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JBSA News
NEWS | Nov. 20, 2006

Bases nearing Stage II water restrictions

By James Coburn 37th Training Wing Public Affairs

Lackland and other San Antonio-area military installations are likely to enter Stage II water restrictions by the end of next week unless the Edwards Aquifer receives replenishing rainfall.

Even though San Antonio and South Texas are in the 16th month of a drought that began in April 2005, the Edwards Aquifer's water level has remained fairly static for the past several weeks and still is about 1.5 feet above the level of Stage II restrictions for bases.

The level has dropped 2.2 feet in the past four days, and a good rain over the aquifer's recharge zone is needed to keep the water level above the 147-foot trigger level.

"It's going to be a close call whether we go into Stage II or not," said Lackland Water Program Manager Steve Whatley, 37th Civil Engineer Squadron. He said pumping from the aquifer declines after September, so the water level rises.

Military bases entered Stage I restrictions June 11, more than a month before the city implemented its Stage I restrictions. Bases initiated Stage I when the aquifer's water level averaged below 657.5 feet above sea level for five days, as measured by the index well at Fort Sam Houston. The city's Stage I began when the level dipped below 650 feet on July 20. The level has fluctuated since then, and was at 650 feet as late as Sunday, but had declined to 648.5 feet Wednesday.

Stage II for bases would begin when the aquifer's water level averages 647 feet or lower for five consecutive days. Off base, Stage II begins when the level dips to 640 feet.

The unofficial level registered in real-time data at the Bexar County Index Well, or J-17, dipped below 647 feet early Wednesday, rose to 647.7 by 7 a.m., then had gone back down to 647.3 by 11 a.m. A link to the data is available at http://edwardsaquifer.net/j17.html.

Under Stage I, base housing residents and facility managers are allowed to water lawns with sprinklers only two days a week, between the hours of 8 p.m. and 10 a.m. Watering days are based on whether the last digit of an address is even or odd. Residential addresses ending in an even number may water Saturday and Tuesday, and odd-numbered addresses may water Sunday and Thursday. Base facilities are allowed to water only Mondays and Fridays.

If Lackland enters Stage II, watering with sprinklers will be reduced to one day a week, although watering with a hand-held hose or 5-gallon bucket is allowed at appropriate times any day to maintain a lawn or plants. Watering days for both homes and base facilities would be based on the last digit of the address: 0 and 1, Monday; 2 and 3, Tuesday; 4 and 5, Wednesday; 6 and 7, Thursday; and 8 and 9, Friday.

Off-base residents already are under that watering schedule, as the city's Stage I restricts sprinklers to one day a week.

Bases have five restriction stages, under an agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, while off-base residents have three restriction stages mandated by the Edwards Aquifer Authority. Bases begin their restrictions quicker than the city, but the restrictions are more gradual because there are more stages.

Lackland has its own water system for the main base and Lackland Training Annex, while Kelly Field Annex is served by the San Antonio Water System.

Both systems draw water from the Edwards Aquifer. The water-use restrictions are an effort to keep springs flowing at New Braunfels and San Marcos. The springs are home to several endangered species and habitats.

Mr. Whatley said Stage I restrictions have had a positive impact on the amount of water being pumped by Lackland. For example, 64.5 million gallons of water were pumped in July 2005 on main Lackland, 3.2 million gallons more than the 61.3 million gallons pumped last month. "That's a good sign," he said of the 5 percent decrease in water use.

The total pumpage for main Lackland, LTA and KFA was 88.2 million gallons last month, only eight-tenths of a percent more than last year despite a number of large construction projects.

Mr. Whatley said Lackland housing residents and facility managers have been following the restrictions fairly well. He said there have been less than a handful of complaints over the past month, "so that's a positive thing."

Michael Ferguson, Lackland's assistant water program manager, said Bexar County's dry pattern is likely to continue until the end of the year, according to a recent meeting he attended of the Edwards Aquifer Advisory Group. He said the weather model is fairly accurate for the first month, but gets less accurate after that. A hurricane hitting the Gulf Coast could dump 10 or 12 inches of rain in Bexar County, he noted.

The Lackland Water Conservation Plan is on the Lackland Intranet at https://intranet.lackland.af.mil/Orgs/37MSG/37CES/37cev/Water/Water%20Conservation%20Plan.pdf. Mr. Whatley said any questions about the rules, or reports on water leaks or water waste, can be e-mailed to 37CES.CEV.WQP@lackland.af.mil.