Does anything live in Jacobs well?


Does anything live in Jacobs well? Catfish, crayfish, eel, perch, and blind salamanders live at the bottom of Jacob's Well. Closer to the mouth of the spring, you will find turtles, aquatic insects, and crustaceans. People don't seem to have animal problems in Jacob's Well, but you may want to steer clear of the Moray eel.


Can you still swim in Jacobs well?

Swimming at Jacob's Well is currently not permitted. Please note that the park is still open for hiking and viewing the spring during our regular hours. Plus we have geocaching, bird watching and a Nature Center to explore and enjoy! We also have picnic areas, a labyrinth, a sundial, and a Loose Parts Play Area!


What is so special about Jacobs well?

By the 330s CE, the site had been identified as the place where Jesus held his conversation with the Samaritan woman, and was probably being used for Christian baptisms. By 384 CE, a cruciform church was built over the site, and is mentioned in the 4th century writings of Saint Jerome.


Are there fish in Jacobs well?

Temperature of the water in Jacob's Well remains a near-constant 68°F and visibility is typically excellent. The spring provides habitat to numerous species of fish (principally sunfish and perch); turtles; aquatic insects; crustaceans; and, most notably, the cave-adapted Fern Bank salamander (Eurycea pterophilia).


Has Jacobs well been fully explored?

About Jacob's Well The settlers didn't dive into it, of course, but treated it instead as a drinking fountain and later used it to power a saw mill. They named it Jacob's Well because of its biblical magnificence. Since the well was discovered, at least 4,500 feet of it has been explored.


Has Jacobs well dried up?

For the second year in a row, the iconic spring-fed swimming hole has stopped flowing, the consequence of drought and overpumping. It was a scorching day in July 2022 when I last peered into Jacob's Well. In a sense, I had come to pay my respects.


Why is swimming at Jacobs well suspended?

As of June 29, 2022, swimming will not be allowed at Jacob's Well Natural Area (JWNA) for the foreseeable future. The threat of high bacteria levels, other pollutants and poor visibility conditions are unsafe for swimming.


What lives in Jacobs well?

There are no bats, of course, but there are catfish, perch, turtles – at the beginning of the cave – and then deep in, there are blind Texas salamanders to keep you company. You can't scuba dive there without a special permit from Hays County, and the only entity that has one is the Jacob's Well Exploration Project.