Ord 2001-077 - Laserfiche WebLink

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(1) The Edwards Aquifer is an invaluable and irreplaceable resource, a major source of a clean drinking water supply for over two million people in South-Central Texas, including residents of the city. (2) The Edwards Aquifer is replenished by rainwater that falls over the recharge zone and transition zone, and by surface water that flows into the recharge zone from the transition zone and from the contributing zone, an area located generally northwest of the recharge zone. (3) The Edwards Aquifer is the source of flow for the San Marcos springs in the heart of the city. (4) The San Marcos Springs, San Marcos River, and areas of the Edwards Aquifer near the San Marcos Springs comprise the habitat of a number of endangered species. Some of these species are found nowhere else on earth. (5) Sustained and clean springflows from the Edwards Aquifer in the San Marcos springs and San Marcos River support a wide variety of economic, environmental and recreational interests. (6) The recharge zone is the most fragile area of the Edwards Aquifer system due to the potential for pollutants to enter the aquifer where the karst geology is exposed at the surface of the ground. (7) Indiscriminate and improperly planned land development over the recharge zone and the transition zone poses a potential threat to the Edwards Aquifer by disturbing the natural ecosystem and allowing pollutants to enter the aquifer. (8) Indiscriminate and improperly planned land development activities over the recharge zone and the transition zone pose a potential threat to the Edwards Aquifer by covering and sealing recharge features, thereby reducing the total amount of water that is able to replenish and recharge the Edwards Aquifer. (9) The area of the recharge zone near the city is particularly important to protect, because studies indicate that the aquifer in the San Marcos area is more significantly influenced by local recharge than other areas of the aquifer near springs, and because flow rates in the aquifer are higher in the San Marcos area than in other areas of the aquifer. (10) Most of the maior recharge features in the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone are found in or near rivers, creeks, streams, channels or other drainageways. (11 9) The City of San Marcos, as the trustee of public health, safety and welfare, finds that it is in the best interest of its citizens to carefully regulate land development activities over the recharge zone and the transition zone for the protection of the Edwards Aquifer. C:\TEMP\Edwards Regulations revision finaL doc 2