Author/Source: Save Our Springs Alliance
Barton Springs’ mission is to protect the Edwards Aquifer, its springs and contributing streams, and the natural and cultural heritage of the Hill Country region and its watersheds, with special emphasis on the Springs themselves. With around 400,000 visitors every year, it is important to protect Barton Springs and the aquifer that supplies the water for such enjoyment. The Edwards Aquifer is the major aquifer most vulnerable to pollution in Texas. This creek-fed, underground body of water is a major life source for Central Texas. The region is home to over fifty plant and animal species found nowhere else in the world including many unique aquatic species. Edwards Aquifer is the primary source of drinking water for over 1.5 million Texans. Unmanaged development in the Hill Country disturbs and exposes soil, which washes into the aquifer. Science shows that we cannot both urbanize and protect the Aquifer and Springs. Barton Springs is the only major outflow from the Edwards Aquifer.
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