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Rebecca Storms - Groundwater Monitoring Manager, Texas Water Development Board

Several aquifers across the state are experiencing historic levels of decline; we need to keep track of this so we can ensure that there's enough water for future Texans.

This year, we began a new initiative to monitor a network of springs across the state on an annual basis. In this program, staff will collect water quality samples and flow rate measurements from every spring to determine the amount of water flowing from the aquifer and to verify the source of the water.

We were scheduled to monitor a specific list of aquifers before COVID became an issue this year. With COVID-19, we decided to reassess our priorities and our schedule and focus on day-trip locations nearby to ensure the safety and comfort level of our staff.

Cody Bjornson - Water Level Program Supervisor, Texas Water Development Board

The new spring monitoring program aims to implement routine data collection, inventory, and analysis of the springs of Texas. Our main goal is to collect water quality samples, measure flow rates, and observe the local ecosystem.

So, the first thing we do when we get to a spring site is we'll calibrate our water quality probes. And this ensures that we can get accurate pH temperature and conductivity readings on the spring water. And next, we'll take those readings at the headwaters of the spring. And we'll also take our samples from that point as well. And we'll take those samples using a peristaltic pump, which essentially allows us to use a long tube to pull water from the spring and transport it into our sample bottles. Once we've collected our samples, we'll put them on ice and in a cooler for transport to the lab.

Measuring flow rates can help us understand how much groundwater is contributing to our surface water supply. So, the first step in measuring flow rate is to find an adequate cross-section to do the measurement. We then stretch a measuring tape across the stream to determine its width, as well as the number of flow cross sections or readings we’ll be taking. Using a flow meter, we’ll take velocity readings across the measuring tape.

Rebecca Storms - Groundwater Monitoring Manager, Texas Water Development Board

We can determine if there's been a change in the condition of the aquifer. We do this by comparing the data that we collect now to historical data trends to determine what changes may have occurred in water levels or water quality samples.

Cody Bjornson - Water Level Program Supervisor, Texas Water Development Board

We can singlehandedly influence and preserve the springs in our state, which offer us many benefits from supporting the fish and wildlife that we love to tourism, recreation, historical significance, and most important of all, water supply.