The Edwards Aquifer provides San Antonio with a pure, abundant source of water vital to the livelihood of a growing population and an expanding economy. It stretches across thousands of acres over several counties in South Central Texas. Roughly 70 percent of the recharge zone is located west of Bexar County. Rainfall enters the aquifer through fractures, caves, sinkholes and other features and replenishes the aquifer. However, rapid growth and development continues to impact the aquifer’s recharge and contributing zones, reducing the number of recharge features needed to maintain San Antonio’s primary water resource. While rules are in place to regulate urban or incompatible development, the best way to protect the aquifer is to acquire sensitive and irreplaceable land located over its recharge and contributing zones.

2000 Proposition 3
Voters first approved a 1/8-of-a-cent addition to the local sales tax in 2000 to collect $45 million to purchase sensitive properties located over the Edwards Aquifer. Before this election, there was no program designed to identify and protect sensitive land located over the aquifer. This was a parks and watershed program and, due to restrictions in state legislation, protection efforts under the “Prop 3” program were limited to Bexar County.

The majority of these funds (approximately $38 million) were used to acquire almost 6,500 acres of land. Many of the properties were former ranches and estates characterized by unique natural and man-made features and hilltops with long, scenic views. The properties range in size from 50 to 1,164 acres and are located primarily over north central and northwest Bexar County. Remaining funds were used for park operations and maintenance and for appropriate improvements designed for recreational and educational purposes.

2005 Proposition 1
In 2005, voters again approved a 1/8-of-a-cent addition to the local sales tax, this time to collect $90 million for the purchase of sensitive properties located over the Edwards Aquifer. Due to changes in the state legislation funds collected through the 2005 Edwards watershed protection initiative can be used to acquire and preserve the most environmentally-sensitive properties located over the aquifer within Bexar County and beyond county lines.

Careful consideration is given to the selection of appropriate properties for acquisition as part of the Edwards Protection Program. Community advisory teams comprised of geologists, hydrologists, land use planners and other aquifer experts outline and prioritize undeveloped properties based on their environmental characteristics in order to achieve maximum value for voter-approved dollars. Consideration also is given to parcels located adjacent to one another in an effort to preserve large land masses and natural areas.

Between the two programs, more than 54,000 acres have already been protected. Following acquisition, the environmental characteristics of each of the acquired properties will continue to be evaluated.

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