Recent stage five restrictions announced by the Edwards Aquifer Authority have refocused attention on Central Texas’ limited water resources.

Texas State University, home of The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment, has long fostered good stewardship of the region’s ecological treasures. The headwaters of the San Marcos River flow from Spring Lake, forming one of the most biologically varied aquatic ecosystems known in the southwestern United States. Seven endangered species, including the Texas blind salamander, San Marcos salamander and Texas wild rice, are found in the upper four miles of the river.

TXST is a key stakeholder in the implementation of the Edwards Aquifer Recovery Implementation Plan (EARIP) and the resulting Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) for preserving the quality and quantity of water in the Edwards Aquifer and San Marcos River. Under EARIP and HCP, the university is committed to reducing withdrawals from both the Edwards Aquifer and the San Marcos River in times of drought.

In 2015, TXST and the city of San Marcos had the foresight to takes steps ensuring protection of the river flow for decades to come. The partners signed a 99-year deal, transferring approximately 380 million gallons of TXST river water rights to the city annually. In exchange, the university gained access to San Marcos’ reclaimed water program, tying into the city’s reclaimed water line extension in 2017.