Aquifer district declares critical drought

On Thursday, the Barton Springs-Edwards Aquifer Conservation District officially declared Stage III Critical Drought. Restrictions based on the declaration will take effect Nov. 1. The district reports that the Lovelady monitor well, one of two drought stage determinants for the district, had reached a 10-day average of 462.6 feet above mean sea level. The threshold for Stage III is 462.7 ft-msl. The district notes that the average water level elevation for the Lovelady monitor well since measurements began in 1949 is 492.8 ft-msl. The well is 5 miles from downtown Austin on South First Street. For more information about the Lovelady monitor well, visit the BSEACD website.