Is it safe to swim in Jacob's well?

Is it safe to swim in Jacob's 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 happening with Jacobs well?

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.

Are there animals 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).

What is the deepest underwater cave in Texas?

Deep in the west Texas desert lies Phantom Springs Cave. Exploration divers there hit a record depth of 462 ffw / 140.8 m, making it the deepest underwater cave system in the United States!

What are the threats to Jacobs well in Texas?

But it's exactly this paradise, and all who come here to enjoy it, that's strain-ing Jacob's Well. “The problem is population growth, plus drought,” says Linda Kaye Rogers, the board president of the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District.

Has anyone been in the fourth chamber of Jacobs well?

After about a dozen divers drowned trying to explore the bottom of Jacob's Well, the fourth chamber was finally sealed up for good.

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.