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Let's not forget one very important conclusion in all of this 'conservation mode' chatter that Stage 3 brings us to:
No one even actually knows how large/deep/plentiful the Edwards Aquifer is! It's documented that geologists think they know, but it likely to be much larger than expected. This isn't an excuse to WASTE water, but it's surely cause to settle down and realize that we won't be running dry anytime soon. There's plenty of water to go around and, as it stands, will be for generations to come.
All of this 'stage' business is hoopla. It's no more a crisis than when the color-coding at airports change from yellow to orange... This is yet another example of why we always must use Google, dig into the situation a bit and never accept illogical things at face value. Trust my local government to tell me the absolute truth? Never.
BN
No one is implying we're running out of water soon but that does not mean we can't be smart about it. Not knowing how much water there is in the aquifer seems like a good reason to conserve how much we know there is. The lowest recorded aquifer level at the San Antonio pool was 612 ft above sea level in 1956.
Considering its dropping a little more a foot per day the last few days, I'd think it's wise that we start conserving.
Thanks for the update. When was the last time San Antonio was at Stage 3 restrictions?
I couldn't tell you without researching. I've been here since 2002 and this is the first time I've seen us reach Stage 2. From my understanding though, we did reach stage 2 last in 2000.
Let's not forget one very important conclusion in all of this 'conservation mode' chatter that Stage 3 brings us to:
No one even actually knows how large/deep/plentiful the Edwards Aquifer is! It's documented that geologists think they know, but it likely to be much larger than expected. This isn't an excuse to WASTE water, but it's surely cause to settle down and realize that we won't be running dry anytime soon. There's plenty of water to go around and, as it stands, will be for generations to come.
All of this 'stage' business is hoopla. It's no more a crisis than when the color-coding at airports change from yellow to orange... This is yet another example of why we always must use Google, dig into the situation a bit and never accept illogical things at face value. Trust my local government to tell me the absolute truth? Never.
BN
BN....I have to respectfully disagree with this being "hooplah". Because of that very fact that we don't know how deep the Aquafer is, we need to be conservative until science can find the technology to find out.
I've read a lot about the history of the springs in South Texas. There were times at the turn of the century that the "blue hole" (headwaters to the SA river) would actually act like a geyser. I think there are even photographs of it. We will NEVER see that again. The population growth has added a huge demand on the aquifer. I have been to the "blue hole" when it was bone dry and people threw beer cans in it!
An interesting perspective of a up close and personal view of the aquifer is at Natural Bridge caverns. The pristine clear water that a visitor sees hundreds of feet underground is just that....the waters of the aquifer. In 1998, we had that huge spell of rain and flooding that sent the levels of the aquifer to modern record breaking levels. My son's class had a scheduled trip to the Natural Bridge Caverns right after the rains. I attended this field trip, and we had to enter the Caverns from the exit. The reason was that the water levels had risen so high that the lower portion of the caverns were flooded and the normal path through the tour was impassible because it was under water about 20-30 feet! It was an eye opener and fascinating. I think I learned more than the kids did!
There are also pockets or lakes that are at different levels underground. Water drains into them like any lake above ground. Many of these pockets are places were wells are drilled. If the water level keeps dropping below ground, the under ground lakes can also dry up. It's not like a huge ocean under ground that we are floating on. It's more like a sponge with air pockets that hold water.
Anyway....it doesn't make sense to say it's hooplah because we don't know how deep it is. We don't know, period.
Well, when that Yack-in-the-Box at 410 and Potranco stops washing their parking lot down every morning (I know because I have to drive through the runoff on the access road going from 151 to 410), I will believe that SAWS is taking water restrictions seriously! I still see businesses watering in the middle of the day when it is not only hot but windy. I would guess that a majority of that water is evaporating or blowing away; but I see no one out enforcing the Stage 2 restrictions!
And the water main break on SW Military yesterday morning had to have gushed hundreds of thousands of gallons of water into the street with no one seeming to try and fix the problem. I tried calling the city, but I can't dial 311 from my work phone.
I am not against conserving water when the need arises, and I think it has risen as it is very dry out there (but it did sprinkle on Lackland a little while ago, but probably just enough to make my car all spotty!), but as stated the restrictions don't seem to address the problem, and the lack of enforcement makes them an even bigger joke. Go after the real water wasters before hammering me for watering my yard!
Well, when that Yack-in-the-Box at 410 and Potranco stops washing their parking lot down every morning (I know because I have to drive through the runoff on the access road going from 151 to 410), I will believe that SAWS is taking water restrictions seriously! I still see businesses watering in the middle of the day when it is not only hot but windy. I would guess that a majority of that water is evaporating or blowing away; but I see no one out enforcing the Stage 2 restrictions!
And the water main break on SW Military yesterday morning had to have gushed hundreds of thousands of gallons of water into the street with no one seeming to try and fix the problem. I tried calling the city, but I can't dial 311 from my work phone.
I am not against conserving water when the need arises, and I think it has risen as it is very dry out there (but it did sprinkle on Lackland a little while ago, but probably just enough to make my car all spotty!), but as stated the restrictions don't seem to address the problem, and the lack of enforcement makes them an even bigger joke. Go after the real water wasters before hammering me for watering my yard!
Cheers! M2
Record the addresses and call them into SAWS. It's impossible to keep track of every water waster. They've already gotten after The Rim, I don't any Jack-in-the-Box will be held to higher standards.
Well if it is based on YOUR actual usage for June of 08 then I cant see where it would be unfair. Of course there were water hogs last year that had very high usage..but 10% reduction is a true reduction if applied equally to all..not what we have now. I use as much water now as I used last week when we were in stage 1..i just water at a different time. I do not see where this forces and conservation on our part.
OK 2 cents and $5.00 will get you a Starbucks
If you're already rarely watering anything, catching a/c condensate, giving the car a spongebath with a sponge and bucket (no garden hose), and only running the dishwasher and washing machine when they're completely full it really doesn't leave you with anything left to do. About the only ways to cut back are to let stuff linger in the toilet or to shower less often than once a day. At some point you really do hit a point where there aren't any sanitary options remaining. Go after the big users, rather than vigorously attacking the thin 'other' slice of the pie.
BN....I have to respectfully disagree with this being "hooplah". Because of that very fact that we don't know how deep the Aquafer is, we need to be conservative until science can find the technology to find out.
I've read a lot about the history of the springs in South Texas. There were times at the turn of the century that the "blue hole" (headwaters to the SA river) would actually act like a geyser. I think there are even photographs of it. We will NEVER see that again. The population growth has added a huge demand on the aquifer. I have been to the "blue hole" when it was bone dry and people threw beer cans in it!
An interesting perspective of a up close and personal view of the aquifer is at Natural Bridge caverns. The pristine clear water that a visitor sees hundreds of feet underground is just that....the waters of the aquifer. In 1998, we had that huge spell of rain and flooding that sent the levels of the aquifer to modern record breaking levels. My son's class had a scheduled trip to the Natural Bridge Caverns right after the rains. I attended this field trip, and we had to enter the Caverns from the exit. The reason was that the water levels had risen so high that the lower portion of the caverns were flooded and the normal path through the tour was impassible because it was under water about 20-30 feet! It was an eye opener and fascinating. I think I learned more than the kids did!
There are also pockets or lakes that are at different levels underground. Water drains into them like any lake above ground. Many of these pockets are places were wells are drilled. If the water level keeps dropping below ground, the under ground lakes can also dry up. It's not like a huge ocean under ground that we are floating on. It's more like a sponge with air pockets that hold water.
Anyway....it doesn't make sense to say it's hooplah because we don't know how deep it is. We don't know, period.
This is so true. We have a private well, as do others in our community. A few years ago a lot of wells were going dry. At first I thought that they were just shallow wells but I asked a lady, whose well had gone dry, how deep it was and she told me 400'. That is a nice deep well.
We have two dry creeks on our place. Once upon a time these creeks ran water all the time. Not anymore, what happened to the water????
Conserving water is something that is always in the back of my mind no matter how dry. When I was a kid we lived in a subdivision at Medina Lake and on the weekends when people would come out to their "weekend house" we would always run out of water. It is not a good thing when you turn on the faucet and NOTHING comes out.
Record the addresses and call them into SAWS. It's impossible to keep track of every water waster. They've already gotten after The Rim, I don't any Jack-in-the-Box will be held to higher standards.
Good advice Anthony. MMM....no one is hammering you. It doesn't make sense to get ticked off for being responsible for YOUR part, when others are being irresponsible. Are you suggesting that we all just go about watering our yard willy nilly because Jack in the Box isn't getting cited? That sort of like saying I don't have to pay taxes because Billie Ray Cyrus didnt'. You always present yourself as a forward thinking, responsible and common sense citizen. Your post doesn't jive with that persona.
Good advice Anthony. MMM....no one is hammering you. It doesn't make sense to get ticked off for being responsible for YOUR part, when others are being irresponsible. Are you suggesting that we all just go about watering our yard willy nilly because Jack in the Box isn't getting cited? That sort of like saying I don't have to pay taxes because Billie Ray Cyrus didnt'. You always present yourself as a forward thinking, responsible and common sense citizen. Your post doesn't jive with that persona.
I think I interpreted his post differently. I thought he was saying that officials can't catch every water-wasting business on their own, but if we see one that habitually wastes water/breaks rules, then we should report them to SAWS so they can take care of it.
I think I interpreted his post differently. I thought he was saying that officials can't catch every water-wasting business on their own, but if we see one that habitually wastes water/breaks rules, then we should report them to SAWS so they can take care of it.
I appreciate the help, but I think she was replying to this post.
MMM = majormadmax.
Quote:
Originally Posted by majormadmax
Well, when that Yack-in-the-Box at 410 and Potranco stops washing their parking lot down every morning (I know because I have to drive through the runoff on the access road going from 151 to 410), I will believe that SAWS is taking water restrictions seriously! I still see businesses watering in the middle of the day when it is not only hot but windy. I would guess that a majority of that water is evaporating or blowing away; but I see no one out enforcing the Stage 2 restrictions!
And the water main break on SW Military yesterday morning had to have gushed hundreds of thousands of gallons of water into the street with no one seeming to try and fix the problem. I tried calling the city, but I can't dial 311 from my work phone.
I am not against conserving water when the need arises, and I think it has risen as it is very dry out there (but it did sprinkle on Lackland a little while ago, but probably just enough to make my car all spotty!), but as stated the restrictions don't seem to address the problem, and the lack of enforcement makes them an even bigger joke. Go after the real water wasters before hammering me for watering my yard!
Cheers! M2
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You always present yourself as a forward thinking, responsible and common sense citizen. Your post doesn't jive with that persona.
