Jacob's Well is a perennial karstic spring in the Texas Hill Country flowing from the bed of Cypress Creek, located northwest of Wimberley, Texas.
The spring is located on the property of Jacob's Well Natural Area (JWNA), managed by the Hays County Parks Department. The 12-foot (3.7 m) diameter mouth of the spring serves as a popular local swimming spot. From the opening in the creek bed, Jacob's Well cave descends vertically for about 30 feet (9.1 m), then continues downward at an angle through a series of silted chambers separated by narrow restrictions, finally reaching an average depth of 120 feet (37 m). Until the modern era, the Trinity Aquifer-fed natural artesian spring gushed water from the mouth of the cave, with a measured flow in 1924 of 170 US gallons per second (640 L/s), discharging 6 feet (1.8 m) into the air.
Due to excessive pumping to meet supply demands by Aqua Texas (a subsidiary of Essential Utilities), the level of the Trinity Aquifer has dropped, affecting the flow of water through Jacob's Well. In the modern era, what remains visible of the spring is a faint ripple on the surface of Cypress Creek. The spring ceased flowing for the first time in recorded history in 2000, again ceasing to flow in 2008, 2011, 2013 and 2022. This resulted in now ongoing measures to address local water conservation and quality.
Swimming is now restricted.
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I remember swimming holes like that around Southwestern PA. We had a lot of spring-fed pools that my Dad would take me to when I was child... don't know what ever became of them.
ReplyDeleteSúperr.Amigo venezolano, Cúcuta
ReplyDeleteBack in the 1970's and 1980's, I had a great aunt and uncle that lived in Wimberly and we would visit them every summer. Their kids, my brother and I spent many a great day swimming at Jacob's Well. Beautiful spot, but even back then we knew of the dangers of drowning if we ventured too far down into the well (local lore had it that something "lived" down in it's deepest reaches and would grab you if you went to far!).
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame that it's now closed for swimming; it was an essential rite of passage for kids in South Texas that were within reasonable driving distance to leap off into it. Glad I have the memories, though!
Cool! Nice story RBrysco!
DeleteOH my "something "lived" down its deepest reaches and would grab you if you went too far!!"
Yikes!!
But glad you have fond memories of Jacob's Well!!
My brother lives in the Hill Country. He gripes that Texans cannot cut trees that harbor threatened species. They require too much water and drain the aquifer. Right. Meanwhile sprawl continues. Once the aquifer is drained it collapses. Once it collapses, it cannot be refilled. And they want a pipeline from Canada too!
ReplyDeleteAs usual, mankind has found a way to spoil it.
ReplyDelete