WIMBERLEY, Texas – Swimming hasn’t been allowed at Jacob’s Well for the past two summers and newly posted photos of the spring-fed swimming hole make it clear why the Hill Country hot spot has been closed.
Hays County officials, who shared photos of a dried-up creek bed with KSAT on Tuesday, announced last summer that Jacob’s Well would be closed for swimming for the “foreseeable future.” In April, they said swimming will remain a no-go due to water levels and spring flow.
Check out the video above from the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District showing Jacob’s Well before the drought and after.
Under normal conditions, Jacob’s Well releases thousands of gallons of water every day from the Trinity Aquifer, which comes from an extensive underground cave system, according to Hays County Parks officials.
However, the lack of rainfall coupled with some of the hottest summer months on record have all but dried up the famous swimming hole.
The Watershed Association, a local nonprofit organization that keeps Jacob’s Well and the headwaters of Cypress Creek, clean, clear and flowing, posted an update on social media over the weekend stating that the spring is measuring at zero flow for the sixth time since 2000.
“There are multiple factors contributing to Jacob’s Well’s near-dry condition, and it’s crucial to recognize that it’s not just one issue at play,” Watershed officials said.
They also mentioned the extreme and exceptional drought conditions Central Texas has been experiencing the past few years and added that “increased groundwater demand to accommodate rapid population growth is resulting in more and more water being withdrawn in Woodcreek North, across the region.”
Anthony Shepherd of theHays County Parks Department told KSAT on Tuesday that Jacob’s Well will remain closed for swimming for the foreseeable future.
“We are still open for visitors to come view the well and hike our trails, but no water access will be permitted,” Shepherd said.
KSAT has reached out the Hays County officials regarding the over-pumping of groundwater in the area.
Jacob’s Well Natural Area in Hays County when it was open for swimming prior to the drought. (KSAT 12)