Commissioners to discuss resolution regarding groundwater management area

The Hays County Commissioners Court will discuss and possibly approve a resolution providing comments regarding groundwater management in Hays County. 

The resolution would provide comments regarding joint planning efforts to adopt desired future conditions in Groundwater Management Area 9. Counties in GMA 9 include Hays, Travis, Comal, Bexar, Kerr, Blanco, Kendall, Medina and Bandera. 

Hays County contains the full boundaries of the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District and the Trinity Aquifer feeds and interacts with the Blanco River, which serves as a primary water source for many county citizens and is managed by GMA 9. 

This year marks a joint planning year for desired future conditions for GMA 9. According to the drafted resolution, the commissioners court “respectfully asks the districts of GMA 9 to reconsider hydrological conditions rather than continuing an unsustainable status quo. The adverse environmental impacts of current DFCs on spring flow and interactions between groundwater and surface water have become clearer and more frequent and severe of late. Socioeconomic hardship will follow, compounded by a pace of development that only seems to be increasing.

“The Blanco River, Onion Creek, and Cypress Creek depend on support from healthy groundwater,” the resolution continues. “The time has come to preserve and protect groundwater, take steps to use less and reuse more, and earnestly seek sustainable alternatives. Significantly reducing the average drawdown for the Trinity Aquifer as a GMA 9 DFC is the reasonable and prudent opportunity today.”

In other business, the commissioners will discuss and take possible action to provide direction to staff to identify a Hays County approach to prospective allocation under the American Rescue Plan. 

The court will also take possible action to authorize the Office of Emergency Management to purchase Pix4Dmapper software through Granite Defense Technologies related to unmanned aerial vehicle mapping software for disaster and recovery efforts. 

According to the court’s agenda packet, Pix4Dmapper/React is a mapping software for first responders using UAVs to quickly capture photo date and render measurable two-dimensional maps. This software is primarily used in disaster response to flooding, wildfires and search and rescue. 

In executive session, the commissioners will consult with counsel and hold deliberations regarding the purchase, exchange, lease and/or value of real property associated with the POSAC-recommended 2020 Parks and Open Space Bond projects. 

At the beginning of the meeting, the court will adopt a proclamation declaring July 2021 as Parks and Recreation Month in Hays County. The commissioners will also adopt a proclamation recognizing the 25th year of operation of the Edwards Aquifer Authority. 

Tuesday's meeting begins at 9 a.m. at the Hays County Historic Courthouse — 111 E. San Antonio St. — in Room 301. Anyone wishing to participate in public comment can submit a public participation/witness form to the county clerk prior to 9 a.m. on Tuesday.