The story of water and Texas starts here. San Antonio sits atop the Edwards Aquifer, one of the most abundant artesian aquifers in the world. It supplies water to more than 2 million people and thousands of farmers in the region. Spread underneath the land of South Central Texas, the Edwards charges the seven largest springs in the state and several major rivers, and is responsible for most of the state’s water fun. It is a miracle of our natural world.
The EAA was created by the Texas Legislature in 1993 at the behest of U.S. District Judge Lucius Bunton. The judge’s ruling earlier that year ordered the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to set minimum spring flow standards for Comal and San Marcos springs, the two largest springs in the southwestern United States. Endangered species that relied on those springs for their survival must be protected. The Texas Legislature responded by creating the Edwards Aquifer Authority to oversee use of groundwater from the Edwards Aquifer. Pumping limits were written into the law, creating the conservation and reclamation district, a first for Texas… Read more from MySanAnonio.com