NewsDrop-May-June-2026

EDWARDS AQUIFER HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN (EAHCP)

Habitat Conservation Measures are implemented primarily by the City of New Braunfels, the City of San Marcos, and Texas State University within the Comal and San Marcos springs systems. These efforts include aquatic and riparian restoration, management of recreational access (such as fencing and exclusion barriers), and public outreach. Work is guided by annual EAHCP work plans and interlocal agreements between the Permittees, with most measures completed or actively progressing. Supporting Measures provide the scientific and administrative foundation for the program. These include biological and water quality monitoring, annual assessments of incidental take and habitat disturbance, operation of a refugia program, and applied research. Comprehensive ecological and groundwater modeling, required by the EAHCP, were completed in 2017 and 2020. Implementation and administration are guided by multiple groups, including an Implementing Committee (Permittees and Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority), a Stakeholder Committee representing 27 regional entities, and a Science Committee composed of 11 independent experts, along with program staff, contractors, and coordination with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). After more than 13 years of implementation, the EAHCP has demonstrated measurable success despite challenging environmental conditions. Habitat restoration has been implemented across all accessible target areas, and springflow protection measures have helped maintain flows above critical thresholds even during prolonged drought. Since 2016, the endangered Texas wild-rice plant has consistently exceeded its minimum target coverage of 8,000 square meters. In 2025, San Marcos salamander populations met density targets in two of three monitored reaches, and bryophytes—the preferred habitat of the endangered fountain darter—have expanded into new areas within the San Marcos system. Although the Comal Springs system remains vulnerable to extreme conditions, recent rainfall has improved springflow, allowing previously stressed aquatic vegetation to recover.

2026 EAHCP OVERVIEW By: Kristina Tolman Senior HCP Coordinator

Photo: San Marcos salamander

Springflow Protection focuses on maintaining adequate flows during drought. As mentioned in the previous article, key efforts include the EAA’s CPM program, VISPO, Regional Water Conservation (RWC), and use of the SAWS ASR program. Under CPM, permitted users must reduce groundwater withdrawals based on aquifer levels in the San Antonio pool and the Uvalde pool. A Stage 5 level—added in 2013 for the EAHCP—requires reductions of up to 44% when the 10-day average falls below 625 feet above mean sea level (amsl) at J-17 or 840 feet amsl at J-27. Stage 5 reductions have triggered multiple times in the Uvalde Pool in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2024, and throughout 2025, and briefly, for the first time in the history of the CPM program, in the San Antonio pool in late May 2025.

The Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation Plan (EAHCP) is a regional program that manages the impacts of human activities—such as groundwater use and aquatic recreation—on federally listed species in the Comal and San Marcos spring systems. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) approved the EAHCP and issued a 15-year Incidental Take Permit (ITP), effective from 2013 through 2028, to five permittees: the Edwards Aquifer Authority (EAA), San Antonio Water System (SAWS), the City of New Braunfels, the City of San Marcos, and Texas State University. The ITP authorizes these entities, referred to as the Permittees, to continue specified activities, provided they implement conservation measures to minimize impacts and monitor effects on covered species. Since implementation began in 2013, the permit area has experienced both extreme drought (2013–2014 and 2022–present) and major flooding events (2015, 2016, and 2025). EAHCP implementation is organized into three categories: Springflow Protection, Habitat Conservation, and Supporting Measures.

VISPO provides financial incentives for irrigators to suspend water use during severe drought, with a combined targeted reduction of 41,795 acre-feet (ac-ft). The program was implemented in 2015 and again from 2023 through 2026. Regional Water Conservation efforts met their goal of conserving 20,000 ac-ft by 2020 through leak detection, infrastructure repair, and distribution of water efficient fixtures to participating municipalities. The SAWS ASR program provides an additional safeguard by storing water during wet periods for use during drought-of-record conditions defined by a 10-year rolling recharge estimate and conditions measured at J-17.

Photo: Texas wild-rice

As the EAHCP enters the final years of its current permit, partners are evaluating lessons learned to inform the next phase of management. The ongoing renewal process will shape conservation strategies for the next 30 years. Through continued regional collaboration, the Edwards Aquifer and its unique ecosystems are positioned to remain protected for future generations.

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