WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT BASED ON WATER BALANCE ASSESSMENTS: WESTERN SEGMENT OF THE EDWARDS AQUIFER

The Edwards Aquifer is a prolific karst aquifer that provides water resources for over 1.8 million people in south-central Texas. The aquifer is recharged from a broad area which includes the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone and the Edwards Plateau, and discharges through rivers to the south, springs to the east, and pumping. Management of the resource is driven by a federal mandate requiring that spring discharge be protected. Challenges arise when determining what pumping rates can be sustained during periods of decreased precipitation and recharge without negatively impacting spring discharge. Calculation of the water balances of the aquifer sub-basins can provide a basis to make informed decisions regarding aquifer management. This study assesses the water balance of the western segment of the Edwards Aquifer to help illustrate how this information can be used to reduce uncertainty in management of the Edwards Aquifer.