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Jacob’s Well stops flowing due to drought, increased pumping

It’s only the 4th time, since records have been kept, that zero flow has been recorded

Jacob's Well Natural Area in Hays County. (KSAT 12)

Jacob’s Well Natural Area announced on Wednesday that zero flow had been recorded at the natural springs.

The data comes from the U.S. Geologic Survey, which showed that zero cubic feet per second was reported intermittently over the past few days.

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A look back at historical data revealed that Jacob’s Well has stopped flowing only four times before -- the summers of 2009, 2011, and 2013. It also came perilously close to zero flow in September 2014. All happened during times of drought for South and Central Texas.

Historic streamflow shows four other times that Jacob's Well has ceased flowing

The Facebook post from Jacob’s Well State Natural area described the situation as a “cause for concern and is the result of ongoing drought and increased levels of groundwater pumping.”

Jacob's Well Natural Area has some unfortunate news to share. The U.S. Geologic Survey measured a zero cfs discharge...

Posted by Jacob's Well Natural Area - Hays County Parks on Wednesday, July 27, 2022

Drought conditions continue to worsen, with 2022 resulting in one of the driest starts to a year in history for San Antonio. Many parts of the area are experiencing exceptional drought.

Much of South and Central Texas is experiencing an exceptional drought

Jacob’s Well, which is about an hour north of San Antonio, has long been a popular swimming spot known for its beauty. The well is an artisan spring that, in good years, will release thousands of gallons of water a day from the Trinity Aquifer. It’s also the second largest fully submerged cave in Texas.

Jacob’s Well is the headwaters of Cypress Creek, which flows through Blue Hole Regional Park and feeds into the Blanco River.

Reservations are needed to use the waters at Jacob’s Well. However, that was discontinued earlier this month due to low flow.


About the Author
Justin Horne headshot

Justin Horne is a meteorologist and reporter for KSAT 12 News. When severe weather rolls through, Justin will hop in the KSAT 12 Storm Chaser to safely bring you the latest weather conditions from across South Texas. On top of delivering an accurate forecast, Justin often reports on one of his favorite topics: Texas history.

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