NewsDrop-Oct_Nov-2025

WATER RESOURCES

By: Omar Garcia Senior Director for Water Resources

PERMIT HOLDERS OF THE EAA REGION WHY MANAGING GROUNDWATER WITHDRAWALS IS CRITICAL TO THE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF THE EDWARDS AQUIFER

This chart represents a breakdown of use by permit type for Edwards Aquifer permit holders.

Historical pumping by permit type since 2008.

186 billion gallons of water per year - that’s the pumping cap the EAA manages for approximately two-and-one-half million South Central Texans. Cities, business owners, and farmers represent permit holders authorized to withdraw water from the Edwards Aquifer through their water rights per mits. It is through tracking these permits that we can effectively manage the total amount of water being withdrawn from the aquifer.

its flow. Therefore, it is through tracking withdraws closely that we can prevent over-pumping, which could lead to aquifer depletion or damage to depen dent ecosystems. Most importantly, responsible water rights permitting provides fair and balanced groundwater use for everyone. Currently, Edwards Aquifer permit holders are authorized to withdraw a total of 572,000 acre feet per year. To date, our permit holders have never withdrawn one drop more.

In 2024, due to drought conditions, permit holders in the San Antonio Pool were required to reduce or curtail their total withdrawals by 36.4%, and 38.9% for permit holders in the Uvalde Pool. This brought the total water available for permit holders to with draw from 572,000 acre-feet to just over 362,000 acre-feet. The actual withdraws from the aquifer in 2024 totaled 300,000 acre-feet.

Since 2008, when the pumping cap for permit hold ers was increased to 572,000 acre-feet per year, annual use has been trending downward despite pop ulation growth and economic development throughout the region. This is primarily due to water withdrawal curtailments from drought management programs and related conservation measures, such as: Critical Period Management (CPM), Edwards Aquifer Habi tat Conservation Plan (EAHCP), Voluntary Irrigation Suspension Program (VISPO), Aquifer Storage and

Recovery (ASR) Springflow Protection enrollment, and on-going water supply diversification initiatives by municipal permit holders. Through these efforts and a carefully maintained per mitting system, working hand-in-hand with our permit holders and community partners, we can ensure this vital resource remains healthy and sustainable for generations to come.

Our agency is entrusted to monitor and preserve the unique springs and ecosystems that depend on

11

10