Fall Rains Gave No Aquifer Recharge
Fall rains only “filled the soil profile,” and produced no aquifer recharge, according to Rick Harston, manager of the Glasscock Groundwater Conservation District. Harston offered the information at the regular meeting of the GGCD Dec. 18. At that time, he said the soil was wet to a depth of 36 inches, and moist to 40 inches.
In a general discussion of area water conditions, Harston said lake water is getting lower. He said in two years, Lake Ivey has gone from full to 47 percent now; Lake Thomas has just enough water to supply Snyder; Spence is only 25 percent full and very salty; Oak Creek is very dry, and the power plant there is closed. Harston said wells on four hundred acres east of Colorado City are pumping water into Lake Colorado City in an effort to keep the TXU plant there open.
He said the “water ranch” which the city of El Paso bought for “lots of money” has now been determined to bleed into Balmorea Springs and its water may not be usable due to environmental problems.
At the GGCD’s January meeting, Harston reported that in fiscal year 2001, 14 producers used the District’s Topcon equipment to map 3,347 acres, and 15 producers used the laser plane leveling equipment. Ninety-seven water analyses were performed, 11 wells were permitted and 2 house wells were registered.
Harston said his most recent water level information from county wells will be available in graph form in February.