Drought Trigger at Lovelady Reached

Drought Status: Stage II Alarm Drought
Lovelady Monitor Well: 462.67 ft-msl
Barton Springs: 20 cfs (approx. 10-day average)

Yesterday, 3/27/12, District staff made a manual measurement of the water level in the Lovelady monitor well and found that it was at 462.67 ft-msl, below the drought trigger for Stage III Critical Drought of 462.7 ft-msl. Making reliable discharge measurements at Barton Springs has been difficult due to the construction occurring at the pool. However, only one of the drought trigger sites that the District uses (Barton Springs and Lovelady monitor well) needs to drop below its respective threshold in order for the District's Board to make a drought declaration. The board will likely declare Stage III Critical Drought at their next meeting on Thursday, April 11, 2013.

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Critical Stage III Drought Approaching

Drought Status: Stage II Alarm Drought

Barton Springs: 21 cfs (10-day average)

Lovelady Well: 463.2 ft-msl

Unless we get substantial rainfall soon, the Board will likely need to consider declaration of Critical Stage III Drought in its April Board meeting.

Steady Decrease in Lovelady

Drought Status: Stage II Alarm Drought

Barton Springs: 22.2 cfs*

Lovelady Well: 463.8 ft-msl

*Construction at Barton Springs pool is causing unreliable discharge measurements

The date in early March on which the Stage III Critical Drought threshold was expected to be crossed has been moved to later in March after a better fit was made between the Lovelady monitor well hydrograph and the recession curve during the 2011 drought (see graph below). Construction continues at the Barton Springs pool making accurate flow measurements difficult to obtain. Due to the uncertainty of flow at Barton Springs, the District is relying more heavily on the water level in the Lovelady monitor well to determine the stage of drought. The current water level in the well is just over foot above the elevation marking the onset of a Stage III Critical Drought. Water level in the well is steadily dropping and will likely cross into Stage III drought before the end of the month. 

Click on image to enlarge.

Hydrograph of Lovelady monitor well.