History…

a perpetual artesian spring north of Wimberley that eroded a two mile thick layer of limestone and formed a pool that was, for many years, used as a swimming hole. The creek fed by this spring was initially known as Jacobs Well Creek, but is now known as Cypress Creek. It is the primary source of water to Cypress Creek which flows through the City of Woodcreek, and the City of Wimberley, through the famous Blue Hole Recreation Area and into the Blanco River. Jacob's Well is also believed to have the longest underwater cave in Texas. The first Texas pioneers (1850s) used the water supply to power a saw mill. In 1924, Jacob's Well was measured to have a flow of one hundred and seventy gallons per second, six hundred and forty liters per second. However, development in the Jacob's Well area has lowered the level of the Trinity Aquifer, significantly reducing the flow of water through the spring and it rarely reaches those previous flow rates. For first time in recorded history the spring ceased flowing in 2000, it stopped again in 2008 and once more in 2O11. Due to these events and other considerations, measures to address local water conservation and water quality are being developed. With the continued droughts the Texas Hill Country experiences along with continued development, the Trinity Aquifer and Jacob's Well are under extreme duress. Early warning indicators are needed to provide for the stability of not only the water, but for the life that exists in and around its waters. Monitoring of Jacob's Well is necessary for continued evaluation and protection.