TGR NEWS - January 2025

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This TGR Resource newsletter was published on Friday, January 17, 2025

Freezing Weather Coming Early Next Week - Winter-Proof Your Home Now

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There is some freezing weather headed our way in the next few days, so now is the time to make sure your home's water pipes are protected from freezing and potentially bursting. Here are some simple, but effective tips for helping you keep your home protected.

If your house is on pier and beams and is not well insulated, seal openings where cold air can reach unprotected water pipes, such as faucets.
Keep cabinet doors open under bathroom and kitchen sinks to allow warmer air to circulate around the pipes.
For rooms without heating ducts, leave the doors open to let heat in.
Outside, use foam or fiberglass insulation sleeves to help safeguard exposed pipes, especially those facing north where cold air comes from.
While it's not highly recommended because of water waste, sometimes allowing faucets to drip slowly can help keep water flowing through pipes which may be beneficial to faucets that face exterior walls.

Texas Experiences Some Record Weather Conditions in 2024

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With continued lack of rainfall so far this year, the Trinity Glen Rose Groundwater Conservation District is still in Drought Stage 3 of its drought management plan. These dry conditions were not experienced everywhere in the state, but overall, Texas recorded some news-making weather in 2024.

Dr. Mark Wentzel, a hydrologist in the Surface Water Division at the Texas Water Development Board provided an in-depth look at Texas's record-setting weather conditions in 2024. Here's a summary of the year from Dr. Wentzel.

The first seven months of 2024 were wetter than normal by more than 5 inches, but we ended the year only slightly wetter than normal by about 2 inches. 2024 was the hottest year for Texas in data going back to 1895, breaking the old record set in 2023 by half of a degree Fahrenheit. Drought began the year covering 39 percent of the state and expanded to cover 44 percent by the end of the year.

As for rainfall in Texas in 2024, monthly precipitation was near or above average for the first seven months of the year. By the end of July, cumulative precipitation was 5 inches more than average, and we were on pace for the wettest year since 2015. But August '24 was the 10th driest August on record, and October 2024 was the second driest. Only October 1952 was drier. By the end of the year, annual precipitation was only 2 inches wetter than average, and since August, the state was nearly 3 inches drier than normal.

Conditions do vary across the state. Twelve counties in East Texas had their wettest year in the last 130 years. At the same time, Jeff Davis and Presidio counties in far West Texas and Uvalde County in Central Texas recorded their driest year since 2011 and their fourth driest since 1895.

Temperatures became a big story in 2024. Texas broke the state's record for the hottest year going back to 1895. That record was most recently set in 2023. Thanks to the hottest October ever recorded, the third hottest November, and the second hottest December, 2024's average temperature exceeded 2023's by half a degree. 2024 resets the record for Texas' hottest year, the fourth time the state reset that record since 2011. Again, conditions do vary across the state. Two hundred and five counties had their hottest year in 2024, and the remaining counties, Harrison and Marion counties in the northeast were the "least hot," with each recording their eighth hottest year since 1895.

2024's temperature and precipitation drove the contraction and expansion of drought during the year as a result of an ongoing drought that began in the fall of 2021. 2024 began with 39 percent of the state in drought. After the first seven relatively wet months of the year, drought contracted to 20 percent. In the fall, drought expanded reaching a peak of 74 percent during October. At the end of the year, drought covered about 44 percent of the state, including Bexar County.

You can read more about 2024's record weather year and watch a video from the Texas Water Development Board by clicking this link.

Federal Courts Rule in Favor Groundwater Conservation Districts' Enforcement Authority

Two Texas federal courts recently issued rulings in favor of groundwater conservation districts, upholding the districts’ rules and enforcement of fines for overproducing the permitted production allowable. While the rulings were in a case originating in the Texas Panhandle, the court's decision provides support for all groundwater districts in the state like the Trinity Glen Rose Groundwater District (TGR) with jurisdiction mostly in Bexar County.

"Groundwater districts are created by the Texas Legislature to conserve, protect, and preserve aquifers and adopt rules to manage those resources," echoed Amanda Maloukis, General Manager for the TGR District. "And while groundwater districts prefer to resolve enforcement issues amicably, there can be times that enforcement is necessary."

Rule enforcement is necessary to minimize, as far as practicable, the drawdown of the water table so that the area’s aquifers remain viable as a water source for future generations. The Court ruled in favor of the district on motions for summary judgment, as there was no genuine dispute of material fact and the district was entitled to judgment as a matter of law on the takings, due process, and other claims. The Court dismissed the issue, citing to § 36.102 of the Texas Water Code, which allows groundwater districts to enforce its rules through fines and injunctions.

TGR DISTRICT

NEWS

BRIEFS

TGR District has a New Email Address

We are in the process of updating our IT system which will include a new email for the office. That new email address is: office@TGRGCD.org.

Call to Set Appointments with TGR District Staff

If you need to meet with the TGR District staff, we ask that you call to make an appointment so we can make sure you connect with the appropriate person who can answer questions and/or resolve problems. Call us at (210) 698-1155.

GARDENING

GO

Check out what’s happening in the May edition of your favorite landscape show - Go Gardening!

Go Gardening Season 4 Coming Soon!

Be on the lookout for Go Gardening Season 4 coming in February. We have a new show opening and have some great stories planned for February. One special segment will show you one of San Antonio's hidden water secrets. Can you guess what that might be?

We appreciate your support in watching each month and telling your friends and neighbors about the show.

You can watch Go Gardening at: www.TrinityGlenRose.com/gogardening.

DROUGHT

MONITOR

The U.S. Drought Monitor depicts the location and of drought across the country. The map uses 5 classifications: Abnormally Dry (D0), showing areas that may be going into or are coming out of drought, and four levels of drought (D1–D4).

Our area is in an Extreme Drought situation, according to the Palmer Drought Index and Texas Drought Monitor. This map is used by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to trigger some disaster declarations and loan eligibility.

Individual states and water supply planning may use additional information to inform their

declarations and actions.

You can find out more information where Texas drought conditions stand each day by visiting the U.S. Drought Monitor website at: https://www.drought.gov/states/texas.

So how does the rest of the United States looking in terms of drought? Just click this link to see.

San Antonio

Did you know…

The start of winter is a great time to check off a few water-saving items on your to-do list. First, make sure your automatic sprinkler system is off. Next, make sure you don’t have any leaks in your indoor plumbing.

Download this quarter's TGR Resource Newsletter here.