Drought Contingency Dashboard

The dashboard includes several sections to help explain Kyle’s water supply and drought-related conditions.

Kyle Water Supply

This section provides a high-level view of the City’s total water supply and how much is currently available based on supplier conditions.

It includes:

Total Permitted Supply (MGD): The total volume of water the City is authorized to use across all suppliers

Current Available Supply (MGD): The portion of supply that is currently available after applying supplier-specific drought reductions

Percent of Supply Currently Available: A comparison of available supply to total permitted supply

Supply by Source: Charts showing how much water comes from each supplier and how their conditions affect total availability

Interactive charts (such as pie charts and bar charts) allow users to see how each supplier contributes to total supply and how reductions impact overall availability.

Current Supplier Data

This section presents current conditions at the monitoring locations used by each of Kyle’s water suppliers to determine their respective drought stages.

Each supplier relies on different monitoring locations and indicators and conditions may vary across sources at any given time. Some suppliers base drought stages on spring flow, aquifer levels, or well measurements, while others rely on lake levels or reservoir storage.

For each supplier, the dashboard displays:

· The specific monitoring location(s) used to evaluate conditions

· Recent measurements or averages (such as daily values or rolling averages)

· The supplier’s current drought stage or requirement

· The corresponding reduction in available supply (%)

· Trend graphs showing how current conditions compare to drought stage thresholds over a one-year period

Users can navigate between suppliers to understand how differing data sources and criteria influence each supplier’s drought stage and, ultimately, the total water supply available to the City.

Water Suppliers

This section summarizes the drought criteria used by agencies and suppliers that provide water to Kyle, including Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA), Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District (BSEACD), Edwards Aquifer Authority (EAA), Alliance Regional Water Authority (ARWA), and Green Valley Special Utility District (SUD).

Tables in this section explain:

· How each supplier determines drought stages

· What environmental or operational factors are used (e.g., lake levels, aquifer levels, spring flows, or well levels)

· How those conditions translate into required reductions in available supply

This provides context for why suppliers may be in different drought stages at the same time.

Definitions

The Drought Contingency Dashboard uses several water supply terms, measurement units, and data sources to help explain Kyle’s water supply and drought-related supplier conditions.

The dashboard includes a Definitions page with more detailed information about monitoring locations, source data, units, and how the data is displayed. Use that page inside the dashboard if you are unsure what a term, unit, or data source means while viewing the charts.

Common terms and units used in the dashboard include:

ft: Feet. This is commonly used to show water elevation, such as lake levels or groundwater well levels.

cfs: Cubic feet per second. This is a rate of water flow and is commonly used to measure spring flow or discharge.

MGD: Million gallons per day. This is commonly used to describe water supply capacity or the amount of water available from a source.

IV: Instantaneous values. These are high-frequency sensor readings that may be collected multiple times throughout the day.

DV: Daily values. These are sensor readings or reported values posted once per day.

10-day average: A rolling average used to smooth short-term changes and show recent trends over time.

Monitoring location: A lake, spring, well, or other measurement point used by a water supplier or regulatory agency to evaluate water supply or drought conditions.

Supplier drought stage: A drought stage or requirement set by a water supplier or regulatory agency based on its own rules, monitoring locations, and drought criteria.

Some dashboard data comes from outside agencies and public monitoring systems. Provisional data may be updated or revised after it is first posted. For source links and additional details, use the Data Source and Definitions pages inside the dashboard.

Important Notes About the Data

The dashboard is an informational tool. It helps explain water supply conditions and supplier data, while official City drought stages, watering schedules, and enforceable restrictions are communicated through the Current Drought Stage & Watering Restrictions page and other official City channels.

Because Kyle receives water from multiple sources, one supplier’s drought stage does not tell the full story of the City’s water supply. The City reviews multiple factors, including supplier conditions, available supply, water demand, system needs, emergency conditions, and public health and safety considerations.

Some data comes from outside agencies and public monitoring systems. Provisional data may be updated or revised after it is first posted.

Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District data shown in the dashboard is based on available USGS sensor data. BSEACD may also use manual measurements when evaluating drought conditions. In some cases, especially when Barton Springs flow is below 20 cfs, manual measurements may differ from the USGS sensor data shown in the dashboard. Because of this, the BSEACD drought stage shown in the dashboard may not always match the official BSEACD-reported stage at the time the dashboard is viewed.

The dashboard does not include every operational factor the City may review when evaluating drought conditions. It is provided for informational and transparency purposes to help the public better understand water supply trends and drought-related supplier data. It does not replace official drought stage declarations, watering schedules, or water use restrictions issued by the City.

Why This Matters

Drought conditions can affect each water source differently. This dashboard helps residents see supplier data and water supply trends in one place, while Kyle Water Utilities continues to manage the water system, communicate current restrictions, and plan for long-term water needs.

Staying informed, following current watering rules, and using water wisely all help protect Kyle’s water supply.