stage 3 drought.
Budget
Following a public hearing and limited discussion, the board also unanimously approved the fiscal year (FY) 2027 budget.
Budgeted permitted pumpage is 3,734,826,001 gallons, according to agenda documents. The total projected revenue for the district is $1,839,462 — a $47,429 increase from FY 2026 — which is broken up into the following: $1,710,898 in production and water use fees; $21,935 in other fees, such as annual permits, shared territory monitoring and administrative; $105,429 in interest income; and $1,200 in annual OneOk sampling.
Expenditures total $1,772.231 — an increase of $16,919 from FY 2026 — and include the following:
• Salaries and wages: $579,134
• Employment taxes, benefits and group insurance: $195,895
• Team (general management, Aquifer Science, Regulatory Compliance, Communications and Outreach and Administrative): $365,500
• Director: $56,500
• Operational: $193,630
• Legal and professional services: $381,572
The budget documents can be found in the agenda packet at www.bseacd.org/agendas. The board is scheduled to meet next at 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10.
