Not to single out any developer in general, but I'm completely discouraged at the development in general that is happening over our aquifer recharge zone.
Is anyone else keeping up with this issue and the impact these mass neighborhoods could have on our natural water supply as well as air quality and green belts?
Here's just a little eye opener......ever wonder why there are so many dry creek beds in this area? I'm far from a tree hugger, but I am an amateur historian. When I look at old maps and see rivers and creeks and springs that used to flow freely, it doesn't take rocket science to understand why our aquifer water levels are dropping. I remember during the two big recent floods (98 and 02) where the ground was so saturated that natural springs started flowing again in a lot of places. IT WAS WONDERFUL!!! Granted...the flooding wasn't, but to see fresh water bubbling out of long dry waterfalls and springs was incredible.
In 98, my son's class took a field trip to Natural Bridge Caverns. We had been there many times before and walked through from the entrance to the exit. In 98, however, the aquifer level was so high that it caused a crystal blue pool to form in the deepest part of the tour. Our tour started at the exit and we walked to the edge of this underground river. It was such an eye opener to how our water filters through the limestone...and then is pumped out through SAWS to provide water for this city. With all the construction, this water will inevitably become contaminated....but the water levels will drop even farther.
The last I heard our city leaders and SAWS were considering developing a new resevoir/lake to supply this part of Texas. If something isn't done about over developing and building, we can get used to more water rationing and more dead lawns. So much for complaining about ugly landscaping here.
Anyone have any thoughts? I'd like to see more revitilization of older neighborhoods being brought back to life inside the two loops and preserve as much of the rural/natural area as we can. I don't see all this development as true progress. New homes are not necessarily a better thing. Maybe tax incentives to restore/renovate/revilalize??? It just needs to slow down so our city can respond to this growth in a proactive way that is a winning situation for us now and for future generations.
Ok....sorry..I got that off my chest!
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SA Natural resources
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