Half-a-billion dollars and a decadeslong commitment could be needed to save seven imperiled species that rely upon a significant central Texas aquifer, according to a final Fish and Wildlife Service recovery plan.
The ambitious plan encompasses one plant, two beetles, one fish, one crustacean and two salamanders listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. They include the likes of the Texas blind salamander, Peck’s cave amphipod and Comal Springs riffle beetle.
The protected species inhabit the state’s two largest spring systems in Comal and Hays counties. The springs are fed by groundwater from the Edwards Aquifer, which also provides drinking water for more than 1.7 million Texas residents.
“This area is experiencing rapid development, which is expected to increase the extent of threats to water quality and quantity,” the FWS said upon releasing the final plan Wednesday, adding that “safeguarding the Edwards Aquifer is crucial not only for the survival of these species but also for the human communities that depend on the groundwater.”
