La Nina in the Tropical Pacific and its Implications on Central Texas

Stage II Alram Drought

Lovelady Well Height: 476 ft-msl

Barton Springs: approximately 38 cfs 10-day average

 In September 2020 the National Oceanic Atmospheric Association (NOAA) issued a La Nina advisory suggesting that there's a 75% chance it hangs around through the winter. Come this October an increased 85% chance it lasts through winter and into spring 2021.

So what is La Nina? What does it mean for weather and rain in Central Texas?

La Nina is the opposite of El Nino, a cooling of the equatorial east-central Pacific Ocean. The strength of the 2020 La Nina (weak, moderate or strong) will determine what impacts it may have on the weather this winter to next spring 2021. Typically, the southern tier of the U.S. sees drier than average conditions and temperatures that are above average, while much of the Pacific Northwest and the Ohio Valley are wetter than normal and see below average temperatures. (Weather Channel)

As of October 8th the Edwards and Trinity aquifers are in Alarm Stage II Drought. Due to a lack of rain and recharge in 2020 and the ensuing La Nina leading into 2021 it is paramount that we practice proper conservation techniques. For more info on the La Nina outlook visit: https://www.climate.gov/news-features/department/enso-blog

BSEACD Board Declares Stage II Alarm Drought on 10/8/20

Stage II Alarm Drought

Lovelady Well Height: 476 ft-msl

Barton Springs: approximately 38 cfs 10-day avg

For Immediate Release: Friday, October 9, 2020

For more information, contact: Vanessa Escobar, General Manager at (512) 282-8441 or 

vescobar@bseacd.org

On  October  8,  2020,  the  Barton  Springs/Edwards  Aquifer  Conservation  District’s  Board  of 

Directors declared Stage II Alarm Drought at its regular Board Meeting. The District Lovelady 

Monitor Well passed below it’s respective drought trigger in late September. Only one of the two 

drought  stage  triggers  needs  to  be  reached  for  a  drought  declaration  to  be  made.  The  

District acknowledges  that  indoor  use  may  be heightened  in  some  cases  due  to  COVID-19  

responses, however it is still a shared duty to reduce all non-essential water use during drought.

The last groundwater drought declaration commenced on July 12, 2018 and ended on October 11, 2018. 

Recharge in late 2018 and early 2019 associated with above-average rainfall helped maintain water 

levels in area aquifers until recently. Since July of 2019, both flow at Barton Springs and the 

water level at the Lovelady monitor well have been declining. As of early April 2020, both have 

been hovering near trigger levels. Recent rainfall has not generated enough runoff to sustain creek 

flow in the creeks and rivers that recharge the aquifers.

Declaration of Stage II Alarm Drought requires all District permittees to implement mandatory 

measures specified in their User Drought Contingency Plans (UDCPs) to meet monthly pumpage 

reduction requirements.

•     20% for Edwards Historical and Conditional Class A permittees,

•     50% for Edwards Conditional Class B permittees,

•     100% for Edwards Conditional Class C and Class D permittees, and

•     20% for Trinity and Alluvial/Austin Chalk Historical permittees

End-user customers served by water utilities on groundwater wells are required to comply with their 

utility’s water use restrictions for this drought stage. Generally, restricting outdoor water use, 

including limiting landscape irrigation, pool filling and refilling, and non-essential water use 

such as water fountains, is sufficient to reach monthly pumpage targets for Stage II Alarm Drought. 

November is the first month that permittees will need to meet reductions in pumpage. Permittees 

should refer to the monthly drought  allocations listed in their  User Drought  Conservation Plan 

(UDCP) and Drought Target Charts.

Useful links:

•     Drought Media Tool-Kit: https://bseacd.org/drought-edu/

•     Press Release archive:  http://bseacd.org/publications/press-releases/

•     Drought Status page:  http://bseacd.org/aquifer-science/drought-status/

•     Drought Management page:  http://bseacd.org/regulatory/drought-management/