Posted: Wed, 30 Oct 2013 11:03 AM - 22,288 Readers

By: KXAN

The rain in our forecast could be the second significant rain event in just more than two weeks. After a prolonged drought, this round has a real possibility to replenish area lakes and aquifers.

Central Texas’ last rain event in early October caused flooding in parts of South Austin.

"During the rain bomb, it came up 17 feet or so here at Barton Springs just above the pool,” said Brian Hunt, senior hydrogeologist with the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District. “That took 12 inches to do that."

Rain since then has kept creeks like Barton Creek flowing. It’s also saturated the ground.

"Under these conditions where the soil's wet, it's primed,” Hunt said. “It won't take much rain to generate substantial flow in the creeks."

Flooding will be a concern again, but the high flow is great news for recharging the aquifer.

"A couple of inches in the next few days could even kick it off even better,” said Brian Smith, aquifer science team leader with the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District. “We could be out of drought all together by the end of the year."

Not everyone will be, however. A rain event that recharges the aquifer won’t always raise the Highland Lakes levels.

“If we're really in deep drought then everybody's low," Smith said, "but there are time when the aquifer might not be in drought and yet the Highland Lakes are not filling up."

It all depends on where the rain falls. Rain over the Hill Country can run-off into rivers that flow into Lake Buchanan or Lake Travis. Rain that falls over the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone that includes parts of South Austin makes its way into the aquifer.

More water in the aquifer is great news for its users. The Aquifer District has lifted its drought restrictions from critical to alarm stage drought. That means users have to reduce their water usage by 20 percent instead of 30 percent.

*  Story Contributed by: KXAN