Council hears 25th‑year update on Edwards Aquifer protection program

Summary

City staff briefed council on the Edwards Aquifer Protection Program’s 25th year, reporting roughly 187,000 acres protected, a 10‑year $100 million funding plan through the San Antonio Municipal Facilities Corporation and continued use of conservation easements and partnerships to protect recharge and contributing zones.

City staff presented an annual update on the Edwards Aquifer Protection Program to the San Antonio City Council on Jan. 15, 2025, describing continued land protection work, partnerships and the current funding structure.

The briefing, led by Grant Ellis, natural resources manager for the Parks and Recreation Department, summarized the program’s history, acquisition process and geographic focus. "To date, the program has protected over a 187,000 acres of land, over the most sensitive parts of our Edwards Aquifer," Ellis said during his presentation.

The update explained why protections north and west of the city matter for San Antonio’s water supply. City Manager Eric (City Manager) and Ellis described the aquifer’s recharge, contributing and artesian zones and said the program prioritizes parcels in the recharge and contributing zones — including large ranches in Medina and Uvalde counties — because groundwater recharged there flows into the San Antonio pool.

The briefing reviewed how protected acreage is acquired and conserved. Staff said the program uses scientific ranking tools run by a Scientific Evaluation Team to prioritize properties based on water resources, biology, size and location. Acquisition tools include…

Council hears 25th‑year update on Edwards Aquifer protection program

Summary

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