Burnet County shifts down to drought Stage 2
A look at the boardroom of the new Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District headquarters located at 303 Bluebonnet Drive in Burnet. Staff Photo by Caden Senn
Burnet County moved down to drought Stage 2 (Moderate) on Thursday, May 28. The stage decrease was approved during a Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District meeting in light of prolonged rainfall across the county in April and May.
Stage 2 conditions encourage residents to voluntarily reduce overall water usage by 10 percent to help conserve water. The county’s previous Stage 3 (Severe) restrictions, enacted on March 18, called for voluntary reduction by 20 percent.
The CTGCD reminded residents that the drought stage is completely voluntary, and only applies to groundwater usage and not surface waters such as those from the Highland Lakes.
The district upped the county to Stage 3 in March due to a severe lack of rainfall, before the area was pummeled by spring showers the following two months.
According to CTGCD General Manager Mitchell Sodek, the rainfall had been so significant that the county could have been bumped down to Stage 1 (Near Normal) were it not for the impending summertime heat.
“I recommend moving to Stage 2,” Sodek said at the May 28 meeting. “I could even be persuaded to go to Stage 1 at this point. But we are moving into the summertime and things can dry up pretty quickly.”
Sodek added that this sort of prolonged rainfall was key to local aquifer levels recovering, as isolated downpours usually do not allow for enough water to permeate into aquifers.
The CTGCD is led by a five-member, elected board of directors, along with a three-person team of hired employees. Together, they are responsible for regulating groundwater usage and wells in Burnet County.