San Antonio’s Edwards Aquifer Protection Program: Review and Analysis

Abstract

The City of San Antonio’s Edwards Aquifer Protection Program utilizes land and conservation easement acquisitions to protect the quality and quantity of Edwards Aquifer recharge. This review considers four key components of its viability: (1) establishing and sustaining public appreciation of the need for the policy, (2) choosing the appropriate policy mechanism to address the problem, (3) establishing clear justifications for prioritization of purchases that prevent mission drift, and (4) demonstrating the program’s impact and effectiveness.

Overall, the analysis concludes that the program has been well adapted to the city’s need to protect the recharge and contributing zones beyond its regulatory jurisdiction. As such, it may serve as a significant model for other cities, particularly in Texas, where regulations may face legal and cultural resistance. The city has effectively educated the public on the value of this sales tax funded measure, even though some justification of its premises, such as inevitable development in western counties, remains subjective. A strong foundation is also evident, with a consistent focus on acquiring land that fits the original, narrow intent of the effort. An impediment to its continuation, however, may be the difficulty of presenting clear evidence of its success, a challenge for all policies designed to avert future harms to natural resources.

Citation: Romero FS. San Antonio's Edwards Aquifer Protection Program: Review and Analysis. Texas Water Journal. 9(1):1-15. Available from: https://doi.org/10.21423/twj.v9i1.7063.