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Community invited to help monitor local resources
Groundwater management varies widely across Texas, and some areas, like Bastrop County, have taken proactive steps by creating Groundwater Conservation Districts.
Each GCD operates differently, with some enforcing minimal restrictions and others imposing stringent regulations. The Lost Pines GCD, which serves Bastrop and Lee counties, claims to have found the ideal sustainability balance.
According to LPGCD Education and Outreach Coordinator Claire Marks, a key element in ensuring sustainable groundwater availability is monitoring water levels in wells throughout the district. The more wells the district monitors, the more accurate its data becomes, allowing for informed management decisions.
This data is vital in assessing how current and new developments impact groundwater resources, determining necessary mitigation efforts, and managing pumping activities to meet state and local demand, Marks said.
Lost Pines GCD sets longterm management goals to ensure aquifers remain viable for future generations, according to the team. These goals define the state of aquifers decades into the future, typically 50 years, and serve as benchmarks to measure the effects of water extraction and other activities.
By managing water use in line with these conditions, LPGCD strives to ensure that groundwater remains available for the community and that aquifers are not overdrawn beyond their ability to recharge naturally.
As of 2023, Lost Pines GCD maintains a monitoring network of 118 wells, spread across aquifers such as the Simsboro, Carrizo, Calvert Bluff, Queen City, Hooper, Sparta and Yegua-Jackson. Despite the breadth of this network, the district continues to seek ways to improve it by addressing data gaps and ensuring better representation of different aquifers.
Lost Pines GCD invites local well owners to join its Well Watch Program, designed to empower the community in conserving groundwater resources. The program allows well owners to have their wells recorded and their water levels measured by district representatives.
While not all wells enrolled in the program will be part of the official monitoring network, they still contribute valuable data to help the district monitor water levels, identify any declines and take action to prevent over-pumping, according to Marks.
Participation in the Well Watch Program is simple and open to anyone within Bastrop and Lee counties. The district requires only permission to access the property to measure water levels twice a year.
By expanding its monitoring efforts, Lost Pines GCD aims to better understand the complexities of the region’s aquifers and manage them sustainably. Together with the community, the district is working toward a future where groundwater continues to support local ecosystems, economies and residents for generations to come.
For more information on groundwater conservation and how to participate in the Well Watch Program, visit www.lostpineswater. org or call 512-360-5088.
