Optimizing Groundwater Management Strategies in the Edwards Aquifer

Abstract

The Edwards Aquifer is one of the most permeable and productive aquifers in the United States and serves as the sole source of water supply for more than 1.3 million people including the City of San Antonio, Texas. It is also the source of water for the two largest springs in the southwestern U.S., Comal Springs and San Marcos Springs in south-central Texas, which support a delicate and diverse ecosystem. The Edwards Aquifer Authority was given the responsibility in its enabling act (Senate Bill 1477, 73 rd Texas Legislature) to manage, conserve, preserve, and protect the Edwards Aquifer. Pursuant to this mandate, the Authority has commissioned a program of technical studies necessary to support and evaluate, aquifer management alternatives. This paper explores two of the numerous management strategies proposed by various investigators including the authors of this paper. These strategies, which incorporate the complexity of the aquifer and recognize the unique opportunities to optimize groundwater management, include recharge enhancement and redistribution of pumping. Optimization of Edwards Aquifer management will likely involve a combination of many proposed strategies operating on a temporal basis to support all of the beneficial users of the aquifer.