What are the threats to Jacob's well?
What are the threats to Jacob's well? The well also stopped flowing briefly last year, for what officials said was the fourth time in its recorded history. Earlier this summer, Hays County suspended swimming at Jacob's Well, citing threats of bacteria and other pollutants, as well as poor visibility conditions.
Does Jacobs well have a bottom?
The well takes an initial plunge through 23 feet of well-lit water to an apparent bottom, but then it veers off into a descent of increasing darkness. I visited with Gregg Tatum who has logged over 250 dives there. He says it is no place for a novice.
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).
Why is Jacobs well drying up?
Extreme drought plus relentless growth is depleting the groundwater in this suburbanizing part of the Hill Country. As water levels decline, springs are drying up. As bad as last summer was, summer 2023 has been worse. It's hotter and drier.